Anthropology
Anthropologists study human behavior from a biological, historical, cultural, and social perspective. Students take anthropology courses to prepare for a major or to fulfill general education requirements. A bachelor's degree in anthropology can lead to a career in data analysis, social services, education, journalism, advertising, international relations, government service, field research, contract archaeology, museums, zoological parks, and nonprofit organizations.
Academic and Career Pathway: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Contact Information
|
Chair: Lynne Miller Dean: Michael Fino |
Department: Social Science Office: Building OC3600, 760.757.2121 x6924 |
Full-Time Faculty
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Lynne Miller Alexis Tucker Sade |
Associate Degrees
Associate of Arts Degree
Anthropology for Transfer
Students completing this associate degree will have completed lower-division major preparation requirements for an anthropology degree, an emphasis or option within an anthropology degree, or a degree considered similar to anthropology at a participating California State University (CSU) campus.
Following transfer to a participating CSU campus, students will be required to complete no more than 60 units to obtain a bachelor’s degree; however, some CSU campuses may require additional lower-division major preparation. This degree may not be appropriate preparation for students transferring to a CSU campus not accepting this degree or to a university or college that is not part of the CSU system. Students should consult with a MiraCosta counselor for further information regarding the most efficient pathway to transfer as an anthropology major and to determine which CSU campuses are participating in this program.
To complete the degree, students must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete a minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester units.
- Complete all courses required in the major with a “C” or "P" or better.
- Complete the CSU-GE (Plan B) or IGETC (Plan C)* general education pattern.
- Obtain a minimum CSU-transferable GPA of 2.0.
- Complete a minimum of 12 units in residence at MiraCosta College.
* Students completing IGETC may be awarded the degree, but they must complete a course from Area IC: Oral Communication to meet CSU admission requirements.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an appreciation for the biological and cultural diversity of humans around the world.
- Evaluate how biological and cultural processes have shaped the human species.
- Compare and contrast methods for collecting and analyzing evidence across the subfields of anthropology as a science.
| Required courses: | ||
| ANTH 101 | Biological Anthropology * | 3 |
| or ANTH 101H | Biological Anthropology (Honors) | |
| ANTH 102 | Cultural Anthropology * | 3 |
| or ANTH 102H | Cultural Anthropology (Honors) | |
| ANTH 103 | Introduction to Archaeology * | 3 |
| List A: Select a minimum of three units from the following. | 3-5 | |
| NOTE: If ANTH 101L or ANTH 101LH is selected, an additional course must also be selected from this list. | ||
| Biological Anthropology Laboratory * | ||
or ANTH 101LH | Biological Anthropology Lab (Honors) | |
| World Geography * | ||
| Statistics *, ** | ||
or PSYC 104 | Statistics for Behavioral Science | |
or PSYC 104H | Statistics for Behavioral Science (Honors) | |
or SOC 125 | Introduction to Statistics in Sociology | |
| List B: Select one course (3 units). | 3-4 | |
| Any course from List A not already used. | ||
| Human Anatomy | ||
or BIO 210H | Human Anatomy (Honors) | |
| Research Methods in Psychology | ||
or SOC 205 | Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology | |
| List C: Select one course (3 units). | 3 | |
| Any List A or List B course not already used. | ||
| Native American Cultures * | ||
| Evolution of Human Behavior * | ||
| Evolution of Human Behavior (Honors) * | ||
| Gender, Sex, and Sexuality * | ||
| Primate Behavior and Ecology * | ||
| Primate Behavior and Ecology (Honors) * | ||
| Intercultural Communication * | ||
| Cultural Geography * | ||
| East Asian Societies * | ||
| Mexican American History Since 1877 * | ||
| Mexican American History Since 1877 (Honors) * | ||
| African American History Since 1877 * | ||
| African American History Since 1877 (Honors) * | ||
| The Music of Multicultural America * | ||
| World Religions * | ||
| World Religions (Honors) * | ||
| Comparative Cultures * | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations * | ||
| Total Units | 18-21 | |
| * | Course satisfies a general education requirement on the CSU-GE or IGETC general education (GE) pattern. To ensure this degree is completed with no more than 60 units, students should select courses that will also satisfy a GE requirement. Note: All of the statistics and honors courses listed are also GE courses. |
| ** | PSYC 104/PSYC 104H or SOC 125 is recommended to complete this degree. |
NOTE: Students are strongly advised to select courses that meet lower-division major preparation requirements at their transfer university and to complete the History, Constitution, and American Ideals requirement prior to transfer.
