Undergraduate Anthropology Courses

Undergraduate Courses

ANT 101 The Human Condition: Introduction to Anthropology (A,D,W)

Provides basic knowledge of human beings from the broad and comparative perspective of anthropology. Students are introduced to the different subfields of biological, archaeological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology. Provides opportunities to develop intercultural competence through cross cultural and evolutionary knowledge of human variation, allowing students to gain a better understanding of the dynamic interplay between humans and their environments. 3 Cr. Every Semester.

ANT 201 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (A,O)

Introduces basic concepts of cultural anthropology by relating them to pressing local and worldwide problems. Includes topics such as the relationships between people and their environments; the impact of technological modernization on traditional cultures; and the practical applications of anthropology in cross-cultural communication, health, economic development and ecology. 3 Cr. Every Semester.

ANT 202 Introduction to Archaeology (A,O)

Provides an overview of the field of anthropological archaeology while emphasizing the relationship between the past and the present. Topics include the history of archaeology, methods and techniques used to recover archaeological data, and an examination of how data are used to understand and interpret human existence in the past, and exploration of particular case studies and important issues in contemporary archaeology. 3 Cr. Every Semester.

ANT 203 Introduction to Human Evolution (A)

This is a survey and lab course that introduces the scientific study of human diversity through the lens of evolutionary theory, accessing multiple lines of evidence including genetics, human biological variation, the hominid fossil record, population demography, and comparative primate ethology and morphology. Course requires a minimum grade of C- (for General Education/Major/Minor/Certification) 4 Cr. Every Semester.

ANT 256 Introduction to Forensic Anthropology (A)

Who are the anthropologists that help solve crimes? When skeletonized victims of crime, human rights abuses or mass disasters are found, forensic anthropologists help identify victims, reconstruct events surrounding death, and provide legal evidence. This course provides a broad overview of forensic anthropology, an applied field of physical anthropology. 3 Cr. Every Semester.

ANT 301 Indigenous Issues in Native North America (A,I,S)

Examines key contemporary issues, problems, and prospects of Indigenous peoples and territories in the United States and Canada (a.k.a. Native Americans, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis), using anthropological frameworks of culture and power. Topics include colonization, oppression, human rights, environmental degradation, cultural and linguistic revitalization. Emphasizes Indigenous Native American voices and perspectives. 3 Cr.

ANT 303 Native American Women (A,D,W)

Cross listed with WMS 303. Representations of Native American women generally conform to two stereotypes: the submissive drudge or the Indian princess. Both ignore the complexity and diversity of Native women's roles in their respective societies. Taught primarily from a Native women's perspective, this course moves beyond the two-dimensional portrait to engage life experience and social institutions, emphasizing strength and endurance, the complementary nature of traditional gender roles and contemporary strategies for cultural survival. 3 Cr.

ANT 304 Native American Images in Film and Media (A,I,W)

From early drawings, photographs and films of visual anthropologists to the shaping of the Western genre in commercial films and TV, images of Native Americans are a real part of the American cultural process. An overview of stereotypical images will emerge as we trace how Native American are (re) presented and etched into cultural memory and examine the sacrificial “killing off” of Indian maidens in the western genre of film. As such, analysis and deconstruction of (re)presentations of racial and gendered stereotypes in mainstream media is a specific goal of this course. Indigenous viewpoints about these images will be a central theme for this learning experiences. 3 Cr.

ANT 305 Gender, Sex and Power: the View from Inside (A,I,W)

How might your assigned sex and gender categories impact your life? This course explores the power dynamics intertwined within systems of sex and gender. Looking at people's diverse experiences, we will use a multidisciplinary perspective that considers the historical, socio-cultural, and political-economic factors of a range of cultural contexts within the US and abroad. Coursework emphasizes the intersecting connections of sex and gender to race, class, ethnicity and sexual orientation in a globalized and transnational world. 3 Cr.

ANT 307 Gendering the Past (A,S,W)

Introduces students to a wide range of historically conditioned gender roles based on archaeological, historical, and contemporary cultural studies to expand students' understanding of gender as a cultural construction. Teaches students how to critically analyze academic interpretations of past gender constructions based on historical or archaeological data while discussing the theories that influence these interpretations. Course requires minimum grade of C- for general education/major/minor/certification. 3 Cr.

