David P. Crandall, Chair
800 SWKT, (801) 422-3058
College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences Advisement Center
151 SWKT, (801) 422-3541
Admission to Program
All undergraduate degree programs in the Department of
Anthropology are open enrollment.
The Discipline
Anthropology’s central aims are to describe, interpret, and make
meaningful human behavior in sociocultural systems. It also seeks
to explain the similarities and differences in human behavior
patterns among all peoples and cultures, both in the present and
the past. Social and cultural anthropology study human society in
the present, using participant-observation, interviewing, and other
techniques to understand the full round of life in a single culture,
a subculture, or a multicultural system. Archaeology provides
methods for learning about the world’s peoples who are no longer
living; thus it is an important part of the anthropological family of
special skills and interests.
Career Opportunities
Distinctive contributions are made by both anthropology and
archaeology majors, and therefore jobs are available wherever
social and cultural differences or social system complexity create
difficulties. Social services, businesses, schools, development
projects, medicine, and law all offer significant careers, and recent
concern with environmental protection has opened up others.
University teaching and research positions are limited in growth,
but highly qualified students can find positions after obtaining the
PhD degree from first-rank schools.
For archaeology majors, both legal and societal interest in
understanding and preserving the past have resulted in increased
job opportunities in state and national agencies required to
observe recent preservation laws and in private corporations
serving this end.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in
addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following
university requirements:
- The university core, consisting of requirements in general and
religious education (See the University Core section of this
catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet
university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
- A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
- A minimum of 120 credit hours
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
Undergraduate Programs and Degrees
BA Anthropology
Emphases:
Archaeology
Sociocultural
BA Anthropology (Sociocultural double major)
Minor African Studies
Anthropology
Students should see their college advisement center for help or
information concerning the undergraduate programs.
Graduate Programs and Degrees
MA Anthropology
For more information see the BYU 2006-2007 Graduate Catalog.
General Information
- Each student wishing to major in anthropology should
arrange through the department office to counsel with a
faculty advisor and prepare a proposed sequence of study.
Following this, the student should meet with the department
chair for final approval of the program.
- Undergraduate students are allowed some, but not excessive,
specialization.
- All degrees are in the field of anthropology.
Special Opportunities for Field Study
The department offers a number of unusual curriculum and field
study opportunities. Students interested in Pacific Island studies
are encouraged to spend a semester or two at BYU— Hawaii,
where this area of study is well represented. Selected courses are
regularly counted toward BYU’s major. Consult with the
department chair or your faculty advisor about equivalences.
The department offers several field school opportunities.
Archaeology students complete their requirement in the field
school typically held in conjunction with an ongoing, local (Utah)
research project and occasionally in more exotic settings (Jordan).
