Anthropology Major

Requirements for the Major

The major in anthropology requires a minimum of ten courses. The major offers two alternative tracks: the Sociocultural Track and the Human Evolution, Archaeology, and Material Culture Studies (HEAM) Track. The requirements for each are explained below. Both are designed to allow flexibility to accommodate the student’s interests.

For either track, a student may substitute a comparable course for a required course with the permission of the field group. Normally, courses in the student’s major cannot be taken on a pass/no credit basis.

As part of their Pitzer experience, students are encouraged to undertake internships or Pitzer Study Abroad. Anthropology students are not required to write a senior thesis or participate in a senior exercise in order to complete the major. However, this is a requirement for students seeking to graduate with honors.

Sociocultural Track

A major in Anthropology (Sociocultural Track) requires at least ten courses in anthropology or cross-listed in anthropology, including ANTH 002 PZ -Intro Sociocultural Anthropology , ANTH 105 PZ -Field Methods in Anthropology , and ANTH 153 PZ -History Anthropological Theory . The remaining seven electives can be tailored to the student’s interests. We recommend a course on the history of colonialism and/or capitalism and an anthropology course focusing on one country or region. Up to two courses taken during study abroad may be eligible as anthropology electives, if they are approved by the Anthropology Field Group.

We are happy to craft a list of suggest courses for students interested in medical anthropology, gender, sexuality, visual anthropology, anthropology and the environment, race, colonialism, decoloniality and postcolonialism, political anthropology, economic anthropology, linguistic anthropology, anthropology of food, or any other specific interest.

Human Evolution, Archaeology, and Material Culture (HEAM) Studies Track

Required Courses

All of these 3 courses:

ANTH 001 PZ -Intro Archaeology & Bio Anthro

ANTH 002 PZ -Intro Sociocultural Anthropology

ANTH 101 PZ -Theory and Method in Archaeology (or equilvalent, e.g., an approved field school)

3 elective courses selected from the following list:

ANTH 103 PZ -Museums: Behind the Glass

ANTH 111 PZ -Historical Archaeology

ANTH 145 PO -Mesoamerican Archaeology

CLAS 161 PZ -Greek Art and Archaeology

CLAS 162 PZ -Roman Art & Archaeology

CLAS 164 SC -Pompeii & the Cities of Vesuvius

CLAS 020 PZ -Fantastic Archaeology

CLAS 150BE PZ -The Roman Empire in the East

4 additional elective courses in Anthropology or related fields as approved by advisor (courses from List B may be included as elective choices for category C, but they may not be counted twice):

ANTH 003 PZ -Language, Culture & Society

ANTH 009 PZ -Food, Culture, Power

ANTH 012 PZ -Native Americans & Environments

ANTH 112 PZ -Environmental Anthropology

CLAS 175 PZ -International Cultural Heritage

EA 068 PZ -Ethnoecology

HIST 011 PZ -The World Since 1492

Or other elective courses as approved by the advisor.

Anthropology Courses

Anthropology

Classics

Environmental Analysis

History

Media Studies

• MS 111 PZ -Perspectives on Photography

Anthropology Honors

The GPA standard for honors in anthropology is a minimum of 3.70 both in courses in anthropology and overall. Exceptions require approval from the Field Group. For honors, the senior must either write a thesis or complete a project approved by the field group for this requirement. The thesis (or project, if you prefer) must be judged outstanding (A quality) by three readers (one from the Pitzer Anthropology Field Group, another anthropologist at any of the Claremont colleges, and a third professor from any discipline).