BA/BS in Anthropology

This program is a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Anthropology, offered through the Faculty of Arts and taking a broad, holistic approach to the discipline while allowing informal specialization in one of its sub-areas: archaeology, biological anthropology, social and cultural anthropology, or linguistic anthropology. The page describes the field as combining humanistic and scientific approaches to studying human biological, cultural, and linguistic variation, with University of Alberta faculty working on the archaeological record as well as ethnographic research into contemporary societies. Major requirements include introductory courses across the sub-areas plus further coursework in the history of anthropological theory, archaeology, or biological anthropology, with 400-level courses noted as carrying substantial method and theory content. It suits students drawn to a broad, comparative study of human diversity who want the option to lean toward one sub-area without committing to a formal specialization track, and who are considering career paths ranging from cultural archaeology to public policy that are not linear and depend on the activities and experience students pursue during their studies.