Anthropology Courses

ANT
100
SB
Hours
3
Anthropology: The Study of Humanity

This course introduces students to the subfields of anthropology and demonstrates the benefits of a holistic approach to understanding globalization, multiculturalism, and cultural diversity. The concepts of evolution, human prehistory, language, and culture are explored as well as the diversity of human cultural patterns, including variations in marriage, kinship, and religion.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
102
SB
Hours
3
Intro to Cultural Anthropology

An introduction to the discipline of cultural anthropology, the branch of anthropology that examines the rules and behaviors of contemporary human cultures. The course will demonstrate the importance of a holistic approach to understanding human diversity, and compare and contrast the various developments cultures use to tackle the universal problems of human living. SB Credit.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
103
SB
Hours
3
Discoveries In Archaeology

This course examines the major archaeological discoveries of the last two centuries that have led to significant insight about the nature of human organization. Not only will some of the broader cultural patterns in human prehistory be explored such as the origins of writing, religion, art, calendar systems, agriculture, and cities, but we will also learn about several remarkable archaeological sites and phenomena, including Stonehenge, the pyramids of Egypt, upper Paleolithic cave paintings, Machu Picchu and many other impressive achievements of the past.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
106
SB
Hours
3
Native Peoples of North America

Comprehensive overview of the prehistory, history, and modern day cultural diversity of Native Americans throughout North America. Historical and technological developments of different native groups are explored including changes as a result of European contact and the more recent attempts to revitalize Native American culture.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
107
SB
Hours
0-3
Intro to Archaeology

Overview of the methods archaeologists use to study prehistoric cultures and an introduction to the study of human culture over the past two million years.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
205
SB
Hours
3
Intro to Medical Anthropology

Medical Anthropology is the study of human health and healing and the diverse cultural, social, linguistic, and biological factors that influence lived experiences of pain, illness, suffering, and well-being in societies across the globe. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to content related to four core themes over the course of a semester: theoretical orientations and key concepts, diversity of health beliefs and practices, comparative medical systems, and contemporary health issues in various populations and sociocultural settings. This course is designed for any student interested in a holistic, introductory exploration of human health and healthcare practices.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
208
Hours
3
Anthropology of Sex

This course is an introduction to human sexuality from a biocultural perspective with emphases on sexual diversity and pluralism and psychosexual evolution. It traces the evolution of human sociosexual behavior, including human sexual physiology, preproductive strategies; contemporary courtship, mating and marital patterns; gender differences in the brain and behavior; and sexual and social emotions. It compares the sexuality of humans to non-humans, especially to that of other primates. It also discusses human sexuality from the perspective of different cultures throughout the world. Among other topics, the course will address the psychobiocultural dimensions and implications of attraction, fidelity sex techniques, gender, incest, homosexuality and transexuality and sexually transmitted diseases.

ANT
210
SB
Hours
3
Language and Culture

Human activity in its linguistic, cultural, and social contexts; interrelationships between culture and natural language; and the influences of language and culture on thought and behavior.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
217
Hours
3
Peoples of Asia

This discussion-based course explores the anthropology of Asia, with a different topical focus each semester. These foci include diverse subjects of anthropological study (marriage, class mobility, labor, masculinity, politics, medicine, freedom). Over the course of the semester, students will pay special attention to how these subjects are shaped by the circulation of social movements and globalizing forces like production and consumption, global media, and human rights discourses. In so doing, this course will raise questions about the relationships between theory, epistemology and method as they pertain to the anthropology of Asia, and to anthropology more generally.

ANT
218
SB
Hours
3
Anthropology of Sports

Athletic play is found across cultures and likely has deep evolutionary roots. This class explores the anthropology of sports, from biological, cultural, and historical perspectives. Topics are wide-ranging and may include the evolution of sport, rituals and fandom, transgender athletes, and cultural beliefs on race, sex, and class in athletics.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
220
SB
Hours
3
Archaeological Myths & Hoaxes

