Offered at IU Bloomington by College of Arts and Sciences

Offered on campus

The Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology looks to the human future with an understanding of the complexities of our heritage—the biology, knowledge, rights, and artifacts that represent both continuity and transformation in the human condition.

Our concern with heritage integrates the traditional subfields of anthropology in which we do research: archaeology, bioanthropology, linguistic anthropology, and social-cultural anthropology.

This major includes courses in the history of the discipline, museum studies, general anthropology, and in the four subfields:

• Archaeology deals with the origins of culture, past societies around the world, and the study of their material remains.
• Bioanthropology emphasizes primate origins, evolution, present-day biological/genetic variation, adaptation of human populations, and disease.
• Linguistic anthropology concentrates on human communication through language, the structure of languages, and the history of their development and interrelationship.
• Social/cultural anthropology studies contemporary and historical cultures and societies of every scale around the world.

Anthropology is an excellent foundation for many careers. Our program provides opportunities for students at all levels to apply their knowledge and conduct hands-on research and study a wide range of topics through coursework, field schools, colloquia, and research projects with faculty and centers across campus.

Our graduates have found work in business, government, and nonprofit organizations as well as educational institutions.

Employment opportunities related directly to anthropology include archaeology companies, physical anthropology labs, museums and zoos, schools and universities, government agencies, and a growing number of private corporations.

Interdepartmental major option

You can also earn an interdepartmental major in anthropology and linguistics, offered in association with the Department of Linguistics. Read the major guide.