Stony Brook Undergraduate Bulletin - Spring 2025ANTDegrees & Requirements

Requirements for the Major and Minor in Anthropology

Requirements for the Major in Anthropology (ANT)

The major in Anthropology leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. The Anthropology program offers four specializations that allow students to tailor their advanced coursework to specific intellectual interests, training objectives, and career goals. Completion of the major entails 21 credits of foundational courses, plus completion of one of the four specializations. At least 18 credits must be in upper-division courses (300 level or higher). ANP/ANT 475, 476, and 488 DO NOT count toward the major requirements. All major courses (including transfer credits) must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher.

A. Foundational coursework required for all Anthropology majors, regardless of specialization

I. Introductory courses:

Students must take an introductory course in all three subfields offered in the major.

ANT 102 What Makes Us Human?
ANT 104 Archaeology
ANP 120 Introduction to Biological Anthropology

II. Subfield courses:

One course in biological anthropology or human evolutionary biology (All applicable courses are listed below under the Biological Anthropology subfield)
One course in archaeology (See Archaeology subfield list below)
One course in cultural anthropology (See Cultural Anthropology subfield list below)

III. One 400-level seminar chosen from ANP 401, ANP 403, ANP 404, ANP 405, ANP 406, ANP 407, ANP 410, ANT 401, ANT 402, ANT 405, ANT 410, ANT 415, ANT 417, ANT 418, ANT 419, EBH 401, EBH 404, or EBH 405.

IV. Upper-Division Writing Requirement

Students should consult with the department advisor to ensure that their plan for completing the Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent with university graduation requirements for General Education. Students completing the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) must complete a course that satisfies the "Write Effectively within One's Discipline" (WRTD) learning objective to graduate. The Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent in most cases with the SBC learning outcomes for WRTD. To complete the Writing Requirement in Anthropology, students must register for the 0-credit ANT 459, and submit one or more papers completed during a 300-level or higher “Writing Intensive” ANP/ANT/EBH course (selected from the subfield courses listed below or ANT 410) with an evaluation of S (Satisfactory). Detailed information on criteria and procedures for fulfilling the Writing Requirement in Anthropology is available from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

B. Specializations of advanced study

Students must complete one of the four following specializations. Learning goals, advanced requirements (in addition to the baseline requirements listed above), and credit totals are listed for each specialization.

Specialization in contemporary approaches to anthropology

Learning goals: Anthropology is a discipline that embraces a holistic approach to examining the question “What makes us human?” This specialization offers students flexibility to take courses in a variety of anthropological subfields, exploring this question from morphological, behavioral, archaeological, and cultural standpoints. Students gain knowledge and methodological skills from courses covering both scientific and humanistic approaches to anthropology.

Advanced coursework requirements: Five elective courses (15 credits) at the 200-level or higher in Anthropology or Human Evolutionary Biology. Any 200+ course on the subfield lists may qualify, as well as ANP 202, ANP 401, ANT 215, ANT 410, ANP/ANT 447 (max 3 credits each), and ANP/ANT 487 (max 3 credits each). The Director of Undergraduate Studies may approve substitution of one course with anthropologically-relevant content from another department.

Credit total: 21 baseline coursework credits + 15 advanced specialization credits = 36 credits

Specialization in interdisciplinary anthropology

Learning goals: Anthropological research often bears on, or is shaped by, findings in sister disciplines, and successful application of anthropological knowledge in public service and private enterprise careers may depend on expertise in disciplines outside of anthropology. The Interdisciplinary specialization offers students the opportunity to partner their anthropology coursework with complementary learning in a minor field of study.

Students must also complete a minor in a related field approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. On declaring the Interdisciplinary specialization, the student must also declare their minor field of study.

Credit total: 21 baseline coursework credits + 15 advanced specialization credits = 36 credits, plus the credit requirements of related minor

Specialization in anthropological field methods

Learning goals: Fieldwork is a core element of many anthropological research endeavors. Although study abroad field schools are available to any student majoring in Anthropology regardless of their chosen specialization, the Field Methods specialization gives special emphasis to field-based programs so students may gain recognition for this advanced skill set.

Advanced coursework requirements: Seven elective courses (21 credits) at the 200-level or higher in Anthropology or Human Evolutionary Biology. Any 200+ course on the subfield lists may qualify, as well as ANP 202, ANP 401, ANT 215, ANT 410, ANP/ANT 447 (max 3 credits each), and ANP/ANT 487 (max 3 credits each). The Director of Undergraduate Studies may approve substitution of one course with anthropologically-relevant content from another department.

At least three of these courses (9 credits) must come from field training coursework that takes place off campus (i.e. at the Turkana Basin Institute, the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments, or another field-based education program approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies).

