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Anthropology (ANTH) Course Descriptions

This course is an introduction to the science of physical anthropology, and analyzes the human place in nature. This class focuses on how humans evolved and the unique role of culture in our evolution and how genetics and reproduction shape our lives. The course also covers the classification and distribution of living and extinct human populations, how we determine the geological age of our ancestors, and our relationship to non-human primates such as monkeys and apes. Topics covered in this course include: the scientific method, principles and mechanisms of genetics and heredity, geological dating methods, classification of humans and our near relatives, social organization and behavior of living primates, comparative anatomy of humans and non-human primates. Field trips such as visits to the local zoo may be included and may involve a small entrance fee. This course is an introductory laboratory course designed to provide students with an opportunity to become familiar with the methods of the science of physical anthropology while investigating topics in laboratory and field situations. Topics covered in the course are: the scientific method, sources of biological variation and forces of evolution, human osteology (bone identification), human variation, taxonomy and comparative osteology of the primates, comparative behavior, and the fossil evidence for human evolution. Field trips such as visits to the local zoo may be included and may involve a small entrance fee. This course is designed as a companion course to Anthropology 300 - Introduction to Physical Anthropology. This course is an introduction to the varieties of customs and forms of social life of human beings, in both western and non-western peoples, with the aim of understanding the structure and functioning of societies. Topics include subsistence methods, religious belief systems, linguistics, trade and economic systems, arts, kinship, marriage and family systems, sources of change due to internal and external forces. Anthropological concepts will be stressed: human culture, cultural relativism, holism, ethnocentrism, cross-cultural comparisons, fieldwork and theory. Also analyzed are multicultural customs and their usefulness in the societies in which they occur and how culture is flexible and adaptive in a variety of settings. A field trip may be required at the discretion of the instructor. This course provides an introduction to the use of film by anthropologists as a research and educational tool. Students will view and evaluate a series of films depicting different cultures from around the world. Students will be expected to analyze a variety of peoples from various ethnic groups in differing cultural contexts as to their contributions to the world community without prejudice or ethnocentrism. Cultures include: Native American, Pacific Islander, Latin American, African, Australian aborigine and others. Analysis will focus on examining various attributes of each ethnographic film and their treatment by a number of anthropological filmmakers. This course is an introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory. It is a study of the prehistoric, cultural and social record of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas and island societies. The course introduces students to the theory, concept, and methods employed in the study of human prehistory in the social sciences. It stresses how archaeology addresses questions about the development and diverse evolution of social and cultural systems. The course conveys an understanding of how the questions, methods and techniques of archaeology are directed by anthropological theory, and surveys the history of archaeology/prehistory and its modern concerns. Prehistory explores the problems and achievements of non-literate and "traditional" cultures, diverse communities, and classes over time based on a comparison of a wide range of archaeological examples from all over the world. This course is a cross-cultural study of the forms and functions of supernatural beliefs and associated rituals in various societies around the world. Emphasis of the course is on understanding beliefs and rituals within their social contexts and on broad comparisons to derive insight into the general functions of beliefs and rituals in human life. A field trip may be included in the course activities. This course provides a study of the many cultures of the different native inhabitants of California from the prehistoric period to the present time. In addition it will cover an introduction to the diversity and complexity of aboriginal California. It includes the environmental adaptation, material culture, social structure, ideology, and response to change. In addition to gaining perspectives on the great diversity of aboriginal cultures in California, the student will examine the impact of the other Native, European, Asian and African groups on those cultures as well as the contributions of Native Californians to the cultures of the Americas. This course is an introductory survey of traditional Native American societies. The course will describe our understanding of the peoples and cultures of North America and emphasize native ecological adaptations, languages, social organizations, religion, mythologies and world view, and artistic representations. The student will critically examine the impact of tribal nations on each other as well as the interactions between Native Americans and Europeans, Africans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and others. Perspectives on changes in traditional life and Native American's current position in American society will be included as well as contributions of Native Americans to the cultures of the Americas. A field trip will be optional. This course will involve the student in the exploration of the role of language in social interaction and world view, minority languages and dialects, bilingualism, literacy and the social motivation of language change. The student will also be introduced to the analytical techniques of linguistics and the demonstration of their relevance to language in sociocultural issues. This course is an introduction to Museum Studies (Museology). Museums for anthropology, science, art and history will be examined as to their purpose, methods and care. Students will learn about the function of museums in education and interpretation. Collection, preservation and display techniques will be demonstrated and practiced. Students will visit several local museums as class field trips and individual exploration. Students will also prepare a museum display for exhibit on campus. This course will provide an overview of the life cycle of all primates, including humans, from an anthropological perspective. The basic biology behind the human life cycle will be examined and compared to nonhuman primates. Human and nonhuman primate life histories will be examined cross culturally and will be compared and contrasted in light of their evolution and origins. The class will stress how cultural practices interact and support optimal reproductive behavior. Topics will include gestation and birth, adolescence, mating strategies and group structure, adulthood and senescence. This course provides students with opportunities to develop marketable skills in preparation for employment or advancement within their current job. Course content will include understanding the application of education to the workforce; completion of required forms, which document the student's progress and hours spent at the work site; and developing workplace skills and competencies. During the course of the semester, the student is required to fulfill an 18 hour orientation and 75 hours of related paid work experience, or 60 hours of unpaid work experience for one unit. An additional 75 or 60 hours of related work experience is required for each additional unit. The course may be taken again when there is new or expanded learning on the job for a maximum of 16 units.