Archaeology, the study of past people through material culture, is primarily concerned with understanding human behavior, culture, and social structures in the past. However, archaeology also has a long tradition of inspiring tantalizing theories about ancient aliens, lost civilizations, and conspiracies. In this course we will examine historical hoaxes from all over the ancient world and learn to evaluate contemporary pseudoscience claims about archaeology. How can we determine whether the information we are consuming is un-biased and based on rigorous science? How can we present archaeological research to the public in such a way that it is accurate and of interest? And is archaeological study still a worthwhile endeavor without aliens and Atlantis?.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
225
SB
Hours
3
Introduction to Global Health

This course covers the biological, cultural, social aspects of major international health issues, especially in the areas of infectious disease, nutrition, and environmental health. The course will also explore the integration of anthropology in global health work. Other topics include population groups with special risks, policies and programs designed to reduce health inequalities, and basic methods used to study global health.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT
250
SP
Hours
3
Issues in Anthropology

This course is a flexible listing designed to cover specific topics in anthropology not already offered through an existing course. It is similar to ANT 450 Problems in Anthropology, but allows students with less exposure to ANT or the particular issues addressed an opportunity to learn more at a more introductory level.

Special Topics Course
ANT
259
Hours
3
Lithic Technology & Manufacture

This laboratory course is designed to examine stone production technology, especially chipped stone, in past and present populations. Topics are directed toward the understanding of lithic tool classes through experimental stone tool making but also examination of tool manufacture in an anthropological context, include the selection of materials, manufacturing techniques, discarding practices of past and present tool makers. Additional class time will be devoted to discussions of archaeological techniques to measure and date prehistoric tools including micro-debitage analysis, x-ray fluorescence spectrometry in the service of lithic technology. and biface analysis. Students are required to purchase a flintknapping kit.

ANT
261
Hours
3
South American Archaeology

At the time of European contact, chroniclers who visited South America wrote in awe of its diversity of peoples and cultures, its sheer richness of natural resources, its wealth, monuments, and urban centers, and its technological achievements. Indeed, South America witnessed the development of social complexity early in prehistory, a prehistory that includes the rise and fall of state-level societies, kingdoms, and empires—all without the use of writing and such inventions as the wheel. In this class, we will examine how the history of South America is situated within the history of humankind as a whole. We will survey the region’s cultural history, beginning with the peopling of South America in the Pleistocene epoch and ending with the impact of European colonization on native peoples in the Andes, Amazonian, and the Caribbean. We will learn about the role that archaeology is uniquely capable of playing in bringing to light the continent’s fascinating past and learn about the material culture and biological/environmental factors that make the region singular in comparison to other culture-areas of the world.

ANT
270
N
Hours
4
Intro to Biological Anthropology

An introduction to human evolution, biological variation, and adaptation, from the deep past to the present, with a special focus on the biocultural foundations of human nature. Students will become familiar with cutting edge evidence from the fossil record and molecular biology about our origins and prehistory, and how humans today respond to our widely varying physical and social environments.

Natural Science
ANT
275
Hours
3
Race, Ethnicity Human, and Variation

Historical and contemporary perspectives on human biological diversity, including the concepts of race, ethnicity, adaptation, and some of the social implications of these views.

ANT
302
Hours
3
Language and Race

This course examines language as practice in relation to the concepts and consequences of race, racism and racial identity in the contemporary U.S. Based in linguistic anthropology but also drawing from medical anthropology, the course emphasizes the connections between language, embodied experience, and health in the context of culture. The course examines links between everyday language and cultural processes of racialization as they occur in educational contexts, healthcare settings, in the media, in religious practice, in music, on social media, and in public policy discourse. After reviewing several core concepts in linguistic anthropology, the course focuses on understanding how power is enacted in everyday language; how speakers of various language varieties experience everyday interaction in various contexts; how “code-switching” works in complex social encounters; how “style” and “stance” are drawn upon in racialized identity construction (for all speakers); and how language, race, and gender work together in interaction.

