California State University, Dominguez Hills

Course Details

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

Course Description

The Department of Anthropology offers undergraduate students course work in the four anthropological subdisciplines: ethnology, archaeology, physical anthropology and anthropological linguistics. In addition, courses focus on contemporary disciplinary research, area studies and societal applications of anthropological knowledge. By majoring or minoring in Anthropology, a student gains a better understanding of people's behavior within cultural settings. Anthropology studies the varied nature of human experience in American society and in the cultures of the world. Through this study of people, their lifestyles and how they adapt to cultural change, both present and past, a student is better prepared to comprehend human behavior. What distinguishes anthropology from other disciplines concerned with people is its holistic perspective or encompassing view, and its central concern with the concept of culture. The Department of Anthropology, in the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, offers a major and minor in the discipline. Majors may choose between the General Anthropology concentration or the Archaeology concentration. With additional applied work in Cultural Resource Management, the student will be awarded a certificate. Comparative and evolutionary, scientific and humanistic, Anthropology provides a unique opportunity for broadening and integrating one's view of human existence. Goals of the major concentration in General Anthropology include providing the undergraduate student with a foundation in the fields of anthropology: applied, archaeological, biological, cultural, and linguistic. It is designed to instill a cross‐cultural perspective and an understanding of cultural pluralism. The General Anthropology concentration stresses the application of anthropological theory and methods to real world conditions through field research, data collection, and area studies. The major concentration in Archaeology is designed to provide the undergraduate student with a strong background in general anthropology, archaeology and cultural preservation. It stresses anthropological theory, archaeological methodology, field research, data collection, area studies and applications of the field to cultural resource management. In the face of rapid population expansion and increased development, public concern has grown to protect the quickly diminishing cultural resources related to our ancestral and traditional heritage. In addition to the concentration, the department offers a certificate in Cultural Resource Management to those students who complete the program and demonstrate competence in applied aspects of the field.

Course Duration

NumberDuration
4year

Career outcomes

The Department of Anthropology provides undergraduate training for students interested in developing careers in academic, research and applied aspects of the discipline. Often postgraduate work is useful or required in certain job categories. However, persons with anthropological background are employed in a wide range of service areas: education, government, environmental and socioeconomic consulting, medical research, planning, social services, personnel, marketing/advertising, international business, law, tourism and a variety of occupations for which knowledge and appreciation of cultural diversity is important. Students should discuss career objectives with an academic advisor in order to develop an appropriate curriculum and research interests.




Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology California State University, Dominguez Hills