Anthropology
Department website: https://isu.edu/anthropology/
Programs
| Anthropology, B.A. | Degree | B.A. |
| Anthropology, Minor | Minor | |
| American Indian Studies, Minor | Minor | |
| Latino Studies, Minor | Minor | |
| Linguistics, Minor | Minor | |
| Shoshoni, A.A. | Degree | A.A. |
| Cultural Resources Management, Certificate | Certificate | |
| Forensic Sciences, Certificate | Certificate | |
| Medical Anthropology, Academic Certificate | Certificate |
Mission
The mission of the Department of Anthropology is to research and teach about global human diversity from the distant past to the present. Anthropology applies theoretical and practical tools to understanding the human past, human biology and evolution, language, contemporary society, and culture, and provides cross-cultural, environmental, and global perspectives on past and present human behavior. Our mission is to apply anthropological concepts to the resolution of important social, cultural, health, and environmental problems of our times. The Department of Anthropology offers courses leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree and the Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees. For a full description of the M.A. and M.S. degrees, refer to the Graduate Catalog. The Anthropology major provides training in the four sub-disciplines of archaeology, biological anthropology, anthropological linguistics, and sociocultural anthropology. The department also offers an Associate of Arts degree in Shoshoni; minors in Anthropology, American Indian Studies, Latino Studies, and Linguistics; and specialization in archaeological science, ecological anthropology, medical anthropology, applied anthropology, forensics, and language preservation.
Undergraduate Learning Objectives And Outcomes
Program Objectives – Students who have completed an undergraduate major in Anthropology at Idaho State University should be able to:
- Understand basic methods, concepts, theories and approaches, and modes of explanation appropriate to each of the sub-fields of the discipline.
- Read and understand anthropological theory at the level of Bachelor of Arts.
- Understand the use of quantitative and qualitative analyses in anthropological research.
- Understand a comparative approach to the human condition, both cross-culturally and chronologically.
- Demonstrate technical writing skills at the level of Bachelor of Arts.
Learning Outcomes – Students in the Senior Seminar will demonstrate the following competencies based on the above objectives:
- Apply knowledge of anthropological methods, approaches, and modes of explanation to contemporary social issues.
- Use theory to formulate a testable explanation for a given cultural behavior.
- Select and perform quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques at a basic level.
- Carry out a research project using cross-cultural and/or diachronic comparative methods.
- Write a competent senior research paper.