Anthropology Major Requirements
(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree)
To complete an anthropology major, students must complete a total of 30 credits (10 courses) in Anthropology and foreign language through the intermediate level. Only with permission of the director of undergraduate studies may students use one class taken at another institution not directly equivalent to a JHU course towards the major. Students must take completed course materials to the director of undergraduate studies to discuss if a non-equivalent transfer course can apply towards the major. Majors must receive a grade of C or better in all major requirements and no major requirements may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.
Writing and Communication in the Major
Students must complete at least 6 credits of Writing and Communication Foundational Ability coursework in one major. For this major, students would be able to fulfill this requirement by completing the required courses of the major that are designated as Writing and Communication courses.
Complete major requirements are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| AS.070.132 | Invitation to Anthropology | 3 |
| AS.070.273 | Ethnographies | 3 |
| AS.070.317 | Methods | 3 |
| AS.070.419 | Logic of Anthropological Inquiry: African American Pioneers | 3 |
| Anthropology Electives 1 | ||
| Two 100-400 level courses in the Anthropology Department | 6 | |
| Four 300- or 400-level courses in the Anthropology Department | 12 | |
| Foreign Language 2 | ||
| Foreign language through the second semester of the intermediate level. Native speakers of another language, or those fluent in a language not taught at the university, can devise a plan to meet this requirement in consultation with the department. | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 44 | |
- 1
One cross-listed course taught outside the Anthropology Department may apply towards the major. With permission, one independent study may apply towards the major. Senior Honors Essay courses do not apply here. Each course must be at least three credits.
- 2
Languages taught at JHU that will apply towards this requirement currently include: American Sign Language, Ancient Greek, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Yiddish.
Sample Program of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.070.132 | 3 | AS.070.1xx-4xx: Anthropology elective | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4 | Foreign language | 4 |
| 7 | 7 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.070.1xx-4xx: Anthropology elective | 3 | AS.070.273 | 3 |
| Foreign language | 3 | Foreign language | 3 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.070.317 | 3 | AS.070.419 | 3 |
| AS.070.3xx-4xx: Anthropology elective | 3 | AS.070.3xx-4xx: Anthropology elective | 3 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.070.3xx-4xx: Anthropology elective | 3 | AS.070.3xx-4xx: Anthropology elective | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| Total Credits 44 | |||
Honors Thesis in Anthropology
Students with at least a 3.5 GPA (major GPA) by their junior year are encouraged to write a senior thesis by registering for the two-semester Senior Essay (AS.070.561 Senior Essay-Fall and AS.070.562 Senior Essay - Spring) under the guidance of a faculty advisor.