Download Department of Anthropology

Handbook
Department of
Anthropology
Beloit College
Beloit College
Department of A nthropology H andbook
Revised January 2011
For more information, contact the
Department of Anthropology
700 College St.
Beloit College
Beloit, WI 53511
608-363-2361
608-363-7144 (fax)
http://www.beloit.edu/anthropology/
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 Goals of the Department .................................................................. 1 History of the Department ............................................................... 2 The Anthropology Major and How Best to Complete It ................. 4 The Anthropology Minor ................................................................ 7 Off-Campus Opportunities .............................................................. 7 Study Abroad and Field Schools ..................................................... 7 Internships ....................................................................................... 8 Honors in Anthropology .................................................................. 9 Awards in Anthropology ............................................................... 10 Advice on Graduate School ........................................................... 11 The Logan Museum of Anthropology ........................................... 15 The Anthropology Club ................................................................. 16 Getting a Job .................................................................................. 17 Anthropology Major Requirements ............................................... 19 Anthropology Minor Requirements .............................................. 20 Notes .............................................................................................. 22 Introduction
Welcome to the Department of Anthropology at Beloit College! We're
happy that you are interested in studying anthropology here, and we hope
this handbook provides you with information that will be relevant as you
embark on your adventure in anthropology at Beloit and beyond.
Goals of the Department
We believe the best way to learn about anthropology is to actually DO
anthropology. Therefore, courses and other experiences are designed to
help students engage in the practice of anthropology, not just to hear,
read, and write about anthropology. We have two central, yet related,
goals: (1) to provide students with a substantial education in the
traditional fields of American anthropology and (2) to play a central role
in the liberal arts education you acquire here.
American anthropology asserts the importance of a holistic view of
human history and behavior. It includes four subfields: cultural
anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic
anthropology. It requires that we look at Homo sapiens as a biological
species that creates cultural and linguistic worlds in time and space. To
study anthropology at Beloit College means that you will come to
understand humankind from these various perspectives. Therefore, as an
anthropology major you will be required to take courses in cultural and
biological anthropology as well as archaeology.
Anthropology is a central element of the liberal arts. To be a welleducated citizen in the 21st century means to know and appreciate human
cultural diversity and its physical and historical groundings, both at home
and around the globe. Furthermore, anthropology provides critical skills
essential to all thinking persons, especially the ability to read, to write,
and to communicate. Anthropology students learn the importance of
theory, data, and the fit between them, as well as the need for critical
analysis and synthesis and the exploration of hidden assumptions.
Inherent in American anthropology is a notion that is central in the
liberal arts: there is always a variety of perspectives possible in
understanding any phenomenon. If we are to understand the world, we
must do so from perspectives other than our own.
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H istory of the Department
The anthropology department at Beloit College has a long and distinctive
history. The College's association with anthropology started with the
preservation and mapping of the campus mound group in the 1840s and
50s. Influenced by these mounds, Stephen Denison Peet, son of one of
the College's founders and a member of the first graduating class,
became an accomplished archaeologist. Peet's publications and the
association of the College with Indian mounds predisposed the College
to embrace anthropology when the field developed as an academic
discipline in the late 1800s. The real move toward an academic
department with course offerings and student majors came after the
Logan Museum of Anthropology was established in 1893. Frank G.
Logan founded the museum²WKHZRUOG¶Vlargest undergraduate
anthropology teaching and research museum²with his donation to the
College of a large collection from the World's Columbian Exposition in
Chicago.
The formation of the department was a long, slow process, partially in
response to student demand, and partially in response to the interests of
Prof. George L. Collie, a geology graduate of Beloit College in 1887.
Collie had done his Ph.D. dissertation on the Rift Valley of Africa, and
subsequently returned to Beloit as a faculty member. He had a strong
interest in what could be termed "natural history," or perhaps "general
natural science," and he was critical not only to the development of
geology at Beloit, but to geography, biology, and anthropology.
In the early part of the 20th century, one of Collie's own Beloit students,
Ira Buell, returned to teach a variety of courses. Buell conducted
archaeological surveys and excavations and published the results of some
of his excavations with Beloit students in The Wisconsin Archeologist .
Buell mentored a student named Alonzo Pond, who served in World War
I and then remained a short time in France after the war. There, he took
courses and did field work in French Paleolithic archaeology. Pond
returned to Beloit and, along with some other veterans, pressed the
College for regular course offerings in archaeology and anthropology.
