Schools, Departments & Programs
Anthropology
Introduction
Anthropology is the study of humans in all our biological and cultural complexity, through time and around the world. Anthropology integrates approaches from the social sciences, from biological and physical sciences, and from the arts and humanities to pursue questions about human behavior, practices and identity, and to seek solutions to human problems.
The Department of Anthropology (ANTH) offers courses organized in four subfields: Archaeology, Bioanthropology, Linguistic Anthropology and Social/Cultural Anthropology, as well as integrative capstone seminars. Practical experience is offered in ethnographic methods, laboratory methods, qualitative and quantitative analysis, museum studies, and in several field schools. Archaeology explores the material remains of peoples and cultures in the recent and distant past, seeking fragmentary clues to understand how people once lived, and how the human past connects to the present. Bioanthropology examines the adaptations, variation, health and evolutionary history of humans and their primate relatives, studying human biology in the context of human culture and behavior. Linguistic anthropology studies language and the ways people communicate in the context of social and cultural diversity, using different media, past and present. Social/cultural anthropology studies contemporary and historical cultures and societies, worldwide, linking local and global, and using diverse ethnographic approaches to understanding contemporary issues and challenges to our common humanity. Anthropology courses can focus on geographical regions or on interdisciplinary topics, such as human-environmental interaction; culture and health; communication, media and performance; cultural heritage management; or food studies.
Majors, Minors, and Programs
- Major in Anthropology
- Interdepartmental Major in Anthropology and Linguistics
- Certificate in the Ethnography of Communication
- Certificate in Global Human Diversity
- Minor in Anthropology
- Minor in the Anthropology of Food
- Minor in Archaeology
- Departmental Honors Program
- Field School and Overseas Study
Contact Information
Department of Anthropology
Indiana University
130 Student Building
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812) 855-1041
anthro [at] indiana [dot] edu