ANT
303
W
Hours
3
Maya Language and Culture

This course covers the basics of Hieroglyphic Mayan and Classic Maya culture using the outstanding material legacy of the ancient civilization. It explores the indigenous Maya myths, histories, and stories of life at the ancient courts of lords and nobles. The course begins with an overview of Classic Maya writing and its historical and cultural contexts. After the introductory section on the fundamentals of Maya glyphs, each week combines a discussion of the grammar of the Hieroglyphic Mayan and thematic lectures on a range of topics from tags and texts on drinking cups to parallels between Pre-Columbian, Colonial, and present-day Maya literatures. The lectures are accompanied by practical translation exercises and three essay assignments. The course does not require any prior knowledge of Mayan languages or hieroglyphs. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Writing
ANT
305
Hours
3
Tattooing and Human Nature

This course provides an introduction to body modification through the lens of tattooing. Today, one in four Americans has at least one tattoo, and peoples of the world have been tattooing for over 5500 years, based on evidence of tattooed mummies found throughout the world. Yet tattooing can be a health risk, even in an era of improved hygiene and sanitation. This course explores body use from the 4-field anthropological perspective—biological, cultural, linguistic, and archaeological—with a special focus on tattooing.

ANT
307
Hours
3
Science, Technology, & Justice

This course examines the complex relationships between gender, race, culture, science, and technology from an anthropological perspective. The course provides an array of vantage points to analyze complex social issues and centers the perspectives and contributions of historically marginalized people in the U.S. Drawing upon intersectional quantitative and qualitative inquiry, we address questions surrounding how to create more diverse, equitable, ethical uses of science/technology.

ANT
311
Hours
3
Population, Health & Human Origin

Focuses on the relationships among human ecology, population growth, health and disease, and adaptation in modern and prehistoric societies. Explores the origins of infectious diseases, emphasizing the principles of epidemiology and evolution of pathogens.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 270
ANT
312
Hours
3
Non-Human Primates

This course is an introductory survey of the world's living non-human primates. The focus is on the taxonomy, anatomy, behavior, ecology and cognition of our closest living relatives. It is intended both as a starting point for further coursework in primate behavior and as a survey course for non-science students.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 100 or ANT 270 or permission of the instructor.
ANT
317
Hours
3
Anth-Modern Life

Application of anthropological theories and findings to selected issues and problems of living in complex industrialized societies. Offered according to demand.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 100 or ANT 102
ANT
319
W
Hours
3
Ancient New World Civilization

An introduction to the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica and South America. Explores the development of economic and political institutions as well as hieroglyphic texts, art styles, and religious rites. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107 or permission of the instructor.
Writing
ANT
322
Hours
3
Anthropological Perspectives on Complementary/Alternative & Integrative Medicine

This course offers students a broad understanding of Complementary/Alternative (CAM) & Integrative Medicine (IM), including a basic appreciation of the multiple existing modalities and healthcare philosophies that draw together diverse healing traditions and perspectives on the person in innovative forms of clinical practice. We will not only learn the various existing definitions of “integration” in healthcare, but we will also examine the ways in which IM is being researched in medicine and beyond, and the implications of such research for both mainstream and alternative clinical practice. The course focuses especially on CAM/IM in the US, but also includes perspectives on CAM/IM as it has developed in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Students will thus develop an anthropological perspective on the socio-cultural, political, and economic context of multiple forms of CAM/IM.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
ANT
326
Hours
3
Service Ethnography

This class integrates community service and anthropology, with the goal of co-creating solutions to stakeholder-identified challenges. Students will be paired with a community organization, such as the West Alabama Food Bank or UA’s Parent Teacher Leadership Academy, and will commit to a minimum of three (3) volunteer hours per week, in addition to our weekly course meeting. Through participant observation and informal interviews, students will work with the organization and the community it serves to determine the needs necessary to address the stakeholder challenge. This will require that that students meet with their group and relevant stakeholders outside of class time.

ANT
361
Hours
3
Environmental Archaeology

Humans have transformed and interacted with their environments for thousands of years. Using scientific techniques from earth sciences, biology, and other interdisciplinary sciences, archaeologists can gain insights into past human life. This course explores the varied applications of environmental reconstruction in the investigation of archaeological sites. Students will be introduced to a variety of analytical techniques, including methods for dating and paleoenvironment and climate reconstruction. Students will also learn how to interpret and integrate these data to better understand past human societies and their environments.

