Anthropology (ANTH)
ANTH 120 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 3 Hours
Introduction to the cross-cultural study of human behavior and society. Topics normally include environment and food, economics, social and political organization, marriage and family, culture and personality, religion, social movements, and social change. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code E-SB | SB
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; fall 2021; spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023
ANTH 125 Introduction to Biological Anthropology 3 Hours
Introduction to primatology, human origins and evolution, modern human biological variation, and other topics of biological anthropology, emphasizing biological adaptations within the framework of evolutionary theory.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2021; fall 2023
ANTH 130 Introduction to Archaeology 3 Hours
Introduction to the scientific study of the archaeological record, emphasizing location methods, recovery methods, dating methods, archaeological classification, and interpretative models. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code E-SB | SB
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; fall 2021; spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023
ANTH 135 Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology 3 Hours
Introduction to the study of the relations among language, culture, and society. Topics include language origins and history, language and gender, multilingualism, verbal art, and applied linguistic anthropology.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; spring 2022; spring 2023
ANTH 300 Forensic Anthropology 3 Hours
Analysis of human skeletal remains and other evidence in a medicolegal context, emphasizing bone identification, race and sex determination, age and stature estimation, trauma and pathology assessment, and taphonomy evaluation.
Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 125 or BIOL 131)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; spring 2023
ANTH 305 Paleoanthropology: Human Origins and Evolution 3 Hours
Scientific examination of the origins and biocultural evolution of humans, emphasizing evolutionary theory, evidence for human evolution, long-term trends, important fossil finds and sites, taxonomic classifications, and phylogenetic relationships. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SY
Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 130 or BIOL 113 or BIOL 131 or GEOL 112) and 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022
ANTH 316 The Archaeology of Environmental Change 3 Hours
The archaeological study of the impact of the environment on humans and of humans on the environment. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; fall 2021; spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023
ANTH 318 The Archaeologist Looks at Death 3 Hours
Theories, concepts, and methodologies of the anthropological and archaeological study of death and burial.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022
ANTH 333 The Archaeology of Ancient China 3 Hours
Culture-historical overview of Ancient China from the Paleolithic to the Qin Empire focusing on major anthropological themes in Chinese archaeology and world prehistory.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; spring 2023
ANTH 335 Old World Prehistory 3 Hours
A survey of prehistoric indigenous developments in the Old World, focusing on regional adaptations, representative sites and artifacts, food production and complex society, and chronologies.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 336 New World Prehistory 3 Hours
Survey of prehistoric indigenous developments in North, Central and South America, focusing on peopling the New World, regional adaptations, representative sites and artifacts, food production and complex society, and chronologies.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 340 Peoples and Cultures of Latin America 3 Hours
Study of the history and development of present cultures in Latin America with emphasis on economics, politics, religion, folklife and world view of indigenous, peasant and urban peoples.
Equivalent(s): FLK 340
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 341 Peoples and Cultures of Asia 3 Hours
Study of the cultures of South, East, and Southeast Asia with emphasis on origins, prehistoric and historic migrations, ecology, and subsistence patterns, and the origins and evolution of the major civilizations of India, China, Japan, and Vietnam. Topics include kinship and the family, religion, social organization, gender, economy, colonialism and independence, globalization and development, and maintenance of traditions in modern contexts.
Equivalent(s): FLK 341
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 342 Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean 3 Hours
Examination of the variety of cultural practices found in modern-day Caribbean societies with attention to historical roots. Topics include, but are not limited to, definition of the region, religious practices, festivals, musical traditions, migration and everyday social life and conditions. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SY
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Equivalent(s): FLK 342
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; spring 2022; summer 2022; summer 2023
ANTH 343 Anthropology of Gender 3 Hours
A comparative study of the role gender plays in various aspects of culture. Topics include distribution of labor, environmental impact, and ideological constraints on gender constructs in a cross-cultural concept.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2021; fall 2022; fall 2023
ANTH 345 Peoples and Cultures of Native North America 3 Hours
Survey of the cultures of the original peoples of North America, with emphasis on the ethnographic present.
Equivalent(s): FLK 345
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 350 Peoples and Cultures of Africa 3 Hours
Survey of the cultures of Africa, with emphasis on historical development and contemporary cultural diversity.
Equivalent(s): FLK 350, AFAM 350
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2023
ANTH 360 Applied Anthropology – Understanding and Addressing Contemporary Human Problems 3 Hours
History and development of applied anthropology emphasizing identification of and solutions to social, economic, ecological, and technological problems. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; fall 2021; fall 2022; fall 2023
ANTH 366 Special Topics in Anthropology 3 Hours (repeatable max of 9 hrs)
Opportunity for in-depth examination of anthropological topics of current disciplinary and student interest.
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2022
ANTH 378 Southern Appalachian Folklife 3 Hours
Folklife of southern Appalachia, as reflected in the material folk culture, in traditional folk customs and practices, legends, anecdotes, songs, language, and literature.