Credit total: 21 baseline coursework credits + 21 advanced specialization credits = 42 credits

Specialization in anthropological research and analysis

Learning goals: Preparing for an academic career in anthropology entails hands-on experience in laboratory methods and advanced training in critical thinking and research design. The Research & Analysis specialization pushes students to transition from “consumers” to “producers” of anthropological knowledge by giving heavy emphasis to seminars, lab courses, and independent research projects.

Advanced coursework requirements: Students may apply for this specialization once they have attained U3 standing. To qualify, they must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in Anthropology. They must complete five 3-credit elective courses at the 200-level or higher in Anthropology or Human Evolutionary Biology. Any 200+ course on the subfield lists may qualify, as well as ANP 202, ANP 401, ANT 215, ANT 410, ANP/ANT 447 (max 3 credits), and ANP/ANT 487 (max 3 credits). The Director of Undergraduate Studies may approve substitution of one course with anthropologically-relevant content from another department.

In addition, students must complete 9 more credits in seminars, lab courses, and/or independent research. Eligible courses include ANP 387, ANP 399, ANP 401, ANP 403, ANP 404, ANP 405, ANP 406, ANP 407, ANP 410, ANP 487 (3 credits max), ANP 495, ANP 496, ANT 387, ANT 399, ANT 401, ANT 402, ANT 405, ANT 410, ANT 415, ANT 417, ANT 418, ANT 419, , ANT 487 (3 credits max), ANT 495, ANT 496, EBH 401, EBH 404, or EBH 405.

Credit total: 21 baseline coursework credits + 24 advanced specialization credits = 45 credits

Subfields of Study

The following courses qualify for the Biological Anthropology subfield:

ANP 101 Human Biology
ANP 201 Human Evolution
ANP 220 Controversies in Human Biology and Behavior
ANP 250 Forensic Anthropology
ANP 300 Human Anatomy
ANP 304 Ecology: Linking People and Nature (with emphasis on the Turkana Basin)
ANP 305 Earth & Life Through Time: Vertebrate Paleontology & Paleoecology (emphasis on the Turkana Basin)
ANP 306 Human Evolution (and evidence from the Turkana Basin)
ANP 307 Comparing Ecosystems in Madagascar
ANP 308 Paleoanthropological Field Methods in the Turkana Basin
ANP 310 Environments, Ecosystems and Evolution: Evidence from the Turkana Basin
ANP 315 Climate Change and Human Evolution
ANP 321 Primate Evolution
ANP 326 Lemurs of Madagascar
ANP 350 Methods in Studying Primates
ANP 360 Primate Conservation
ANP 387 Independent Briodiversity Research Project in Madagascar
ANP 391 Topics in Biological Anthropology
ANP 403 Seminar in Biological Anthropology
ANP 404 Human Osteology
ANP 405 Human Evolution in the Headlines
ANP 406 Pseudoscience and Anthropology
ANP 407 Building Bones
ANP 410 Comparative Primate Anatomy
EBH 200 The Evolution of Human Behavior
EBH 204 Research Skills
EBH 230 Computer-Based Biostatistics
EBH 302 Human Genetics
EBH 316 The Evolution of the Human Brain
EBH 325 Evolution of Sex
EBH 331 Hormones and Behavior
EBH 359 Behavioral Ecology
EBH 362 Evolution of Social Complexity
EBH 401 Seminar in Evolutionary Biology of Humans
EBH 404 The Evolution of Parenting
EBH 405 Life History & Development

The following courses qualify for the Archaeology subfield:

ANT 103 Archaeology for a Better World
ANT 207 From Cavemen to Vikings: The Prehistoric Archaeology of Europe
ANT 210 Sunken Cities and Pirates: The World of Underwater Archaeology
ANT 268 Archaeology of Human Origins
ANT 270 Great Archaeological Discoveries
ANT 273 The Unstoppable Species?
ANT 277 The Origins of Art
ANT 290 Science & Technology in Ancient Society
ANT 307 Prehistoric Archaeology of Africa (with emphasis on the Turkana Basin)
ANT 320 Historical Archaeology
ANT 321 Archaeological Field Methods
ANT 353 Archaeological Analysis and Interpretation
ANT 355 Ancient African Civilizations
ANT 357 The Agricultural Revolution
ANT 359 The Archaeology of Food
ANT 360 Ancient Mesopotamia
ANT 362 Long Island Archaeology
ANT 363 Approaches to Archaeology
ANT 371 Ancient China
ANT 377 Animal Tool Use
ANT 385 Prehistoric Peoples of the Americas
ANT 393 Topics in Archaeology
ANT 394 Topics in Archaeology
ANT 402 Problems in Archaeology
ANT 415 Ethnoarchaeology
ANT 417 Primitive Technology
ANT 418 Stone Tools in Human Evolution
ANT 419 Zooarchaeology
HIS 212 Ancient History of Mesoamerica
HIS 385 Aztec Civilization
HIS 386 The Maya