Pond was aided by Paul Nesbitt, another Beloit student roughly his
contemporary, and, of course, by Prof. Collie. Anthropological work in
the 1920s and 1930s included archaeological expeditions in France,
North Africa, Inner Mongolia, and the American Southwest and Great
Plains. Pond, Collie, and Nesbitt engaged students in most of these field
research projects. Publications and collections resulting from this work
kept the College prominent in anthropology in the inter-war era.
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The Great Depression of the 1930s interrupted the early growth of
anthropology at Beloit. Pond left to support his family, Logan retired
from active participation as a College trustee, and Collie retired from
active participation as well. Nesbitt and others continued to maintain a
limited program for the department and the museum, with field schools,
courses, publications, and a few short-term junior faculty.
World War II put a strain on Beloit, as it did on all academic institutions.
Many young men, both faculty and students, were drafted into the armed
services, and some departments virtually disappeared. Anthropology at
Beloit remained viable under Nesbitt, who was recruited along with Pond
by the War Department to write handbooks for combat personnel. The
North Africa campaign against Rommel required the U.S. to engage in
desert warfare, and Pond and Nesbitt were experts in desert survival.
Nesbitt left the College during the war to work with the U.S. Army Air
Force in desert warfare research. He later chaired the anthropology
department at the University of Alabama.
Andrew Hunter Whiteford, a 1937 Beloit graduate, received his Ph.D.
from the University of Chicago and taught in Beloit's anthropology
department from 1946 to 1974. Also in 1946, Moreau Maxwell arrived.
When he left for Michigan State University, the department hired
William Simpson Godfrey, a Harvard Ph.D. who also remained until
1974. Whiteford taught a variety of courses, primarily Chicago-oriented
cultural anthropology, and Godfrey, who had done graduate research at
the lowland Maya site of Altar de Sacrificios, taught courses having both
archaeological as well as physical anthropology content.
During the 1960s the department added more faculty, and the College
embarked on an educational experiment that entailed a major
reorganization. The whole year was divided into three "trimesters," and
students were required to take nine such trimesters with at least one
equivalent trimester off campus as a "field" term. The importance of
experiential education became a landmark of the "Beloit Plan."
Anthropology took advantage of the changes, as well as the increase in
the size of the student body, to offer lengthy field terms in archaeology.
The department became one of the larger departments on campus, and
the College regained its place as one with extensive anthropological
opportunities. Many future anthropologists got their first exposure to
fieldwork during these 15-week field schools.
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In the 1970s the College suffered an economic downturn, but
departmental size stabilized at five full-time faculty. This allowed the
department to maintain the traditional American four-field approach to
anthropology, as one of the cultural anthropologists, Larry Breitborde,
had significant training and interest in linguistics.
Now, both the College and the department are strong and in good shape.
The department continues to adhere to the principle of fostering
undergraduate research experiences. Anthropology students work
directly with archaeological and ethnographic materials jointly with the
Logan Museum, and many students do original field and lab projects in
cultural and biological anthropology as well as archaeology. Faculty field
and museum research projects in Chile and the Midwest regularly
involve Beloit students. Students also participate in projects in Africa,
Europe, and South America sponsored by the Associated College of the
Midwest (ACM). Students and faculty participate in anthropological
conferences around the world, and the College hosts anthropological
meetings at Beloit, including the Midwest Archaeological Conference
and the Midwest Conference on Andean and Amazonian Archaeology
and Ethnohistory.
T he A nthropology M ajor and How Best to
Complete It
Our curriculum is based on an LQLWLDWLYHFDOOHG³'RLQJ$QWKURSRORJ\´
The structure of the major and minor situate the study of anthropology in
a developmental framework: foundation courses to begin, followed by a
second year emphasis on skills and methods. We believe this sequence of
IRXQGDWLRQVDQG³HVVHQWLDOV´IDFLOLWDWHs a better understanding of
anthropological perspectives and inquiry, and encourages our students to
undertake anthropological research in upper level courses. In essence, the
new curriculum is structured to teach students how to use
anthropological theory and method in application to real world problems.
Anthropology is relevant to the modern world. As we are confronted
daily with new local and global problems or issues, the skills of budding
anthropologists can help us to understand and alleviate them.
The anthropology major consists of eleven units. We strongly encourage
all majors to complete the three foundational courses early in their
careers at Beloit College: Society and Culture (ANTH 100), Archaeology
and Prehistory (ANTH 110), and The Human Animal (ANTH 120).
4
These three courses provide the necessary groundwork for further study
and introduce students to the integrated field of American anthropology.
All three 100-level courses should be completed by the end of the
sophomore year.