ANT
365
Hours
3
Archaeological Field Research

In this course, students and the supervising archaeologists work together as a research team on an archaeological excavation. Students learn basic excavation techniques and skills: how to identify, map, measure, recover, record, and process archaeological data. At the conclusion of the course, students will have excavation experience and insights into the archaeological research process including site mapping, geophysical survey, excavation and data recovery, and on-site documentation. This course will be offered either as a 3-week Interim or a 5-week Summer course. The location of the course will be determined by the professor and students may be required to travel.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107, or permission from the professor
ANT
366
Hours
6
Field Archaeology

In this course students will participate in an archaeological survey and testing at Moundville and surrounding sites, learning how archaeological research is structured and enacted. Working as a team, students will learn archaeological excavation and survey techniques, including how to identify, record, map, and document archaeological artifacts and features. Students will also become familiar with shallow geophysical survey techniques, including electrical resistivity and magnetic gradiometry, and advanced mapping and surveying methodologies.

ANT
368
Hours
3
Southeastern Archaeology

Origin and development of pre-Columbian and early historic cultures of the Southeast. Offered according to demand.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
ANT
401
Hours
3
Theory and Method in Linguistic Anthropology

Scientific study of natural language, phonology, grammar, lexicon, meaning and the role of linguistics in anthropological research.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 210
ANT
402
W
Hours
3
Health Inequities

Explores the gendered, ethnic, cultural, and class dimensions that underlie the patterning of disease and illness worldwide, with attention to the long-term health effects of racism, sexism and poverty. Topics include reproductive and sexual health, obesity, body image, HIV/AIDS, mental illness, homelessness, and more. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): Either ANT 100 or ANT 102 & 3 additional hours, or consent of instructor.
Writing
ANT
405
W
Hours
3
Culture, Mind, and Behavior

An examination of how culture influences individual thought, emotion, and behavior, and how culture is shaped by individual psychology. Topics include: models of culture; culture and visual perception; culture and personality; culture and mental health; as well as other topics. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
Writing
ANT
406
Hours
3
Biocultural Bodies

This course will explore the body as the object and subject of culture. It will examine how viewing the body as a biocultural canvas and looking at culture as “lived through” the materiality of the body influences our understandings of health and health care. Students will be challenged to examine health as a concept that is quantifiable and generalizable as well experiential and person-centered. They will be challenged to view the discipline of medicine as a framework for employing verifiable and shared (or questionable and contested) knowledge of biological systems whose foundational assumptions and core meanings are grounded in particular social and cultural worlds.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
ANT
407
Hours
3
Psychological Anthropology

This course will review three main models of research within psychological anthropology: psychodynamic, cognitive, and experiential/phenomenological. Students will also gain a comprehensive understanding of person-centered ethnography, which involves in-depth interviews designed to reveal individuals’ self-perceptions and experiences in relation to the sociocultural context. Students gain practice in this methodology by conducting a series of interviews over the course of the semester.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
ANT
409
Hours
3
Ancient Maya Civilization

What was the lived daily experience in the pre-contact Maya world? How did aspects of material culture-- such as architecture, food, musical instruments, tools, and clothing-- frame Maya society, and how were these elements also framed by it? How are perceptions of the ancient Maya marshaled in today’s politics and policies? In this course, we will engage with the world of the pre- and post-contact Maya, through scholarship that explores the material culture of daily life. The course is arranged around framing questions about the past through ethnographic and ethnohistoric accounts of daily life; using diverse scientific methods and theoretical perspectives to address these questions; and interpreting and possibly re-interpreting daily life of the ancient Maya, focusing on the dynamic interplay between the material and the social.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
ANT
410
Hours
3
Ethnography of Communication

Students in this course will learn to use the concepts and methods of ethnography of communication by developing and carrying out a research project on language and social interaction. You will learn how social interaction is organized, how to document and study it, and how to address such evidence to to anthropological and applied problems. The goal for the course will be for each student to produce a report based on their research and for the work to be of sufficient substance, quality, and intellectual and/or applied significance, that it would be an ideal submission for the UA Undergraduate Research & Creativity Conference in the following semester. Students will finish the course with a critical and sophisticated understanding of how social interaction works in a variety of contexts.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 401 or ANT 210 or permission from instructor
ANT
411
W
Hours
3
Culture, Health, and Healing