The following courses qualify for the Cultural Anthropology subfield:

ANT 200 Contemporary and Historical Perspectives on Insular Southeast Asia
ANT 201 Peoples of South America
ANT 203 Native Americans
ANT 205 Ancient Japanese Civilization
ANT 208 Zombiology
ANT 230 Peoples of the World
ANT 250 African Cultures Today
ANT 252 Personality and Culture
ANT 260 How We Eat
ANT 305 Culture and Language of Madagascar
ANT 310 Ethnography
ANT 311 Immersion in Another Culture
ANT 350 Medical Anthropology
ANT 351 Comparative Religion
ANT 354 Family, Kinship and Marriage
ANT 367 Male and Female
ANT 372 Family, Kinship and Marriage in China
ANT 379 Cultural Diversity in China
ANT 380 Race and Ethnicity in Latin America and the Caribbean
ANT 381 Applied Anthropology
ANT 387 Independent Cultural Research Project in Madagascar
ANT 390 Topics in Social and Cultural Anthropology
ANT 391 Topics in Social and Cultural Anthropology
ANT 395 Religions of the Caribbean
ANT 401 Problems in Social and Cultural Anthropology
ANT 405 Cultural Ecology

Honors Program in Anthropology

The honors program is designed for students preparing to enter a graduate program in anthropology. It is open to Anthropology majors in their junior or beginning senior year who have an excellent academic record (3.00 g.p.a. overall) and a g.p.a. of 3.50 or higher in anthropology courses. The program entails writing a thesis of 20 pages or more. Qualified students are eligible to enroll in the Anthropology honors program at, but preferably before, the beginning of their senior year.

The student, after asking a faculty member to be a sponsor, must submit a proposal indicating the topic and procedure of the planned research to the Departmental honors committee through the director of undergraduate studies. The supervising faculty member must also submit a statement supporting the student's proposal and indicating the merit of the planned research. This must ordinarily be done in the semester prior to the beginning of the student's senior year.

Students register for ANT 495 or ANP 495 in the first semester of their senior year and conduct research for the project. They register for ANT 496 or ANP 496 during the second semester of their senior year. These two courses must be taken in addition to the total credits required for the major unless the student is completing the specialization in anthropological research and analysis, in which case ANP/T 495/6 may count toward the advanced credits. Students must submit a draft of their thesis to their faculty sponsor by April 1 for May graduation or November 1 for December graduation. They must submit an honors thesis of 20 pages or more of fully referenced material to the director of undergraduate studies no later than Monday of the final week of classes (excluding final examination week). Each thesis is read by three faculty members, two of whom must be members of the Department of Anthropology. If the paper is judged to be of sufficient merit and the student's record warrants such a determination, the department recommends honors. The program consists of:

Completion of all requirements for the major in Anthropology with a g.p.a. of 3.50 or higher in anthropology courses
ANT 495 and ANT 496, or ANP 495 and ANP 496
The honors thesis

Requirements for the Minor in Anthropology (ANT)

The minor in Anthropology is designed for students majoring in other fields who wish to take anthropology courses relevant to their interests. The student must choose two introductory courses, two subfield, and three elective courses.

At least nine credits must be in upper-division courses. All courses offered for the minor must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher. No transfer credits with a grade lower than C may be applied to the minor requirements. ANP/ANT 475, 476, and 488 DO NOT count toward the minor requirements. No more than one directed readings (ANP/ANT 447) or research course (ANP/ANT 487) may be used (maximum of 3 credits).

Completion of the ANT minor requires 21 credits. Students majoring in Human Evolutionary Biology (EBH) may have a maximum of nine credits of overlap between EBH major coursework and ANT minor coursework; thus, completion of the Anthropology minor requires an additional 12 credits of coursework beyond the EBH major.

Two introductory courses chosen from the following:

ANT 102What Makes Us Human?
ANT 104 Archaeology
ANP 120 Introduction to Biological Anthropology

Subfield courses:

Two additional courses must be chosen from two different subfields. (See “Subfields of Study” above for lists for Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, and Cultural Anthropology courses.)

Three elective courses:

Elective courses (at the 200-level or higher) may be drawn from any of the 200+ subfield courses listed above, plus ANP 202, ANP 401, ANT 215, ANT 410, ANP/ANT 447 (max 3 credits each), and ANP/ANT 487 (max 3 credits each).