$WWKHQH[WOHYHOZHZDQWFRPPRQDOLWLHVLQWKHGLVFLSOLQH¶VKLVWRU\DQG
methods to be apparent to students and to provide the substantive,
integrated core of the major. History of Anthropology (ANTH 200) and
Research Design in Anthropology (ANTH 201) are both required for the
major. Students are also required to take two additional units from the
following OLVWRI³(VVHQWLDOV´FRXUVHV$17+± ANTH 250):
Culture Theory (ANTH 206)
Ethnographic Methods (ANTH 208)
Principles of Archaeology (ANTH 216)
Ceramics in Archaeology (ANTH 217)
Archaeological Laboratory Techniques (ANTH 218)
Human Osteology (ANTH 230)
Quantitative Theory and Technique (ANTH 240)
Anthropological Research in Museums (ANTH 247, MUST 247)
Three elective units are required, at least one of which must be at the
300-level.
Intermediate Elective courses are numbered 251-299. These have
prerequisites (or require consent of instructor) and are topical courses
that count DVHOHFWLYHVEXWGRQRWIXOILOOWKH³(VVHQWLDOV´UHTXLUHPHQW
They are:
Language and Culture (ANTH 252)
Native North American Peoples & Cultures (ANTH 254)
Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture (ANTH 256)
Environmental Archaeology (ANTH 258)
Primate Social Behavior and Ecology (ANTH 260)
Medical Anthropology (ANTH 262)
Intermediate Selected Topics (ANTH 275)
Advanced Electives are 300-level courses. They have prerequisites from
the 200-level offering or a developmental benchmark such as junior or
senior standing (or may be taken with consent of instructor). They are:
Anthropology of Whiteness (ANTH 302)
Gender and Culture (ANTH 305)
Race and Culture (ANTH 306)
5
High Civilizations of Antiquity (ANTH 310)
Archaeology of North America (ANTH 314)
Archaeology of South America (ANTH 315)
Archaeology of Mesoamerica (ANTH 316)
Hominid Paleoecology (ANTH 324)
Contemporary Cultures of Latin America (ANTH 342)
Field Research in Archaeology (ANTH 354)
Advanced Selected Topics (ANTH 375)
Special Projects (ANTH 390)
Honors Thesis (ANTH 392)
Teaching Assistant (ANTH 395)
Teaching Assistant Research (ANTH 396)
A capstone course, Senior Capstone (ANTH 380), is required in the
VHQLRU\HDU,QWKLVFODVVHDFKVWXGHQWLGHQWLILHVRQH³UHDOZRUOG´
problem and researches the way(s) an anthropologist would go about
solving that problem. Thus, we ask seniors to utilize their knowledge and
skills to research and address significant, real problems. This seminar
FDSLWDOL]HVRQDQWKURSRORJ\¶VLQKHUHQWLQWHUGLVFLSOLQDU\QDWXUHDVZHOO
An approved Honors Thesis may extend from Senior Capstone research.
A nthropology M ajor Requirements (11 units)
Three Foundational courses ± ANTH 100, 110, 120
Four Essentials courses consisting of:
Two required essential courses ± ANTH 200, 201
Two additional essentials courses ± ANTH 200-250
Three Electives (at least one 300-level) ± ANTH 251-399
One Senior Capstone ± ANTH 380
Courses taken outside of the department, such as courses taken on study
abroad programs or at other institutions, may sometimes substitute for
courses taken on campus. Because we do not always have confidence in
the content or quality of courses outside of our control, we exercise great
care in awarding such credit. Although we recognize that it is not always
possible, it is preferable for students to consult with their advisors and
others in the department about which courses might count before leaving
campus. Upon return, the student must petition the department in writing
for such courses to count toward the major. In addition to the request
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itself, the student must submit all supporting documentation concerning
the course and her/his performance, including the syllabus, papers
written, and assignments completed. The Chair of the department will
bring the request to the entire department for consideration.
Occasionally, students may petition the department for exceptions to the
required courses listed above. All petitions must be in writing and
include a rationale for the exception. Again, the Chair will bring the
request to the whole department for consideration. Students should be
aware that these exceptions are rarely granted.
T he A nthropology M inor
The anthropology minor, offered since 2003, consists of six units. The
first requirement for interested students is to complete two Foundational
courses in anthropology. The two courses must be chosen from ANTH
100, 110, or 120. The second requirement is to complete one course
chosen from the Essentials category (ANTH 200-250). Finally, each
minor must select three elective courses, chosen in consultation with the
VWXGHQW¶VDGYLVRU2QO\RQHRIWKHVHXQLWVPD\EHDVSHFLDOSURMHFWDQGDW
least one of them must be from the 300-level.