Equivalent(s): FLK 378
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 382 Medical Anthropology 3 Hours
Cross-cultural examination of definitions of health and wellness, attitudes towards and cultural construction of illness, treatments for disease, and aging. Particular emphasis on examples from non-Western societies.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022
ANTH 388 Foodways 3 Hours
Exploration of the relationship between food and culture. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Equivalent(s): FLK 388
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; summer 2021; fall 2021; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023
ANTH 395 Laboratory Practicum in Archaeology or Biological Anthropology 3 Hours (repeatable max of 9 hrs)
Practical experience in artifact accession, inventory, curation and documentation or in preparation of educational displays using archaeological and biological collections at the WKU Anthropology Lab. Graded pass-fail. Repeatable for 9 hours, 3 hours of which may count in the first 30 hours in the major or 21 hours of the minor. Note: ANTH 125 required for biological anthropology practicum, ANTH 130 required for archaeology practicum, ANTH 470/FLK 470 required for educational displays practicum, or consent of instructor. Course pass required.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023
ANTH 399 Field Methods in Ethnography 3 Hours
An examination of the history, theory, techniques, and ethics of ethnographic fieldwork, including practical fieldwork experience.
Equivalent(s): FLK 399
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2021; fall 2022; fall 2023
ANTH 400 Ethnomusicology 3 Hours
Survey of the concepts and methods of ethnomusicology. Topics include history of ethnomusicology, transcription and analysis, musicians, musical instruments, music acculturation, and the function of music in society.
Equivalent(s): FLK 400
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 410 African-American Music 3 Hours
A survey of selected musical styles created and developed by African-Americans from the 17th to the 20th century: spirituals, blues, popular music forms (e.g. soul, reggae, rap music). Emphasis will be placed on the historical factors and sociocultural trends that influenced the development of African-American music.
Equivalent(s): FLK 410, AFAM 410
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 432 Field Course in Archaeology 1-9 Hours (repeatable max of 9 hrs)
Includes archaeological survey, site mapping, artifact recovery, recording, and cataloging. Work is usually conducted on prehistoric Indian sites. The number of credit hours will be determined in consultation with instructor. Note: Permission of instructor may be required.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 130
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2021; summer 2022; summer 2023; fall 2023
ANTH 434 Graveyard Archaeology 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Application of archaeological methods in the documentation of historic graveyards, emphasizing legal mandates, formation processes, subsurface prospecting, remote sensing, mapping and headstone recording. Students must arrange own travel to field site(s).
Course Fee: $10
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 436 Applied Archaeology 3 Hours
Examines contract archaeology and public archaeology within the context of cultural resource management, emphasizing legal mandates, field methods, public education programs, and ethical considerations.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 130
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 438 Archaeological Lab Methods 3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Provides practical experience in the methods and techniques for classifying and analyzing archaeological materials and interpreting the resulting data.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 130
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022
ANTH 442 Ecological and Economic Anthropology 3 Hours
Analysis of economic systems and cultural adaptations to the environment of Western and non-Western societies, with particular attention paid to the Caribbean and/or Latin America.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 446 Anthropology of Religion 3 Hours
A cross-cultural examination of religious beliefs and practices. Topics include myth, ritual, shamanism and healing, and the role of religion in social control and social change.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 448 Visual Anthropology 3 Hours
This course examines photography and film as tools and products of cross-cultural research with special emphasis on cultural and political biases presented through visual means.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2021; spring 2023
ANTH 449 Ethnographic Video Production 3 Hours
Video production as a research methodology in anthropology. Practical exercises and collaborative student projects. Students will produce their own short ethnographic videos. Explores practices of representing cultures through video.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 448
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 450 Modern Human Biological Variation 3 Hours
Uses evolutionary theory to study biological similarities and differences among living human populations on morphological, skeletal, and molecular levels, emphasizing anthropometry, racial classification, inheritance, population genetics, adaptation, disease, and intelligence.
Prerequisite(s): (MATH 109 or MATH 116) and (ANTH 125 or BIOL 327 or BIOL 430)
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANTH 452 Bioarchaeology 3 Hours
The scientific study of human remains from archaeological sites and the application of biological anthropology methods and theories in archaeological research in order to reconstruct past human lifeways such as health, diet and nutrition, physical activities, mortuary practices, and social organization.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 125 or BIOL 131
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022
ANTH 470 Museum Procedures and Preservation Techniques 3 Hours
Essential aspects of museums and preservation, i.e. collecting, preserving, researching, exhibiting, and interpreting material culture.
Equivalent(s): FLK 470
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; spring 2022
ANTH 493 Archaeology Stewardship 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Field monitoring, assessment, and documentation of the integrity of local archaeological sites threatened by cultural and natural formation processes. Students must arrange own travel to field sites. Note: A course pass and at least six additional hours in anthropology required.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 130
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; fall 2021; fall 2022; fall 2023
ANTH 495 Directed Study 1-4 Hours (repeatable max of 8 hrs)
Available to superior students who wish to conduct individual, intensive reading and research in a specific area of anthropology in close cooperation with supervising faculty. Submission of such projects to student sections of regional professional meetings is encouraged. Number of credit hours will be determined in consultation with instructor. Note: Consent of department head and course pass required.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2021; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023
ANTH 499 Senior Seminar 1 Hour
Anthropological concepts and theories, current topics and developments in the discipline, anthropology careers and graduate programs, and professional ethics. To be taken in the last year of the student's program of study in anthropology. Note: 15 hours of Anthropology courses required prior to enrollment.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 120 and ANTH 125 and ANTH 130 and ANTH 135
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Enrollment is limited to students in Anthropology (608)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2021; fall 2021; spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023