Program Description
Anthropology is the study of humans and our immediate ancestors. Anthropologists explore human cultural and biological diversity across time and space. Central to this endeavor is an emphasis upon understanding the whole of the human condition, attentive to the variety of ways in which culture, society, biology and the environment influence how humans see and interact with the world. Anthropology includes the sub-disciplines of archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological (physical) anthropology, and linguistics. The curriculum is designed to provide students with an understanding of the basic foundations of anthropology and to prepare them to transfer to a university for further studies toward a Bachelor's or advanced degree.
The skills and scope of knowledge developed in an anthropology program prepares students for work in a variety of settings, both in public and private sectors in the U.S. and abroad. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of anthropology many teach across a broad spectrum of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, health sciences, physical sciences, and biological sciences. Outside the university, anthropologists work in government agencies, private businesses, museums, private research institutes, service fields, cultural resource management, etc. Others work as independent consultants and researchers for the Centers for Disease Control, UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank, among others.
Completion of the program is designed to result in an Associate's degree, and meets the general education requirements at all Idaho public universities. Course selections should be tailored to match requirements of the intended transfer institution.