A nthropology M inor Requirements (6 units)
Two Foundational courses ± ANTH 100, 110, 120
One Essentials courses ± ANTH 200-250
Three Electives (at least one 300-level) ± ANTH 251-399
O ff-C ampus O pportunities:
Study A broad and F ield Schools
An appreciation and understanding of human cultural diversity is one of
the hallmarks of contemporary anthropology, and although we do not
require it, we strongly urge our majors to study abroad and to learn a
foreign language. We make every effort to accommodate difficult
schedules and often are able to count coursework taken abroad as part of
the major. Students should begin planning early in their careers for study
abroad in order to assure that they will be able to complete all
7
institutional requirements as well as study abroad in four years. First year
is not too early!
The anthropology department currently sponsors three field schools for
which students receive course credit: archaeological field schools in
South America and in the Midwest, and an ethnographic field school in
Jamaica.
x
South America. Each summer, Dan Shea accompanies students
to a field site in South America where they engage in
professional archaeological work, such as site survey,
excavation, and artifact analysis. Students are not required to
speak Spanish, but some knowledge of the language is helpful.
x
Midwest. An archaeological field school also is available to
students interested in archaeology of the United States. Based
around the investigation of a prehistoric site, Shannon Fie
instructs students on methods commonly used in U.S.
archaeology, including site mapping, survey, excavation, and
basic artifact analysis.
x
Jamaica. Lisa Anderson-Levy will direct this cultural
anthropology program, which will run during the break between
fall and spring semesters each year. This field school will be
structured as three courses: a preparatory ½ unit in the fall
semester before going to Jamaica, one unit during the three
weeks students are in Jamaica, and ½ unit in the spring semester
for students to write up their research.
The field schools are contingent on student enrollment. Therefore,
students interested in a field school should contact the faculty member
early in the academic year before the winter/summer in which they plan
to enroll.
Internships
The anthropology department subscribes to Beloit College's traditional
emphasis on experiential learning, hence our stress on study abroad, field
schools, and the actual doing of anthropology. Internships are an
additional way to learn by doing, and we encourage our majors to engage
the "real world" by learning and working within it. Internships, both
credit and non-credit, can be arranged through the Liberal Arts in
Practice Center, and members of the department can also help individual
students locate and complete internships. Resources of the Logan
8
Museum of Anthropology DQG%HORLW¶VPXVHXPVWXGLHV program also
help student learn about internships that are available in museums
throughout the country.
Honors in A nthropology
Departmental Honors offer a promising student guidance and supervision
in the accomplishment of a specific scholarly project. Departmental
Honors work centers upon the writing of a thesis approved by the
department. This project is expected to be pursued with an intensity and
freedom that is seldom possible in the classroom. To that end, upon
completion of the thesis project which represents the student's
independence of thought, intellectual maturity, and distinguished
academic achievement, the department shall reward her or him with
conferral of Honors in Anthropology.
Guidelines for Departmental Honors in Anthropology:
1. To be eligible for Honors, you must complete six semesters
(approximately 24 units) with a minimum of five units in
anthropology. You must also have an overall grade point average of
at least 3.2 and a grade point average of at least 3.4 in anthropology.
2. The department chair will notify eligible individuals during the
middle of their sixth semester. If you are deemed eligible, you should
begin planning your senior Honors thesis near the end of your junior
year. At this point, if you wish to graduate with Honors, you should
arrange to have one faculty member in the department act as your
sponsor and another faculty member as the "second reader." Before
the end of your sixth semester, you should submit a written statement
of your intent and a brief description of your topic.
3. During the fall semester of your senior year, you should enroll in
ANTH 380 (Senior Capstone) for one unit of credit. As part of this
FRXUVHHDFKVWXGHQWZLOOLGHQWLI\D³UHDOZRUOG´SUREOHPDQG
research the way(s) in which an anthropologist would go about
VROYLQJWKDWSUREOHPWKLV³UHDOZRUOG´SUREOHPPD\EHRIPRGHUQRU
historical interest. For students pursuing Honors, the resulting
research proposal will form the basis of their honors thesis research.
Throughout the semester, you will meet with your two faculty
sponsors to discuss your proposed project, which they will approve,
ask you to revise, or reject.
9
4. If the project is approved, you will enroll in ANTH 392 (for ½ to one
unit of credit) during the second term of your senior year. At this
time, you will complete your research and report your findings in the
form of a thesis.
5. In the first week of April, a complete draft of your thesis must be
submitted to your sponsors for review, at which time they will
inform the registrar whether you are likely to receive Departmental
Honors. They will also provide you with final comments on the
completed draft. The final thesis must be completed two weeks
before the last day of classes. Two bound copies must be submitted;
one copy will be returned to the student, and one copy will be
retained for departmental files.
