Anthro BA and Minor

Please see the OU Course Catalog for a complete list of anthropology courses. The list of courses offered during the current and upcoming semester can be found here. The official checksheet for the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology can be found here.

Our Department has a very flexible Bachelor of Arts degree program that exposes students to the breadth of the field of anthropology while also giving space for students to specialize in areas and topics of their choosing. Anthropology has four major subfields and the anthropology major must take introductory courses into each of the four subfields and electives spanning at least three. 

1. The 36 hours of anthropology required for the degree must include Anth 2203 "Global Cultural Diversity," Anth 2303 "General Linguistics,"  Anth 3113 Principles of Archaeology," Anth 3203 Intro to Biological Anthropology, and Anth 4113 "Anthropology Capstone." Majors must also take 21 At least one of the electives must be a Methods class. The list of which classes are considered a Methods class can be found here.
2. Must have at least 15 hours of electives at the 3000- and 4000-levels.
3. Must have at least three different subfields represented in the 3000- and 4000-level electives. The list of which classes count towards a subfield can be found here.

Also, it is possible to count of to 3 hours of Independent Study, Internship, Thesis, Honors Research, or Mentored Research as electives and to count of to 3 hours of non-Anthropology courses listed here as an elective.

In addition, anthropology majors are strongly encouraged to take relevant support work in related fields. For example, a student whose primary interest is in archaeology benefit from coursework in geography, geology, and history, while students interested in biological anthropology benefit from coursework in zoology and anatomy. Students interested in socio-cultural anthropology benefit from related courses in history, sociology, and other behavioral sciences. These courses may also satisfy general education requirements, and in fact may count towards a minor in any of these other departments.

Anthropology electives are chosen based on the student's interests, abilities, and honor's program participation. 120 semester hours are required for the bachelor of arts degree, and a student can have any number of major hours. Choosing the right courses and combination of courses is very important, and the student should consult with the Anthropology Department's advisors as well as other faculty members. Ideally, the student should formulate a tentative program of coursework during his/her sophomore year (or earlier) in consultation with the advisors and then make adjustments as necessary in following semesters.

Directed readings or research courses may be taken in order to pursue in-depth study of a single topic, either in the form of original research or research based on library resources. Development of research skills can be very helpful for students interested in graduate study. Independent study and internships in anthropology must be coordinated with a faculty member in the subfield of focus. These courses are Independent Study 4990, Honors Reading 3960, and Honors Research 3980. Honors courses require admission to the Honors Program. An appointment with Dr. Hirschfeld is necessary for instruction on how to enter the Honors program. Visit the Honors Program site at http://www.ou.edu/honors.

A minor in Anthropology requires 15 hours of courses. There are two pathways to the minor, both of which are documented on the official checksheet found here. The first involves taking ANTH 1113 "General Anthropology" plus 12 additional hours of Anthropology, of which at least 9 hours must be from 3000- or 4000-level coursework. The second pathway involves taking 15 hours of anthropology coursework of which at least 9 hours is 3000- or 4000-level and the electives span at least three subfields as listed here. Declare a minor in Anthropology with the College of Arts and Sciences, Ellison Hall 124.

The accelerated Anthropology B.A. + M.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology is designed for academically successful undergraduate anthropology majors with an interest in sociocultural anthropology. The combined B.A. + M.A. degrees are designed to be finished in five years, with undergraduate coursework completed at the end of year three of the program. Students accepted into the program begin taking graduate-level coursework during their senior year. Requirements for the B.A. are the same as those of the standard B.A. in Anthropology, with 13 “shared” hours counting towards both the B.A. and M.A. degree requirements. The M.A. degree includes a thesis, giving students an opportunity to conduct original in-depth research. The official checksheet for the B.A. + M.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology can be found here. 

Why earn an Accelerated B.A. + M.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology? 

• Complete both your B.A. + M.A. in ­five years
• Be more competitive for graduate school admissions
• Be better prepared for non-profi­t, public sector, or foreign service work
• Integrate international experience

Students interested in the program should discuss their eligibility and interest with the Undergraduate Advisor or Graduate Liaison during the fall of their junior year.

Applications are due annually on February 1