Courses of Study

See course descriptions for this department

Chair, Professor Mary Beth Mills
Professors Catherine Besteman and Mary Beth Mills; Associate Professor Jeffrey Anderson; Assistant Professors Chandra Bhimull and Winifred Tate; Visiting Assistant Professor Thomas Abowd; Faculty Fellow Daniel Mains

Anthropology is the scientific and humanistic study of cultural, physical, historical, and linguistic differences and similarities among humans. The discipline also seeks to understand and explain contexts of social inequalities by investigating power dynamics and identity constructions such as nationality, class, race, gender, and ethnicity. The program at Colby offers an introduction to cultural anthropology’s field methods, scope, and critical comparative analysis. Students receive training in anthropological theory and methodology and in the discipline’s engagement in solving social problems; firsthand experiences and participation in field programs investigating cultural diversity are encouraged. The department offers a major and a minor in anthropology.

Eleven courses, including: Anthropology 112, 313, 333, and one advanced seminar taken in the second semester of the senior year and chosen from courses at the 400 level; one culture area course normally selected from Anthropology 211, 231, 235, 237, 239, 261, 264; one topics course normally selected from Anthropology 213, 236, 256, 258, 273; five elective courses, including at least two at the 300 level or equivalent. In addition to Anthropology 112, a maximum of one other anthropology course taught at the 100 level may be counted toward the major. A maximum of one course selected from the list of electives (preceding anthropology course descriptions below) cross-listed with or offered by other departments may be counted toward the major.

The point scale for retention of the major applies to all courses offered toward the major. No courses for the major may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Seniors majoring in anthropology may apply for the honors program during the first two weeks of the fall semester. In addition to securing a faculty sponsor and department approval, the student must have a 3.25 overall grade point average and a 3.60 grade point average in the major. The program involves independent research conducted in Anthropology 483, 484. Honors normally will be taken for six to eight credits over two semesters, and the final product will be a thesis of 50 to 70 pages of superior quality.

Six courses, including Anthropology 112; one culture area course normally selected from Anthropology 211, 231, 235, 237, 239, 264; one topical course normally selected from Anthropology 213, 256, or 273; and three additional courses in anthropology, two of which must be at the 300 or 400 level. In addition to Anthropology 112, a maximum of one other anthropology course taught at the 100 level may be counted toward the minor.

The point scale for retention of the minor applies to all courses offered toward the minor. No courses for the minor may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Attention is called to the major in classical civilization-anthropology (requirements are listed in the “Classics” section of the catalogue).

Note: Anthropology 112 fulfills both the social sciences area (S) and the diversity (I) requirements. Subsequent courses, requiring 112 as prerequisite, do not carry those designations.

Courses from other departments, of which one course may be elected toward the anthropology major or minor: 

• American Studies
• 276 African-American Culture in the United States
• 282 American Popular Culture
• English
  • 348 Postcolonial Literatures
• History
  • 473 Research Seminar: Roots of Political and Ethnic Conflict in Modern Latin America
• Philosophy
  • 213 Philosophical Inquiries into Race
  • 314 Karl Marx and Marxist Philosophical Though
    
• Sociology
  • 355 African-American Women and Social Change