Regularly Offered Undergraduate Courses
Below are courses that are offered fairly regularly. This is not an exhaustive list. Courses are 3.0 credits unless otherwise noted. Consult each semester's course descriptions, available at the beginning of the prior semester on our website and in print in the literature racks outside the Undergraduate Office.
REQUIRED COURSES
106 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (offered every semester)
107 Introduction to Physical Anthropology (typically offered Fall semesters, and also during Summer)
108 Introduction to Archaeology (typically offered Fall semesters, and also during Summer)
401 Theory in Anthropology (typically offered Spring semester) (required for the Major only)
494 Senior Seminar (typically, two seminars are offered for Cultural students, and one for Archaeology students, every semester; Physical APY students must petition to have a relevant upper-level course accepted as their Senior Seminar)
SPECIAL TOPICS COURSES (repeatable for credit)
250 Special Topics in Anthropology (often with an Archaeological focus) (LEC)
261 Cultural Anthropology Topics (LEC)
280 Special Topics in Physical Anthropology (LEC)
321 Special Topics in Cultural Anthropology (SEM)
410 Special Topics (focus varies) (SEM)
420 Special Topics (focus varies) (SEM)
421 Special Topics (focus varies) (SEM)
434 Anthro Archaeology Topics (SEM)
477 Topics in Medical Anthropology (SEM)
ARCHAEOLOGY
238 Near & Middle East Prehistory
331 Archaeology of the New World
333 North American Archaeology
338 Field Research in Arch. (var.cr., lab.)
353 Old World Prehistory
367 Mesoamerican Archaeology
368 Theories in Archaeology
404 Designing Material Culture
437 Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Viking Arch.
441 Anthropological Demography
480 Collapse of Civilization
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
203 Anthropology and Film
217 APY of War
265 Peoples of SE Asia
275 Intro to Medical APY
276 Intro. to Ethnomedicine
304 Food & Culture
312 Culture & Reproduction
315 Cross-Cultural Study of Women
323 APY & Education
325 Contemporary Afro-Caribbean Religion
366 Peoples of Asia
369 Peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa
377 Magic, Sorcery & Witchcraft
380 Myth, Ritual, Symbol
382 Indians of South America
384 Books of the Ancient Maya
393 APY of Religion
394 Religion & Healing: Native So. America
402 Modern Europe
432 Peoples of the Arctic
447 Mythology of the Americas
449 Mayan Civilization
474 Urban Anthropology
476 Health Care in the U.S.
488 Kinship & Social Structure
492 Political APY
PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
246 Intro. To Primate Behavior
248 Human Genetics
344 Animal Communication
345 Comparative Primate Anatomy (lec) (must be taken in conjunction with APY 346)
346 Dissections in Comp. Prim. Anat. (lab) ( taken in conjunction with APY 345) (2 credits)
348 Forensic Anthropological Osteology
350 Human Behavioral Ecology
409 Primate Social Behavior & Organization
443 Advanced Phys. APY
444 Ethology Practicum
448 Human Genetics: Legal & Ethical Issues
495 Supervised Teaching (variable credits)
APY 496, Internship. An Internship can give students valuable practical experience while introducing them to specific professions. The Department does not maintain lists of agencies that offer internships; the interested student, perhaps with the advice of the faculty adviser, should seek out such opportunities. The Office of Career Services (see p. 10) might be helpful. The terms of an Internship should be worked out before the semester(s) of registration, between the student, the faculty advisor, and the job supervisor. Such terms include: job description, hours to be worked, and how the student's performance is to be evaluated and a grade assigned. Standard guidelines suggest that each credit requires 3 hours of work per week; but the host agency might have other expectations. Students cannot register for 496 themselves. Once details are worked out, the student should complete an Internship Data Form and bring it and any supporting documents to the Undergraduate Office for registration authorization. The student should then register for APY 496 and for the appropriate, agreed-upon, number of credit hours. When the internship has been completed the student must submit an appropriately signed Record of Internship Form.
Caution: conducting student projects through the Internship. The agency offering the internship probably expects certain work to be done, and the student's first obligation is to the host agency's expectations. If the student wants to conduct any sort of investigation through the internship, for the Practicum or any other academic project, that must be explicitly arranged in advance, and the job supervisor must consent. It may be that the hours scheduled will not allow for such investigation, but extra hours must be requested.
APY 499, Independent Study. This course, with variable credits, is available for the student to pursue topics not covered by formal courses, or research leading to the Practicum or Honors project, under the direct supervision of a faculty advisor. Students cannot register for 499 themselves. The student must consult with a faculty advisor before registering for 499. Both student and advisor should complete the appropriate form [Undergraduate Independent Study Form], then the student should bring the form and any supporting documents to the Undergraduate Office for registration authorization. By University and SUNY policy, a detailed record of work accomplished under the 499 must be filed on that form, with appropriate signatures; if the student's work changes significantly during the semester, a new form must be completed and filed.
Study Abroad. The Department encourages a Study Abroad experience for anthropology majors, after the student has had some formal anthropological training. Several SUNY campuses operate such programs, and the student may register through any of them. The student should plan to earn some Departmental major credit during the experience, and with descriptions of course offerings from the host institution the student should consult with his/her Advisor about a curriculum. Questions about acceptability of any courses for Department credit should be brought to the DUS before the student departs; and the student should bring back the syllabi for courses taken which he/she hopes to petition for Departmental credit. It is sometimes possible to conduct a project of investigation for the Practicum or Honors during the Study Abroad experience; the student should plan carefully with his/her Advisor and the DUS in advance. N.b. because of differences in methods of evaluation, Study Abroad courses are commonly graded S/U on the student's record; but major credit is earned.