Getting Started (Majors Guide)

College: SBS

 (Revised Spring 2018)  

How to Explore/Get Started in the Major 

Suggested General Education Courses:

Under the new guidelines students are still required to take two courses, one in U.S. Diversity and one in Global Diversity. Students entering in Fall 2018 are expected to take one of these diversity courses, either U.S. or Global, in their first year on campus.  For Fall 2018 Registration, look for courses with DU (formerly U) and DG (formerly G) to help students stay on track.  Any course labled DU will satisfy the requirement for a U.S. diversity course and any course labeled DG will satisfy the the requirement for Global diversity course. Course planning guidelines, including guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened.

Students are encouraged to take a broad range of liberal arts courses to meet these requirements.

Suggested Major and Pre-requisites Courses:

There are no required courses, but ANTHRO 100, 102, 103, 104 (OR 106), 105 and 150 are good courses with which to explore and/or begin the major. They introduce students to the foundations of Anthropology and serve as pre-requisites for many of the upper level classes.

These courses, along with Anthropology 205, 208, 234, 258, and 270, also meet Gen Ed requirements.

Note: ANTHRO 104 and ANTHRO 106 cannot both be counted towards the major.

How to Declare the Major

Students declaring the major should meet with the Chief Undergraduate Advisor or Undergraduate Program Director.  

Transfer Students: 

Students can declare when they enter the university. Students should meet with an advisor in the Department of Anthropology, preferably during a transfer advising session or before the first day of classes.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Minimum total # of credits required: 42

These requirements apply to students entering the University of Massachusetts in fall 2018 or later. For requirements for earlier entry years see archived Guides to Undergraduate Programs.

  • 42 credits in Anthropology of which at least 34 credits must be at or above the 200-level including
  • Minimum of 15 credits at the 300-level or higher
  • A Research Methods Sequence Anthropology 281 AND Approved Methods Course
  • ANTHRO 364
  • An Integrative Experience Course
  • International Intercultural Requirement (IIR) (4 Options)
  1. Complete 9 credits of SBS approved IIR Courses
  2. Complete a cumulative sequence of 9 credits in a non-English language.
  3. Complete a combination of 9 credits of the above (IIR and Non-English language courses)
  4. Complete a Department Approved Certificate or Minor
  5. Complete 9 credits through an IPO approved semester-long study-abroad program

Is there a minor? If so what are the requirements?
Yes. A total of 15 credits (five courses) are required for the minor. See Chief Undergraduate Advisor or the Undergraduate Program Director to declare and determine an approved focus.

For further information, contact:
Professor Krista Harper
Undergraduate Program Director
215 Machmer Hall
545-2652
kharper@umass.edu

Professor Boone Shear
Chief Undergraduate Advisor
207A Machmer Hall
545-2652
bshear@umass.edu