Anthropology
Application Deadline
- Spring: December 8
- Summer: April 12 (early sessions)
- Fall: July 19
Class Begins
- Spring: January 6, 2025
- Summer: May 5, 2025 (early sessions)
- Fall: August 19, 2024
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts
in Anthropology
WSU College
College of Arts and Sciences
What Makes Human Beings Unique?
Humanity has flourished across our planet for millennia. Throughout this time, countless cultures, traditions, and behaviors have arisen to become part of the human experience. By studying diverse groups, both across time and space, we can better understand what makes human beings different from one another—and what makes us all the same.
What is Anthropology?
Anthropology is the study of human life and diversity in all places and at all times, addressing the most fundamental questions about human origins and human nature. Anthropologists study the interactions between our biological heritage and our learned cultural heritages, both past and present. The four major subfields of anthropology include archeology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, and biological anthropology, all of which focus on unique aspects of human existence.
What You’ll Learn
WSU’s undergraduate anthropology program, available 100% online, will provide you with a core base of knowledge covering fundamental anthropological concepts and practices. You can also choose from a wide variety of courses specializing in anthropology subfields, with a particular emphasis on cultural anthropology. As an anthropology student, you will gain critical thinking abilities, research experience, cultural sensitivity, and effective communication skills that will prepare you to enter the job market. Graduates may pursue further study of anthropology through graduate school or fieldwork. They can also pursue careers in government service, forensic anthropology, museum curation and administration, international business consulting, and a wide variety of other career fields that involve interacting with diverse groups of people.
WSU Online Anthropology Degree Strengths
- As an online student, you may choose to pursue internship or fieldwork opportunities to gain valuable hands-on experience.
- Learn from the WSU College of Arts and Sciences’ experienced, diverse and world-renowned faculty members with a wide variety of anthropological expertise.
- WSU anthropology students and faculty have published fascinating research that has received a national spotlight, including the discovery of an ancient tattooing implement and the uncovering of new evidence of tobacco use by Native American tribes, among other contributions.
Program of Study
All courses are available online
All WSU undergraduates must complete a minimum of 120 semester credits of which 40 credits must be at the 300 – 400 level. Students must also complete the University Common Requirements (UCORE). These can generally be satisfied with a direct transfer degree. For a list of direct-transfer agreements, visit WSU’s Transferring an Associate Degree page.
Students must also fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences graduation requirements and the program requirements of the degree. Time to degree completion varies depending on semester of enrollment and course availability. Not all courses are available all semesters. Your academic advisor will help map out the best plan for you.
A student may certify a major in anthropology upon completing 24 credits with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
34 semester hours of Anthropology are required. Anthropology courses used to complete the degree must be passed with a grade of C- or better. No required courses can be taken pass/fail.
Five courses – 16 semester credits
- ANTH 203 [DIVR] – Global Cultural Diversity
- ANTH 230 – Archaeological Methods and Interpretation
- ANTH 260 [BSCI] – Introduction to Biological Anthropology
- ANTH 390 [M] – History of Anthropological Thought
- ANTH 490 [CAPS] [M] – Integrative Themes in Anthropology
Archeology
Choose one course – 3 semester credits
- ANTH 331 [SSCI] – Archaeology of Americas
Biological
Choose one course – 3 semester credits
- ANTH 268 [BSCI] – Sex, Evolution, and Human Nature
- ANTH 381 [BSCI] Primate Behavioral Ecology
Cultural
Choose one course – 3 semester credits
- ANTH 302 – Childhood and Culture
- ANTH 305 [SSCI] – Anthropology of Epidemic Disease and Bioterrorism
- ANTH 316 [DIVR] – Gender in Cross Cultural Perspectives
- ANTH 320 [DIVR] – Native Peoples of North America
- ANTH 327 [DIVR] – Contemporary Native Peoples of the Americas
- ANTH 404 [CAPS] – The Self in Culture
- ANTH 405 – Medical Anthropology
- ANTH 418 – Human Issues in International Development
Linguistic
3 semester credits
- ANTH 350 [DIVR] – Speech, Thought, and Culture
General
Choose two courses – 6 semester credits
Choose two courses from above not used in designated areas. Anthropology courses that were not taken at WSU Global Campus can also be used in this area.
Additional electives are offered at other WSU campuses: Archeology: ANTH 300, 330, 334, 340, 370, 430; Biological: ANTH 380, 381, 463, 464, 465, 466, 469, 473; Cultural: ANTH 300, 301, 303, 304, 305, 307, 309, 402; Linguistics: ANTH 355, 450.
Students must complete the University Writing Portfolio and two Writing in the Major courses. For online students, the Writing in the Major requirement will be fulfilled with ANTH 390 and 490.
All students, including community college transfer students with an approved transferable AA degree from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Arizona or Hawaii, or students pursuing a second major in the College of Arts and Sciences, will be held to the following additional requirements:
- Foreign Language: Complete 2 years of high school or 1 year of college in a single foreign language
- Complete an Equity and Justice [EQJS] designated course
- Additional 1 lab credit of [BSCI], [PSCI] for a total of 8 semester credits and 2 labs
Please review the online WSU Catalog for additional information about specific degree requirements.
Related Certificate
Global Campus offers this related undergraduate certificate program that you can consider pairing with your Anthropology degree.