A cross-cultural overview of medical systems, and the health, illness, and healing experiences within them. Patients and healers will be studied through the lens of etiology, help seeking, diagnosis and treatment. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Writing
ANT
412
W
Hours
3
Anthropology of Europe

The course examines ethnicity, nationalism, democratization, unification, and fragmentation with an emphasis on specific countries or regions within Europe. Classic anthropological topics, such as kinship, political organization, ritual, and religion are employed in the study of European nations, ethnicities, and minority communities. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
Writing
ANT
413
W
Hours
3
Peoples of Latin Amer

A review of selected aspects of Latin American social systems and cultures. Topics include social structure, ethnicity, economics, material culture, gender roles, religion, sports, and political systems. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): Either ANT 100 or ANT 102 & 3 additional hours, or consent of instructor.
Writing
ANT
414
Hours
3
Anthropology of Africa

A survey of the standards, customs, and beliefs that typify African cultures.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
ANT
415
W
Hours
3
Everyday Life in Contemporary China

This course offers students the opportunity to learn about everyday life in contemporary China from an anthropological perspective. Beginning with a brief overview of Chinese history, the bulk of the course is dedicated to understanding how life in contemporary China is shaped by various historical, cultural, social, economic, and political realities. Specific topics include family, religion, healthcare and wellbeing, art (including music and cinema), gender, personal relationships, and issues related to changing urban landscapes. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 100 or ANT 102, and 6 additional hours of ANT courses at 200 through 400 level.
Writing
ANT
419
W
Hours
3
Myth, Ritual, And Magic

Across cultures, people rely on various belief systems to bring meaning to their lives and understanding of the world around them. This course will dive into the anthropological literature on themes related to religion, including myth, ritual, magic, witchcraft, totemism, shamanism, and trance. Cross-cultural ethnographic examples—including a range of religious, spiritual, and magical belief systems—will be provided to illuminate how anthropologists analyze belief systems in their interpretations of culture. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102 or REL 100
Writing
ANT
421
W
Hours
3
Ethnography

Ethnography is a hallmark of anthropology. It is at once a theoretical approach, set of methods, and style of writing. This course highlights ethnographic theory, methods for collecting ethnographic material, and techniques for writing about culture by reading exemplary texts, discussing key concepts, and practicing various methods. Each student will develop an ethnographic project that involves fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): 12 hrs of Anthropology or permission from instructor
Writing
ANT
422
W
Hours
3
Archaeological Ethics

This class will explore the legal and ethical dimensions of modern archaeology through a consideration of the archaeology as a profession, professional codes on archaeological ethics, the relationship between archaeology and others (the public, ethnic groups, collectors, etc.), international and national approaches to archaeological heritage management, the antiquities trade, maritime law, underwater archaeology, and treasure hunting, cultural resource management in the United States, and archaeological education. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
Writing
ANT
423
Hours
3
Legal Anthropology

What is law? Do all societies have it? Is there really something distinct about “thinking like a lawyer”? This seminar primarily draws on anthropological studies of legal systems and practices to show that the answers to these questions are surprisingly complex. We will study law both cross-culturally and, within the United States, cross-contextually, in order to explore what really distinguishes legal rules from cultural norms and to ask whether basic legal concepts exist across cultures.

ANT
424
Hours
3
Applied Archaeology: Cultural Resource Management

This course will provide students with strategies and frameworks to protect, preserve, learn from, and properly consider cultural landscapes and places under relevant regulatory regimes, such as the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and associated guidance, Executive Orders (EOs), and agency policies. Course training involves learning to satisfy the regulatory requirements of the cultural heritage and resources management profession in both standard and creative ways. At its center, the course includes Native American and Indigenous worldviews, values, and practices to inform the research design, data collection, interpretation, and presentation of research.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
ANT
425
Hours
3
Geographic Information Systems for Archaeologists

This course covers the basic background and skills necessary to manage and analyze spatial datasets using GIS (Geographic Information Systems). We will emphasize the GIS concepts and techniques that are most useful to archaeologists, and we will be working with real archaeological data for all labs and projects. Topics include data acquisition, spatial queries, working with rasters, catchments, cost‐surface analysis and visualization analysis. The course includes a weekly guided lab on ESRI ArcGIS software.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107 and 6 hrs. of additional ANT courses
ANT
426
Hours
3
Archaeology of East North America