6. As a final requirement, you will present the results of your project to
a larger community of scholars. You may present your research to
the entire college community at Student Symposium Day (midApril), or you and your sponsor may arrange a departmental seminar.
If you decide to present your findings at a departmental seminar, you
must make sure the event is scheduled at least two weeks prior to the
end of your final semester and that the scheduled event is well
publicized in advance. If the event is not well publicized, you must
defend your thesis to the whole department.
7. The primary faculty sponsor makes the final decision concerning the
grade to be awarded. The sponsor and second reader decide whether
the thesis is deserving of Departmental Honors. You will be given
academic credit for your work whether or not you are awarded
Departmental Honors.
8. Recognition of achievement in Departmental Honors is recorded on
WKHUHFLSLHQW¶VSHUPDQHQWUHFRUG7KHGHSDUWPHQWFKDLUZLOOIXUQLVK
the registrar with the names of those students to whom departmental
Honors are to be awarded.
A wards in A nthropology
The anthropology department annually awards four prizes to exceptional
students at the Honors Day Convocation.
The James E. Lockwood Prize was established in 1985 by James E.
Lockwood, class of 1934. Mr. Lockwood majored in geology and
minored in anthropology, and he experienced many adventures in
archaeology and deep-sea diving. He was president and owner of
10
Lockwood Oil Co. in Rockford, Illinois, until his retirement in 1952. He
also supported scholarships in anthropology and geology, and
contributed many artifacts from his personal collections as well as his
time and talents to the Logan Museum and the anthropology department.
This award is given to an outstanding student who has best served both
the Logan Museum and the anthropology department.
The Andrew H. Whiteford Award, named to honor the distinguished
career of one of the department's faculty, is given to a junior or senior
anthropology major who has demonstrated academic achievement and
contributed significantly to the life of the department.
The William Si mpson Godfrey, Jr. Award was named to honor another
illustrious former member of the department. It is given to a junior
anthropology major who has demonstrated academic excellence and
significant intellectual potential.
The John W. Bennett Prize honors the memory of John W. Bennett, class
of 1937. While a student at Beloit, Bennett participated in four Logan
Museum archaeological field schools in New Mexico. After earning his
Ph.D. in 1946, he wrote groundbreaking studies on human and cultural
ecology, establishing himself as a pioneer in Applied Anthropology. This
award is given to a student or students whose work has most advanced
the use of anthropology to address community or world issues.
A dvice on G raduate School
Interested in graduate school? But I only just got here!
Many careers in anthropology require an M.A or Ph.D. degree. Students
considering an advanced degree are urged to talk with their advisors as
soon as possible! Inquiring about graduate school does not commit you,
and waiting until your senior year may seriously limit your choice of
schools and opportunities for financial support. So, even if you are just
flirting with the idea of an advanced degree, start asking questions now!
The faculty can help you determine if graduate school is right for you,
assist in tailoring course work, and help with selecting a graduate
program that suits your particular interests.
The first thing you need to know about graduate school is that you will
have to specialize. The second thing you need to know is that regardless
11
of your chosen specialty, a few points are common to nearly all
anthropology graduate programs. Here are some general rules:
1. Because the best graduate departments get far more applications than
they have places for students, your GPA and your GRE scores often
count heavily. So get good grades and study up for the GRE.
Unfortunately, standardized test scores can make a big difference in
GHSDUWPHQWV¶DGPLVVLRQDQGIXQGLQJGHFLVLRQV
2. Consult early and often with your advisor to build an academic
program both inside and outside the anthropology department that
will position you well for graduate work.
3. Take advantage of the numerous opportunities at Beloit to do
research, including special projects, honors theses, field schools,
internships, etc. Research projects provide valuable experiences and
result in a tangible product (e.g., papers, posters) that can strengthen
your graduate school applications.
4. Most graduate programs in anthropology require students to learn or
know at least one foreign language. At some universities, statistics or
a computer language may suffice; however, most programs require
foreign language skills. Learning a new language generally takes
time, so try to begin your language studies here rather than in
graduate school.
5. Be an active student anthropologist. Go to anthropology conferences.
Apply for Mouat-Whiteford and Lockwood anthropology grants.
Join a regional or national anthropology organization. Submit your
best paper to an anthropology student journal or student paper award
competition. Graduate programs look for this kind of involvement.
6. Do research on the graduate programs that match your interests.
Learn to love the AAA AnthroGuide, which contains data on all
major U.S. and Canadian graduate programs. Contact those programs
where faculty and students do what you want to do. Talk to any
Beloiters who teach there and any Beloiters who are students there.
