Anthropology is the global social science. It is the study of the human condition everywhere; its cultural, linguistic, and biological diversity; and how it evolved and developed from the prehistoric past into the globalizing present. Anthropology is an interdisciplinary 14 credit major that intersects with programs and departments across the University. Students may major in anthropology as a whole (General Anthropology), or choose to concentrate in Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology, or specialize in two thematic concentrations: Medical Anthropology and Environmental Anthropology.
Archaeology is the study of past societies through the excavation of material culture, from the Paleolithic into the early Historical periods. Students study excavation methods and techniques of analysis, and have opportunities to work with collections in the Penn Museum and its Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM). Archaeology majors take introductory courses in all sub-fields of Anthropology, and complete the remainder of their coursework primarily in Archaeology.
The minimum total course units for graduation in this major is 34. Double majors may entail more course units.