ANT 308 Introduction to Ethnomusicology (A)

Introduces ethnomusicology’s principal concepts, theories, methods, history, development and fieldwork approaches. Readings and case studies in the field introduce students to applied ethnomusicological and anthropological theory, method, and analysis, while class projects and discussions prepare students to document and discuss a world of music on their own terms. Students complete an original research paper, surveying and documenting sound in their local environments. 3 Cr.

ANT 315 The Migration Experience (A,D,W)

Economic change, war and political upheaval have created an increasing number of authorized and unauthorized migrants in the contemporary world. Using the holistic approach and cultural insight of anthropology, this course takes a migrant's perspective from departure from one's native land through the journey and challenges of adaptation in a new place. We will focus on issues related to gender, identity and personal histories. 3 Cr.

ANT 316 Food and Culture (A,I,O)

Because the consumption of food serves our most basic need, explores how food is one of the most culturally elaborated areas of human experience. Also explores the production, preparation and consumption of food as guided by cultural rules and taboos that define social relations, ethnic identity, gender, and class. Examines contemporary issues that center on food, among them food policy, hunger, obesity, sustainable agriculture and the genetic modification of foodstuffs. 3 Cr.

ANT 320 The Ethnographic Experience (A,S)

Provides an introduction to the study of cultures through selected case studies, or ethnographies. Also provides an in-depth view of specific cultures and the anthropological analysis of them; introduces students to theories and methodologies that frame ethnographic studies, and present a sample of the best in contemporary ethnographic writing. 3 Cr. Spring.

ANT 321 Global Friction: Conflict in the Anthropocene (A,I,W)

Studies the global problem of modern world cultures and societies in conflict, from a cultural perspective of friction. Gives particular attention to how the economic, political and social interests of major international powers shape confliict outcomes throughout the global south. Considers conflict resolution strategies from the anthropological record for human cooperation. 3 Cr.

ANT 322 Culture and Power (A)

Explores how powerlessness is experienced by many people in society today. Requires students to study cases from different cultures, develop conceptual frameworks for analyzing them, and then apply principles derived from the case studies to situations where the exercise of power becomes a problem for them as individuals or as members of groups to which they belong. 3 Cr.

ANT 330 Global Inequality (A,Y)

Examines the drivers of inequality as an emerging form of human organization. Studies the impact of poverty on people around the world in both past and present societies. Covers issues related to economic development, international and institutional practices of structural violence, and resistance movements and questions the popular assumption that inequality is natural and/or inevitable. 3 Cr.

ANT 331 Environmental Anthropology (A,I,Y)

Examines nature/human relationships cross-culturally, through the lens of Anthropocene and political ecology theories that aim at understanding and explaining the impact of the human species on planet Earth, with the goal of making evidence-based assessments of the near-future possibilities for life on Earth. Covers climate change, the 6th big extinction event, changing land and water conditions, and human responses to these changes. 3 Cr.

ANT 336 Environment, Traditional Arts and Women's Lives (A,I,W)

Cross listed with WMS 336 What is the relationship between cultural and biological diversity when seen through the lens of "folk arts," rituals, story telling and material culture? In a time of rapid climate change, the traditional ecological knowledge of indigenous peoples as reflected in their artwork, stories, beliefs and their environmental stewardship holds lessons for us all. It enhances scientific knowledge of local environments and broadens our understanding of diversity. 3 Cr.

ANT 343 Rivers, Cities and the Rise of Empires (A,O)

This course examines some of the great empires in Africa (Egyptian) and Eurasia (Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonia and Harappan Empire). The focus is primarily on the factors that lead to the rise and fall of state-level societies derived from archaeological and historical evidence. Topics that will be stressed are related to environment, economy, social stratification and culture of past societies. From these discussions students will learn to see patterns of change with respect to powerful world empires and how we are not immune to this in today's world. 3 Cr.