Talk to non-Beloiters, too. Visit those departments.
7. Your Beloit anthropology major gives you a solid grounding in
anthropological theory and exposure to most facets of anthropology.
$QG\RX¶UHEHFRPLQJDOLEHUDOO\HGXFDWHGSHUVRQ)LQH1RZLW¶V
time to follow your passion, to begin to specialize, and to be clear
DERXW\RXUVFKRODUO\DQGFDUHHULQWHUHVWV,I\RX¶UHQRWUHDG\WR
commit to more years RIWRXJKVSHFLDOL]HGVFKRROZRUN\RX¶UHQRW
ready for graduate school.
12
8. ,W¶VQRWDFULPHWRWDNHD\HDURIIEHWZHHQFROOHJHDQGJUDGXDWH
school. Earn some money, explore new interests, but stay connected
with anthropology and with Beloit. Faculty members cDQ¶WZULWH
VWURQJUHFRPPHQGDWLRQVIRU\RXLIWKH\GRQ¶WNQRZZKDW\RX¶YH
been doing and what your plans are.
9. In graduate school you will do more reading and writing than you
ever dreamed you would have to do. Your exams will be harder than
you ever imagined. Yet your Beloit education should help you meet
WKHVHFKDOOHQJHVVRGRQ¶WWKURZRXW\RXUROGFODVVQRWHVDQG
readings.
10. In your application packet, your personal statement is just as
important as your transcript and test scores²for many programs,
even more important. Applicants who demonstrate effective
communication and critical thinking skills in their personal
statements are viable candidates for admission and funding. Those
ZKRGRQ¶WDUHQ¶W([SODLQZK\DQGKRZ\RXUZRUNDQGLQWHUHVWV
match well with the particular program. Your statement must be
focused and your plans must be articulated clearly.
11. ,I\RXDSSO\WRJUDGXDWHVFKRROLWGRHVQ¶WKDYHWREHLQDQWKURSRORJ\
Your Beloit anthropology degree can be a springboard to programs
in fields such as social work, public health, and international
relations, depending on your interest.
In addition, graduate study in each subfield has its own rules and quirks:
Archaeology
Entering graduate students are expected to have successfully completed
an archaeological field school. Fortunately, Field Research in
Archaeology (ANTH 354) is a regular Beloit course offering. Students
interested in graduate school are strongly encouraged to complete a
Beloit field school or one at another school before their senior year. In
addition to fieldwork, experiences in laboratory and museum research are
also highly valued by graduate programs.
%HVLGHVWKHGHSDUWPHQW¶VDUFKDHRORJ\FRXUVHVJRRGSUHSDUDWLRQIRU
graduate school can include Quantitative Theory and Technique (ANTH
240) and regional surveys such as Native North American Peoples and
Cultures (ANTH 254) and Contemporary Cultures of Latin America
(ANTH 342). Many archaeology students also benefit from other
GHSDUWPHQWV¶RIIHULQJVVXFKDV*HRPRUSKRORJ\*(2/$PLQRU in
13
a program such as geology, environmental studies, or museum studies
can be especially useful preparation.
Cultural Anthropology
Graduate programs will expect you to have a solid grounding in social
and cultural theory and to have done significant independent research
HJKRQRUVWKHVLV$ILHOGH[SHULHQFHWKURXJK%HORLW¶VHWKQRJUDSKLF
field school or one sponsored by another college will be very helpful.
Depending on your particular interest, courses outside of the department
might be especially relevant. Courses in sociology, religious studies,
economics, political science, English, and foreign languages are often
strong supplements to an interest in cultural anthropology.
Biological Anthropology
Because of the high degree of specialization in biological anthropology,
undergraduate preparation and general expectations will vary depending
on the subfield within biological anthropology to which you apply. For
example, students interested in paleoanthropology are expected to have
previous archaeological field experience and supporting courses in
geology or geosciences, biology, anatomy, and ecology. Experience and
familiarity with museums is also a plus. Those applying to primatologybased programs are expected to have relevant courses in animal
behavior, ecology, zoology, and psychology; students should have
training in methods for the collection of behavioral and ecological field
data and should have actual field or captive animal experience. Students
applying to forensic or human osteology/paleopathology programs are
expected to have basic biology and anatomy, relevant physics, chemistry,
pre-law, and psychology courses, and possibly some museum
experience.
Some students applying to work with a biological anthropologist will not
even submit their applications to an anthropology department; the
professors they will work with are housed in integrative biology or
criminology departments, or in schools of social work or public health.
