Current Undergraduate Courses

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course introduces students to the concept of culture, anthropological methods and theories, and the unity and variability of the human species. The course draws on comparative and analytical approaches to demonstrate how anthropologists study cultural systems, social organization, and human adaptation across the globe.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Summer 1 & Fall 2026

This course examines fundamental aspects of the biological nature of humans and their primate relatives. Course content covers the different subfields of biological anthropology (genetics, primatology, paleoanthropology, osteology and forensics). Course material includes topics devoted to explaining the scientific method, natural selection, evolutionary theory, genetics, speciation, adaptation, nonhuman primate anatomy, behavior and ecology, osteology, forensic anthropology, and human evolution. In short, this lecture course examines fundamental aspects of the biological nature of humans using evolutionary theory.

Field | Archaeology
Term | Summer 2 & Fall 2026

This course examines the basic principles of archaeology. It introduces the history and goals of archaeology and places the field in the context of anthropology. The course examines the identification of artifacts and features, the creation and preservation of archaeological sites, and dating methods. It applies archaeological data to reconstructing past behavior, subsistence practices, social organization, and social complexity, and explores key developments in the human past. This course reviews legal and ethical aspects of archaeological practice.

Corequisite: ANTH 2102 with a grade of "D" or better.

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course explores writing in anthropology and the writing process by completing a semester-long project. It focuses on professional writing in academic and non-academic contexts, including scientific and ethnographic styles, writing for public audiences, and the development of authorial voice. The course examines the research process in library and field contexts, effective use of anthropological literature, editing and revision practices, citation and formatting methods, and writing tools and resources.

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course examines the skills developed in anthropology and their application to career pathways. It analyzes how anthropological training contributes to professional competencies and explores strategies for articulating and applying these skills in a range of employment contexts within and beyond the discipline. Topics include assessment and translation of disciplinary skills, development of career objectives, preparation of application materials, interviewing techniques, professional communication, networking, job search strategies, and analysis of labor market trends.

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Summer 1 & Fall 2026

This course introduces students to linguistic anthropology, the subfield that examines the relationship between language and culture. Drawing from the formal properties of language, it examines how language relates to social and cultural categories. Topics include the ethnography of communication, writing and literacy, language origins, acquisition, variation, and change across communities and historical periods. Emphasis is placed on empirical and comparative approaches used by anthropologists to show the universal features and particular patterns of language as a human and communal property.

Field | Archaeology
Term | Fall 2026

This course surveys anthropological perspectives on religion as a cultural system using historical and cross-cultural comparison with a focus on the Americas, Africa, and Europe. It examines world religions and regional interpretations of magic, supernatural beings, and other phenomena in both the past and present. It introduces anthropological theories and approaches to the study of religion and spirituality and considers the historical, political, and social factors associated with the emergence of new religious movements.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course examines the major events in human evolution and prehistory from the earliest hominin fossil and archaeological evidence in Africa to the origin of food domestication across the globe and ending with the development of complex societies throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Students analyze current archaeological and paleoanthropological evidence documenting human adaptation to Ice Age climates, global dispersal, the development of food production systems, and the emergence of complex societies.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course explores the worldview and scientific mindset pre- and post- the publication of Darwin's 1859 "Origin of Species" book. It will examine pre-Darwinian perspectives on biological change, discuss Darwin's writing, analyze how natural selection works, examine common misconceptions about it, describe Mendel and the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis, identify how the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis and knowledge of genetics affects the concept of race, discuss the American eugenics program, apply evolutionary principles to humans, and discuss the role of evolutionary theory in contemporary science and society. 

Prerequisites: ANTH 2301 with a grade of "D" or better.

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course surveys archaeology that is publicly funded and highlights Cultural Resource Management (CRM), the practice of conserving and investigating archaeological remains as mandated by federal and state laws. The course covers the history of CRM and its legal and regulatory framework, organization, methods, funding, employment prospects, and ethical and practical dilemmas, as well as the role of archaeologists in policy development, public outreach, and community engagement. Case studies from Texas and other regions are used to analyze how CRM operates in practice and how different management approaches affect archaeological resources.

Field | Archaeology
Term | Fall 2026

This course provides technical training in and an understanding of the principles and methods of curating and managing archaeological collections. It reviews the history of archaeological curation in the United States as well as relevant laws and regulations that apply to collections facilities. Additional topics include types of repositories and storage facilities, costs of curation, policies, collection rehabilitation, archival processing, basic preventive conservation strategies, and the use of archaeological collections for public education.