Examination of the origins and developments of pre-Columbian and early historic cultures of eastern North America.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
ANT
427
Hours
3
Radiocarbon for Archaeologists

Radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dating is the most commonly used dating method in archaeological research. The purpose of this class is to gain a deep understanding of radiocarbon so that we, as archaeologists, can better sample/collect, calibrate, and analyze these data for our own research, and critically evaluate the scholarly literature. We will further our understanding of radiocarbon and its archaeological applications through course lectures, presentations and discussions of the recent literature, calculation and calibration activities, and individual research projects. This course has relevancy for any student interested in field archaeology, as it will train them to collect appropriate samples for dating and design dating strategies that are consistent with their research goals.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
ANT
428
W
Hours
3
North American Archaeology

This course is an introduction to the archaeology of North America, from initial colonization of the continent by hunter-gatherers, to the arrival of European explorers. We begin with an examination of the theories and debates concerning the arrival of humans in the New World. The remaining majority of the course will be an in-depth examination of prehistoric archaeological developments in the major culture areas of North America. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 106 or ANT 107
Writing
ANT
431
SP
Hours
1-3
Readings In Anth

Honors readings for seniors and graduate students. Offered with permission of instructor only. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours.

Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of ANT courses
Special Topics Course
ANT
433
Hours
3
Geoarchaeology

Geoarchaeology is a field-based discipline that implements earth science methods in archaeology. This course explores the varied applications of earth science in the investigation of archaeological sites by using a landscape-approach to survey geoarchaeological case studies. Methodological emphasis will be on stratigraphy, sedimentology, and soils. This course include will be mixed lecture and student-led seminar-style discussion on our weekly readings. Student participation in the form of weekly discussions, a research paper, and a final class presentation are expected. This course is intended for any student interested in learning more about field interpretation of archaeological sites.

ANT
434
Hours
3
Archaeology of Food

A broad survey of the literature on modern and ancient foodways, addressing major themes including the domestication of plants and animals; food and social complexity; food, power, politics, and status; the daily meal; feasting and drinking; plating and presentation; food preferences/taste and disgust; and the intimate relationship between food and identity. Students will also engage with the wide range of methods and techniques in the archaeologist’s toolkit that aid in the undertaking of gastronomic research, including the analysis of plant and animal remains, residues recovered from cooking and serving ware, and the chemical composition of human bones.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
ANT
438
Hours
3
Anthropology of Art

The course views the art that societies past and present produce; it explores culture, creativity, and human beings' distinctive compulsion to make decorative objects.

Prerequisite(s): At least 6 hours of ANT courses, including ANT 102; OR permission of instructor
ANT
439
SP
Hours
3
Topics Anthropology Religion

An examination of contemporary issues and topics in the anthropology of religion.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
Special Topics Course
ANT
440
W
Hours
3
Culture

A selective review of past and contemporary concepts, theories, and methodological approaches adopted by cultural anthropologists. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102
Writing
ANT
444
W
Hours
3
Anthropology and Cemeteries

Using approaches developed in the discipline of anthropology and, more particularly, in the subfield of archaeology, an exploration of the different ways in which local cemeteries can yield information on cultural, societal, and historical matters. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
Writing
ANT
445
W
Hours
3
Historical Archaeology

This course is a survey of the method and theory of the discipline of historical archaeology. Focusing particularly on the historical archaeology of North America, this course reviews the development of the field, considers the related fields of colonial archaeology and the archaeology of the contemporary, and examines what distinguishes historical archaeology within the broader discipline. Additionally, during this course we will consider specific material approaches utilized in historical archaeological analyses. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Writing
ANT
450
SP
Hours
3
Probs In Anthropology

Devoted to issues not covered in other courses. Each section of the course represents a separate class with a specific professor and list of topics. The course may be repeated for a maximum of 12 hours.

Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of ANT courses
Special Topics Course
ANT
451
Hours
1-6
Undergraduate Research

Introduction to independent anthropological research with a focus on constructing testable hypotheses, selecting variables, measuring attributes, recording data, making interpretations and writing and presenting results.

Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of ANT courses
ANT
458
Hours
3
Museum Collections Management

This course considers the intellectual, physical, legal, financial, social, and ethical challenges of preserving and providing access to museum collections. Through lectures, readings, hands-on activities, and field trips students explore the theory and practice of collections management and learn how to maximize available resources for collections care in any museum regardless of size.

ANT
460
W
Hours
3
Anthropology and Museums

Examines the historical connections between anthropology and natural history museums in the United States. Explores the present operation of such museums and develops exhibits based on collection studies. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107
Writing
ANT
462
Hours
3
Ancient Andean Civilizations

The Andes is a region of geographic and environmental extremes that witnessed the early rise of complex societies long before the Inca Empire. In this course, we examine the prehispanic cultures that resided in this region—from the peopling of South America to the aftermath of Spanish Conquest.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 103 or ANT 107
ANT
464
Hours
3
Paleoethnobotany

This laboratory class is designed to introduce archaeological laboratory methods, reasoning and interpretation through paleoethnobotanical identification and data analysis. We will be studying the major classes of plant remains likely to be encountered in archaeological sites, how to identify them, and how to organize the data to produce interpretable results. The course will emphasize the use of plant remains to answer archaeological questions, rather than study the plant remains for their own sake.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 107 and 6 hrs. of additional ANT classes
ANT
466
Hours
3
Laboratory Methods Archaeology

This class is a “hands-on” course in archaeological laboratory methods and most useful for anthropology majors/minors. Students will read about different kinds of analyses, and then put theory into practice by classifying and analyzing prehistoric artifacts. Students will learn how to build interpretations of the past by using artifact assemblages, how to discriminate between reliable and less reliable information, and collaborate in group activities.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 103 or ANT 107
ANT
471
Hours
3
Fossil Humans and Evolution

Survey of the discoveries, methods, and theories that provide the background for modern research in macroevolution. Offered according to demand.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 270
ANT
473
Hours
3
Human Osteology

In this course students will be introduced to the human skeleton and how to conduct human osteological analysis through complete and fragmentary remains. Students will learn criteria for determination of sex, age, stature, and epigenetic traits. Additionally, students will be introduced to common health related pathologies and evidence of trauma. Students will engage with casts and virtual 3D models to gain these skills. This course also examines the ethics of excavating and analyzing human remains.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 270
ANT
474
Hours
3
Neuroanthropology

This course provides an introduction to evolutionary and biocultural approaches within anthropology to the central and peripheral nervous systems and their interconnections. Topics include the evolution of the brain; how culture and social structure shape the brain, its development, and its activity; and anthropological perspectives on connections among culture, behavior, brain, mind, and body.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 270 or BSC 300 or PY 413
ANT
475
W
Hours
3
The Plastic Human: Our Biology, Culture, & Evolution

An introduction to the biocultural and evolutionary bases of human adaptability. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 270
Writing
ANT
476
W
Hours
3
Nutritional Anthropology

An introduction to anthropological inquiries and methods in nutrition—including food habits, food systems, dietary variability, and food movements—using an engaged anthropological framework. This experiential learning classes teaches students how to conduct nutritional anthropological fieldwork within local community settings. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102 and ANT 270
Writing
ANT
478
Hours
3
Anthropology of Human Development

Health culturally competent socialized adults and mature physical forms arise from a developmental process with evolutionary, biological, social and cultural dimensions. We survey child/human development from an anthropological perspective, considering interactons across levels of analysis from genes to culture.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 100 OR ANT 270
ANT
481
Hours
3
Anthropology is Elemental: Teaching Anthropology in Primary and Secondary Settings

This course is an introduction to teaching anthropology at the primary and secondary levels. It is a service-learning course, which means that all students will serve as instructors in a local anthropology course offered in the Tuscaloosa area. This course will expose students to applied anthropology through teaching the anthropological perspective via an activity-based four-subfield curriculum in conjunction with local elementary schools, after-school programs, or similar community partners. These programs will be taught by teams, and each student will be responsible for attending weekly course meetings, developing curricular material and implementing it in a classroom setting, and co-teaching with other students.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 102, ANT 107, ANT 210, and ANT 270