Most biological anthropology programs expect their applicants to be
proficient in the use of statistics and may expect applicants to be
proficient in a foreign language. The high degree of specialization in
biological anthropology means it is not unusual for graduate students to
HDUQDPDVWHU¶VGHJUHHIURPRQHLQVWLWXWLRQDQG complete their Ph.D. at
another.
14
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Ph.D. If you want to teach or do research in a college or university, you
ZLOOQHHGD3K'7KDW¶VDILYH-to-ten year commitment after Beloit. If
you want to be a practicing, consulting, or applied anthropologist you
PD\DOVRQHHGD3K'EXWPLJKWEHDEOHWRSDUOD\DPDVWHU¶VGHJUHHLQWR
a rewarding career. Most archaeologists work in cultural resource
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you well.
Also, your Beloit anthropology degree can be a foundation for a variety
of graduate programs outside of anthropology. For example, many
anthropology majors enter graduate school in public administration,
public health, museum studies, social work, and international relations.
,W¶VDOODPDWWHURIILQGLQJWKHSURJUDPDQGVFKRROWKDWEHVWPDWFKHV\RXU
interests.
T he Logan M useum of A nthropology
The Logan Museum of Anthropology is a teaching museum that engages
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anthropology, and museology. Through its collections and programs, it
fosters the integration of knowledge and experience to enrich liberal
learning. The Logan Museum builds, preserves, exhibits, and interprets
anthropological collections; makes anthropological objects accessible for
teaching, research, and public education; and promotes experiential
learning. The museum staff works closely and collaboratively with the
&ROOHJH¶VIDFXOW\DQGVWXGHQWVLQFOXGLQJWKRVHRIWKHanthropology
department and museum studies program.
As noted earlier, the museum was founded in 1893 with a gift from
Chicago financier, Frank G. Logan, of more than 3,000 Native American
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additional gifts and purchases and through collections made by Beloit
College anthropology field schools and research expeditions. The
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DUHH[KLELWHGLQSHUPDQHQW³RSHQVWRUDJH´ZLWKLQDWZR-story glass cube,
while temporary exhibitions highlight other collections.
15
The Logan Museum offers unique opportunities and resources for
undergraduate education in anthropology and other fields. Situated in
Memorial Hall and the adjoining Godfrey Anthropology Building, the
museum houses state-of-the-art exhibit spaces, collection storage areas,
and laboratories. Collections include a wide range of Native American
artifacts from the Arctic to South America, ethnographic and
archaeological material from many other parts of the world, and one of
the most significant collections of French Paleolithic art and artifacts
outside of Europe.
Anthropology classes regularly use the collections, and students in
anthropology and museum studies work directly with the objects in a
variety of curatorial and research projects. Students also work as
museum assistants and attendants, obtaining valuable experience in
curation and museum education. Museum staff members teach in
Anthropology and museum sWXGLHVILUPO\FRQQHFWLQJWKHPXVHXP¶V
FROOHFWLRQVDQGSURJUDPVZLWKWKH&ROOHJH¶VHGXFational mission. The
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the College, providing additional opportunities for student interaction
with scholars and the public.
T he A nthropology C lub
The Anthropology Club is a student-run organization whose aim is the
understanding and appreciation of anthropology beyond the classroom.
Meetings involve planning of events, speakers, collaboration with other
related groups (e.g. Geology Club, Voces Latinas), and trips to nearby
archaeological and cultural sites. The club also discusses a weekly topic
pertaining to anthropology, opportunities for research, study abroad, or
current news. Of particular interest is the Student Speaker Series, which
provides an opportunity for students to share their experiences with
members of the college. Each year, the Anthro Club tries to provide at
least one outing to an outlying area; for example, the Club occasionally
travels to Cahokia for a weekend camping trip and tour
The Anthropology House, located on the corner of Church and Emerson,
serves as a living space for several students, as well as a space for
Anthropology Club weekly meetings and social gatherings. It also
contains a library of anthropological resource materials. The house
members are available at x4280 to answer any questions and invite
anyone to stop by and chat, see the house, or just hang out! The Club
welcomes students of all educational backgrounds, as anthropology is not
16
limited only to students of anthropology. So, please stop by and check
them out or attend an event so that you can experience the wonderful
world of anthropology!!
G etting a Job
General comments
A degree in anthropology provides you with the basic liberal arts
background similar to a variety of other majors such as history and
English. These majors do not necessarily lead into a specific job track
but arm you with the tools to succeed in the profession you choose. You
should be able to read, write, and, most importantly, think!