ANT 344 Archaeology of the Americas (A)

This course will provide students with an introduction to archaeology of prehistoric cultures in the Americas. We will discuss trends in subsistence and settlement, cultural patterns, exchange, social complexity, and culture contact. Discussions will cover theoretical and methodological underpinnings of contemporary archaeological thought in the prehistory of the Americas, and explore some of the hotly debated issues currently at the forefront of the archaeology of the Americas. Case studies will be used to provide in-depth examples and as material for classroom discussion. Finally, we will discuss culture contact arising from European exploration and settlement in the Americas. Issues to be covered include disease, environmental degradation, religion, and resistance to European influence. 3 Cr.

ANT 356 Forensic Anthropology Methods (A)

This course provides a methods-based approach to research and analysis in forensic anthropology. In this course we will focus on the processes and analytical methods used in the analysis of human remains in forensic applications including: recovery of remains, skeletal biology, trauma analysis, taphonomy, and positive identification. Further topics include forensic anthropology as an applied science and ethics considerations. This course employs lecture and lab-based instruction. Course requires a minimum grade of "C-" for major/minor/certification. 3 Cr.

ANT 363 Anthropology of Religion (A,I,W)

This course introduces the study of religion from an anthropological perspective, and suggests the human capacity for religion is a generally adaptive trait that has profoundly shaped the evolution of the human species. Religious ideas may be perennial philosophical questions, but religious behaviors are real enough. One of religions evolutionary features is its capacity to unite and organize individuals into coherent groups that help each other to survive. The flip side of religion is its capacity to incite groups to kill and destroy other groups with whom they disagree. Within anthropology, there are diverse approaches to the study of religion. This course will engage with the new biocultural synthesis that draws on neuroscience, consciousness studies, and ethology, in addition to surveying the varieties of religious phenomena discovered through ethnography and comparative and historical studies. The format of the class will be a combination of lectures, general discussion, and focused group learning. 3 Cr.

ANT 364 GIS and Spatial Survey for the Social Sciences (B)

This course will cover mapping for the non-science major, which includes archaeology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, economics, history, criminal justice, and so on. GIS, which stands for geographic information system(s), is the primary focus of this course, assessing how to digitally create, modify and analyze maps using ESRI’s ArcGIS software. We will also learn about how to conduct spatial surveys in the social sciences, including the theories behind proper practice in the field and the computer lab. 3 Cr.

ANT 367 Gender in the Islamic World (A,O,W)

Covers gender in the Islamic world, and goes "beyond the Veil" and women's "oppression" to deal with the array of culturally-specific discourses that shape men's and women's lives in Islamic cultures. Presents a detailed look at Islamic history to make sense out of gender in the contemporary world. 3 Cr.

ANT 368 Forced from Home: Becoming a Refugee (A,D,I)

Refugees and asylum seekers are people who are forced to flee their homes due to civil war, political repression and other forms of violence. This course examines the challenges faced by displaced populations including efforts to survive, to seek safe passage and to access places of asylum. Course topics include the contemporary refugee crisis, the dehumanization of the displaced and the debates over the right to asylum and movement. 3 Cr.

ANT 373 LGBTQ+ Cultures (A,I,W)

Explores the history and emergence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender cultures in the U.S. from the 1940s to present. Topics include the history of the movement before and after Stonewall; the intersections between sexuality and ethnicity, gender and social status; and urban/rural/suburban differences in attitudes and approaches within the homosexual rights movement. Cross-listed as SOC & WMS 373. 3 Cr. Spring.

ANT 380 Intermediate Topics in Cultural Anthropology (A)

Topic will vary from semester to semester and cover such areas as nutrition, art, religion, the ethnography of specific regions or ethnic groups, etc. Select CRN for description of specific topic. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 381 Intermediate Topics in Archaeology (A)

Topic will very from semester to semester and may cover such areas as museum studies, the archaeology of specific geographical regions, etc. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 382 Intermediate Topics in Biological Anthropology (A)

Topic will very from semester to semester and might include such areas as the human adaptation, primatology, the paleontology of specific geographic regions, etc. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 383 Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology (A)

Provides an introduction to the art and science of field research in cultural anthropology. Provides hands-on experience with selected research techniques and analysis of data. Course requires a minimum grade of "C-" (for General Education/Major/Minor/Certification) 3 Cr.