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course examines the practice of applied anthropological research through collaborative partnerships with organizations and local communities. It introduces principles of organizational and community-based participatory research, oral history and archival methods, and qualitative data collection. The course centers on a semester-long research project addressing unique research situations, emphasizing professional standards of ethical collaboration, project planning, data management, and public-facing deliverables. Graduate and undergraduate students work in research teams to document social relations, analyze data, and produce materials relevant to community partners and applied anthropological research practice.

Prerequisite: ANTH 1312 with a grade of "D" or better or Instructor approval.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course provides information about the behavior, ecology, biology, and conservation of nonhuman primates (including lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes), and the methods used in primatological research. Emphasis is placed on comparative analysis of social systems, reproduction, development, communication, cognition, and ecological adaptation within an evolutionary framework. Topics include how variation in environment and evolutionary history shapes primate behavior and diversity. As our closest biological relatives, they also provide insights into human evolution, biology, and behavior.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course covers laboratory-based human skeletal processing techniques used in forensic anthropological casework. Students will be trained in handling and cleaning human skeletal remains, best practices for curation, and how to efficiently and effectively label each of the 206 bones in the human body. Students will gain an understanding of the complete process that occurs between body donation and final curation in the laboratory. Additionally, students will be introduced to human skeletal anatomy and variation. 

Prerequisite: ANTH 3381 with a grade of a "D" or better.

Field | Cultural Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course examines how innovation and social impact are understood and practiced in contemporary social, economic, and organizational contexts. Using anthropology’s broad lens on human culture and experience, it analyzes the histories, discourses, and social structures that shape approaches to entrepreneurship, capitalism, technoscience, and governance. The course investigates how assumptions about innovation emerge, circulate, and influence decision‑making across domains and demonstrates how to use ethnographic thinking and inductive research methods to conceptualize problems, design interventions, and assess outcomes.

Field | General Curriculum
Term | Fall 2026

This course introduces students to statistical concepts and the use of statistical software as applied to anthropological research. Topics may include how to interpret, analyze, and visualize quantitative data that are drawn from topics commonly examined in anthropology. The course focuses on technical competence, analytical reasoning, and science communication. It demonstrates how to evaluate quantitative arguments in anthropological scholarship as well as how to apply statistical tools to empirical research questions.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Summer 2 & Fall 2026

This course provides an introduction to forensic anthropology, a specialized area of biological anthropology concerned with the scientific analysis of human remains in legal and investigative contexts. The course examines the historical development, theoretical foundations, and methodological approaches used in the field, with attention to their application within medicolegal death investigation systems. The course evaluates how forensic anthropological techniques contribute to the identification of human remains and the interpretation of skeletal evidence. The course also considers the professional roles, responsibilities, and practical challenges encountered by forensic anthropologists working in applied settings.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course involves detailed examination of the elements of the human skeleton, with emphasis on identifying individual bones and teeth and their anatomical features. The course addresses the application of this knowledge to the identification of fragmentary skeletal elements and the siding of both complete and incomplete remains. Topics include osteological terminology, bone biology, skeletal variation, and the structure and function of the human skeleton. Analytical approaches to the study of skeletal remains are considered, along with issues related to preservation, recovery, and interpretation. Students also examine ethical standards governing the handling of human skeletal material. The course situates osteological analysis within forensic and archaeological contexts.

Field | Archaeology
Term | Fall 2026

This course draws upon archaeological, biological, linguistic, and environmental evidence to reconstruct the earliest human prehistory of the Americas. Precisely when the first people arrived in the Americas, where they came from, and how they got here are the subjects of longstanding and ongoing debate. This course will explore the natural environments of the Ice Age and review known Paleoindian cultures such as Clovis, Folsom, Plainview, and Cody, as well as archaeological sites that may predate them.

Field | General Curriculum
Term | Fall 2026

This course explores qualitative research methods in anthropology and ethnography. It demonstrates how to formulate research questions, design qualitative projects, assess research ethics, and systematically collect and analyze qualitative data. Topics include fieldnote, participant observation, interview, survey, coding, and analysis methods. These methods are taught through a field research project that integrates course concepts with experiential learning. Through workshops, fieldwork activities, and collaborative inquiry, the course offers practical experience generating, interpreting, and presenting qualitative findings.

Field | Biological Anthropology
Term | Fall 2026

This course examines methods used to analyze human skeletal remains from forensic and archaeological contexts. The course addresses procedures for skeletal inventory and the construction of the biological profile, including estimation of age, sex, population affinity, and stature. Emphasis is placed on osteological measurement standards, data collection protocols, and theoretical frameworks in skeletal biology. Additional topics include sources of variation in skeletal populations, comparative approaches to analysis, and the integration of multiple lines of evidence in interpretation. Analytical methods are considered alongside issues of methodological limitation. The course situates skeletal analysis within broader professional and research contexts in forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology. 

Prerequisite: ANTH 3381 with a grade of "D" or better.