The anthropology degree does, however, give you some specific tools
that other majors may not provide. Most important is the anthropological
perspective: you view human phenomena in particular ways, and that
perspective (essentially a holistic and cross-cultural one) will stand you
in good stead in a variety of occupations. You will understand the
interplay, for example, between biology and culture better than those
trained in biology or culture alone. Furthermore, the anthropology degree
can lead to a variety of master¶s degree programs in a large number of
fields (a few examples: public health, public administration, cultural
communication, social work, environmental science, international
development). You should begin to think early on about what kind of
work you want to do and tailor your curricular choices to that area.
Specific advice
The best advice about getting a job after you graduate is this: start
investigating possibilities early! The Liberal Arts in Practice Center
office is the place to start, and you should visit there to see what they
have and what they can do for you as early as possible. Sophomore year
is not too early, junior year is alright, and senior year may be too late!
This does not mean that you must have your life completely planned out
but that you think about various alternatives and become familiar with
options that may be of interest to you. You need to know what's out there
before going after what you want.
Employers tend to look for people who have had some experience in the
field, so participating in experiential opportunities such as internships
and field schools will enhance not only your education but also your
attractiveness to employers and graduate programs. Liberal Arts in
17
Practice Center can help set you up with already-established internships
(credit or non-credit), and they can also help you create an internship
with a specific company, agency, or program, if you give them enough
advance notice. Members of the department and the staff of the Logan
Museum are also good sources of information on possible internships.
Take advantage of the variety of books and pamphlets in the
Anthropology Lounge specific to anthropology degrees and jobs, and
peruse the walls in the department for special programs and
opportunities. We try to keep these current!
Don't be discouraged if you know exactly what you want to do, but no
one out there knows that they need you. You may have to convince
prospective employers of the value of anthropology, because they have
an outdated notion of what it is that we do. As much as it may not be
comfortable, you may have to "sell" yourself and your knowledge. Your
persistence could be rewarded with the job you really want and the
satisfaction of looking forward to going to work every day to do
something you truly enjoy.
18
Eleven departmental units (at least 6 must be taken on campus):
Semester
7KUHH³)RXQGDWLRQDO´FRXUVHV
1) 100. Society & Culture (required)
2) 110. Archaeology & Prehistory (required)
3) 120. The Human Ani mal (required)
)RXU³(VVHQWLDOV´FRXUVHV, chosen from 200-250: History of Anth;
Research Design in Anth; Culture Theory; Ethnographic Methods;
Principles of Arch; Ceramics in Arch; Arch Lab Techniques; Quantitative
Theory & Techniques; Human Osteology; Anth Research in Museums
1) 200. History of Anthropology (required)
2) 201. Research Design (required)
3)
4)
T hree elective A nthropology courses, only one Special Project
allowed and at least must be one at the 300 level: (Intermediate:
Native North American Peoples & Cultures; Language & Culture; PreColumbian Art & Architecture; Envir Arch; Primate Soc Behavior;
Medical Anth; Intermed Special Project ; A dvanced: Anth of Whiteness;
Gender & Culture; Race & Culture; High Civilizations of Antiquity; Arch
of N America; Arch of S America; Arch of Mesoa merica; Hominid
Paleoecology; Forensic Anth; Contemporary Cultures of Latin America;
F ield Research; Adv Special Project; Honors Thesis; Teaching Asst
1)
2)
3)
4)
Senior C apstone
380. Senior Seminar (required)
TOTAL
19
Major Requirements
A nthropology M ajor Requirements
A nthropology M inor Requirements
Six departmental units
Semester
7ZR³)RXQGDWLRQDO´FRXUVHVchosen from 100-120:
Society & Culture, Archaeology & Prehistory, The Human Animal
1)
2)
2QH³(VVHQWLDOV´FRXUVHVchosen from 200-250: History of Anth;
Minor Requirements
Research Design in Anth; Culture Theory; Ethnographic Methods;
Principles of Arch; Ceramics in Arch; Arch Lab Techniques; Quantitative
Theory & Techniques; Human Osteology; Anth Research in Museums
1)
T hree elective A nthropology courses, only one Special Project
allowed and at least must be one at the 300 level: (Intermediate:
Native North American Peoples & Cultures; Language & Culture; PreColumbian Art & Architecture; Envir Arch; Primate Soc Behavior;
Medical Anth; Intermed Special Project ; A dvanced: Anth of Whiteness;
Gender & Culture; Race & Culture; High Civilizations of Antiquity; Arch
of N America; Arch of S America; Arch of Mesoa merica; Hominid
Paleoecology; Forensic Anth; Contemporary Cultures of Latin America;
F ield Research; Adv Special Project; Honors Thesis; Teaching Asst
1)
2)
3)
4)
TOTAL
20
Planning Your Degree:
F all Semester
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Summer
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Summer
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Notes: 22
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