ANT 384 Methods in Archaeology (A)

grade of C-. Principles, concepts, techniques and interpretive approaches used by archaeologists to study past human cultures. Topics include material culture analysis, archaeological dating, analysis of archaeological artifacts and explanation in archaeology. Examples will be drawn from archaeological research from around the world. 3 Cr.

ANT 385 Biological Anthropology Methods (A)

grade C-. Methods used by biological anthropologists including research design, measurement techniques, human osteology, forensic identification, data analysis, genetic analysis, etc. in the analysis of human variation, the fossil record, and skeletal remains associated with the archaeological record. Combines lab and lectures. 3 Cr.

ANT 386 Archaeology of Death (A,O)

Introduces anthropological approaches and methods to studying death, burial and commemoration using archaeological and skeletal evidence from prehistoric and historical periods. This course answers questions such as: what insights does burial of the dead provide about the human condition; what do graves reveal about burial rites; what do funerary objects reveal about social identities; what do gravestones, tombs and cemeteries reveal about beliefs, sentiments and political relationships; and what does the skeleton reveal about a person’s life? 3 Cr.

ANT 415 Human Rights and Political Ecology (A)

What are human rights and why do we seem to need them? Some say we live in a post-human rights world. How is it that rights are inalienable and self-evident? This course examines the relationships between human rights, nation-states, corporations, international agencies, civil society, people, and the environment. In addition to the genealogy of human rights, the course focuses on the development and implementation of human rights instruments in the 20th and 21st centuries. 3 Cr.

ANT 416 Exiled to America: Experiences of Refugee Resettlement (A,I)

Civil war and genocide often force people to flee their homes seeking safety and refuge. Examines refugees living in New York including groups from Burma, Burundi, Somalia and Bhutan. Themes include the causes of displacement, the process of resettlement and adaptation issues. Refugee perspectives are highlighted as well as their interactions with service providers, health professionals, educators and the government. 3 Cr.

ANT 440 Historical Archaeology (A,S)

Examines the methods and theories used for the archaeological investigation of the recent past (post 1492) primarily in the United States, with case studies from Australia, Africa, Europe, and elsewhere. Discusses the way 'historical archaeological practice, theory, and material culture has shed light on particular social issues including class, gender, ethnicity, inequality, public practice, and globalization. Course requires a minimum grade of C- for major/minor/certification. 3 Cr.

ANT 441 Archaeological Analysis (A)

Presents contemporary laboratory methods used to identify patterns in artifacts and field data recovered from archaeological site surveys and excavations. Students learn to analyze, interpret, manage, and conserve artifacts and field data. 3 Cr.

ANT 442 Field Methods in Archaeology (A)

As a field-based course, introduces students to the methods used by archaeologists to collect data in the field. Allows students to participate in an archaeological dig at an actual site off-campus, and perform all the duties involved in that work, with activities including survey mapping, testing, excavation, documenting and recording finds, and processing artifacts in the lab. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 448 Roman Archaeology (A,O)

Archaeology of the Etruscan and Roman cultures, from the origins and developments of the former in Early Iron Age Italy, to the rise of Rome and the spread of Roman culture throughout the Mediterranean world in the Roman Republican and Imperial periods. Emphasizes the contributions of studies of material culture to our understandings of social, economic, religious, and political activities and their changes over time. 3 Cr.

ANT 449 Greek Archaeology (A,O)

Three thousand years of Greek archaeology and art, from third millennium B.C. through Hellenistic period. Students will study monuments, artworks, artifacts, etc. to appreciate the material evidence for the lost world of ancient Greece. Readings focus on classical scholarship in the fields of art history and archaeology and how archaeologists construct knowledge about the ancient world. 3 Cr.

ANT 452 Ancient Disease and Paleopathology (A)

Human history and prehistory have been shaped in many ways by disease processes that leave their mark in the skeletal, archaeological and historical records. Furthermore, the skeletal marks of disease and injury provide clues to changing environmental, social, political and other cultural realities affecting the evolution of human society and culture. Course covers methods used by paleopathologists to reconstruct health and disease processes in the past. 3 Cr.

