Anthropology as a Major

Anthropology offers a broadly comparative framework for the study of human life and experience. The discipline is traditionally divided into the sub-fields of cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, biological (or physical) anthropology, and archaeology. Of these, cultural anthropology and linguistic anthropology are emphasized at Reed. Cultural anthropology examines the range and variability of human behavior and provides frameworks for interpretation of human action. Its distinguishing disciplinary features are implicit or explicit comparativism and evidentiary grounding of theoretical interpretations or generalizations in firsthand ethnographic fieldwork. Earlier emphasis was on nonliterate peoples of the past and present. However, anthropological research has increasingly included studies of populations of European origin and those of literate, complex societies.

Requirements for the Major

1. Reading competence in a foreign language (French, German, Russian, Spanish) as demonstrated by completion of two units of a second-, third-, or fourth-year foreign language course or by examination at equivalent levels.
2. During sophomore year: Anthropology 211 and one additional anthropology course. Transfer students should take Anthropology 211 even if they have completed substantial coursework in anthropology at another institution. Anthropology 211 is not open to freshmen.
3. During the junior year: four units in anthropology at the upper-division level (300 or 400). Before taking the junior qualifying examination, students should take at least one, but preferably two, area courses (or other courses with strong ethnological content).
4. During the junior or senior year: at least one additional unit other than thesis at the 400 level.
5. During the senior year: Anthropology 470.

Recommended but not required:

1. Humanities 210, 220, or 230 during the sophomore year.
2. Sociology 211.
3. Philosophy 200.

Students are advised to have completed their divisional requirements prior to their senior year.

Declaration of Major

It is necessary for you to declare a major in order to be admitted to junior standing in the Division of History and Social Sciences. It is important that you declare as soon as you have determined that anthropology is to be your major field because the Division then takes responsibility for the oversight of your academic program in the junior and senior years. When you have chosen the major, be certain that not only is the official form completed and filed, but that you have also chosen an adviser in the Department of Anthropology. A reminder: the Division requires that you take some non-anthropology courses in history and/or the social sciences; discuss this distributional requirement with your adviser and check the catalog. Also, remember that reading competence in a foreign language as demonstrated by completion of two units of a second, third or fourth year foreign language course or by examination at equivalent levels is required.

In many cases, students express an interest in having an ad hoc committee supervise an ad hoc major. This is an inter-divisional major, which includes Anthropology as one of its components. This has been done successfully in the past (Anthro/Phil, Anthro/Bio, Anthro/Lit), but requires advanced preparation; at least as early as the middle of the semester prior to the junior review (i.e., the Qual, etc.). Any proposal for interdisciplinary studies must be approved by the constituent departments. It is not necessary to establish an interdisciplinary major within the Division of History and Social Sciences. If an ad hoc major is undertaken, it would be necessary to have an adviser in each of the constituent departments. Those advisers will negotiate to determine an appropriate program for the following two years. A thesis topic or thesis area should be clearly articulated before the ad hoc major has been approved. This is not to say that a specific thesis topic will be accepted at that time, but rather that a legitimate area of intellectual inquiry has been identified that makes sense of a program which goes beyond the traditional disciplinary boundaries. Forms for interdisciplinary majors, as well as forms for admission to the Division, are available at the Registrar's Office.

The Junior Qualifying Examination

The Junior Qualifying Examination is meant to provide the occasion for the department to review your total academic record and to judge your preparedness to undertake the independent thesis. Students are expected to have completed, or have made plans to complete, all requirements, including Divisional requirements, before taking the Junior Qualifying Examination. In the recent past, most of these qualifying examinations have consisted of questions that arose in the courses taken in fulfillment of the departmental requirements. We have put together a file of past Junior Qualifying Examinations so that you may consult those in advance. It is always appropriate to ask to see earlier examinations. Please see the Faculty Secretary for the file. The Qualifying Examination has traditionally been given on the first Saturday in April. When necessary, it has been given at other times. Please consult your adviser and notify the faculty secretary of your intention to take the examination. Sign the list outside Vollum CC-112 when it appears. A request to take the examination at other times should be made to the department chairman.