ANT 453 Scientific Study of Mummies (A)

Focuses on the scientific methods and findings associated with mummies, which include parts of completely preserved human remains in which preservation is the result of natural as well as cultural processes. Mummies are found in a number of temporal, cultural and environmental contexts, including modern forensic settings, providing a wealth of data on sociocultural processes, environmental processes, the evolution of pathological conditions, historical trends, etc. 3 Cr.

ANT 456 Skeleton Keys: Forensic Analysis of Bones (A)

Focus is on human osteology (the study of the human skeleton) and the applicable forensic techniques associated with human skeletal identification and trauma analysis. These methods serve as a basis for forensic anthropological analysis and bioarchaeological analysis. This course employs lecture and lab-based instruction. Please note that this course is lab intensive and may require use of the lab outside of scheduled class times. 4 Cr.

ANT 460 Anthropology Internship (A)

Allows students to conduct an internship in an off-campus work setting, nonprofit organization, health or social services setting, museum or zoo. Typically, apart from one's internship duties, Interns will maintain a field journal, meet periodically with a faculty advisor, and write a final report or equivalent applied project. 3-6 Cr.

ANT 462 Museum Internship (A)

Because of the internship nature of this course, specific requirements will vary. Graduate students are subject to higher expectations in terms of both the quality and quantity of their work. They may be required to give leadership to group activities or collaborative work. 3-6 Cr.

ANT 463 Museology (A)

Focuses on the interdisciplinary field of museum studies, including the history and theory of museums as well as the practice of museum curation, registration, collections management, exhibitions, research, administration·, and fundraising. Includes field trips to representative museums and hands-on work relevant to museum work. It is a foundational course in the College's Museum Studies & Public History Program. Course requires a minimum grade of C- for major, minor, certification. 3 Cr. Spring.

ANT 465 Environmental Archaeology (A)

Environmental archaeology is the study of past human interactions with the natural world-a world which encompasses plants, animals and landscapes. Examines the methods used to reconstruct this complex ancient relationship through lectures, hands-on labs, and class discussions. Covers environmental archaeological methods-specifically palynology, archaeoentomology and geoarchaeology-as well as methods used to reconstruct the ancient diet and economy through archaeozoology and archaeobotany. 3 Cr.

ANT 470 Anthropology as a Profession (B)

There is a growing demand in the public and private sectors for people with college or postgraduate anthropological training. ANT 470 examines and provides hands on experience in the specific skills and issues related to applying anthropology in the workplace. Topics and course exercises include: Anthropological and workplace ethics, research and institutional project design, grant development and writing, anthropological and institutional writing, researching and obtaining opportunities for relevant postgraduate training within and outside of Anthropology. 3 Cr. Fall.

ANT 471 Anthropological Theory (A)

How do we make sense of humanity? This course provides a sample of the discipline's most important ideas and seminal thinkers. It introduces theoretical schools of thought that have shaped the discipline such as but not limited to cultural evolutionism, Marxism, archaeological post-processualism, feminism, and post-modernism. Course requires a minimum grade of C- (for General Education/Major/Minor/Certification) 3 Cr. Fall.

ANT 480 Advanced Topics in Cultural Anthropology (A)

Similar to ANT 380, except usually has prerequisites or requires instructor's permission to enroll. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 481 Advanced Topics in Archaeology (A)

Similar to ANT 381 except usually has prerequisites or requires instructor's permission to enroll. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 482 Advanced Topics in Biological Anthropology (A)

Similar to ANT 382 except that ANT 482/582 usually has prerequisites or requires instructor's permission to enroll. 1-6 Cr.

ANT 489 African Gods: Religion in Africa (A)

This class is a seminar in which we will survey various religious traditions on the continent of Africa and analyze how these traditions shaped African cultures and societies as well as directed and influenced Islam and Christianity in Africa and by extension the African Diaspora. Course requires a minimum grade of "D" (for General Education/Major/Minor/Certification) NYSED requires a minimum course grade of “C” (undergraduate sections) Crosslisted with AAS489. 3 Cr.

ANT 496 Senior Thesis (A)

Requires students to design, carry out, write and defend a field, laboratory or library research project in collaboration with or under the supervision of an anthropology faculty member. 3 Cr.

ANT 499 Independent Study in Anthropology (A)

Established in consultation between student and instructor-sponsor. 1-6 Cr. Every Semester.