How to Read Course Descriptions
For more detailed information about a course, such as its content, objectives, and fulfillment of a degree, certificate, or general education requirement, please see the official course outline of record, available on the Courses and Programs webpage at http://www.miracosta.edu/governance/coursesandprograms/courseoutlines.html.
Courses
ANTH 101: Biological Anthropology
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 101H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course examines the biological basis for animal forms and behaviors, including basic genetics and evolution theory; primate classification, ecology, and social behavior; the fossil and archaeological evidence for early human life; and the evolutionary basis for modern human variation in appearance and behavior. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 101 or ANTH 101H. C-ID ANTH-110.
ANTH 101H: Biological Anthropology (Honors)
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 101.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall or Spring
This honors course offers highly motivated students an advanced introduction to the study of human biology, behavior, and evolution. Topics to be explored include the scientific method; evolution theory; basic genetics; primate classification, ecology, and social behavior; the fossil and archaeological evidence for early human lifeways; and the evolutionary basis for modern human variation in appearance and behavior. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 101 or ANTH 101H. C-ID ANTH-110.
ANTH 101L: Biological Anthropology Laboratory
Units: 1
Prerequisites: ANTH 101 or ANTH 101H.
Enrollment Limitation: Concurrent enrollment in ANTH 101 or ANTH 101H if prerequisite not met. Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 101LH.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Laboratory 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Designed to accompany ANTH 101/ANTH 101H, this laboratory allows students to garner practical, hands-on experience with the scientific method, genetic models, simulations of evolutionary processes, primate skeletal anatomy, primate behavior and ecology, human osteology, human variation, and casts and artifacts representing selected stages in human evolution. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 101L or ANTH 101LH. C-ID ANTH-115L.
ANTH 101LH: Biological Anthropology Lab (Honors)
Units: 1
Prerequisites: ANTH 101 or ANTH 101H.
Enrollment Limitation: Concurrent enrollment in ANTH 101 or ANTH 101H if prerequisite not met. Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 101L.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Laboratory 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Designed to accompany ANTH 101/ANTH 101H, this laboratory allows students to garner practical, hands-on experience with the scientific method, genetic models, simulations of evolutionary processes, primate skeletal anatomy, primate behavior and ecology, human osteology, human variation, and casts and artifacts representing selected stages in human evolution. This honors lab offers highly motivated students a chance to explore each topic in greater depth and breadth. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 101L or ANTH 101LH. C-ID ANTH-115L.
ANTH 102: Cultural Anthropology
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 102H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course explores how anthropologists study and compare human cultures, including variation in subsistence patterns, social and political organization, economic systems, systems of communication, kinship and family structure, belief systems, aesthetic expression, and recognition of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Cultural anthropology also explores how cultures have been impacted by colonialism and are being shaped by globalization and demonstrates the value of the discipline in the form of applied anthropology. Anthropologists employ high ethical standards while exploring diversity in human culture and highlight the importance of understanding and appreciating that diversity. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 102 or ANTH 102H. C-ID ANTH-120.
ANTH 102H: Cultural Anthropology (Honors)
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 102.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall or Spring
This honors course offers highly motivated students an advanced introduction to the study of human culture. It explores how anthropologists study and compare human cultures, including variation in subsistence patterns, social and political organization, economic systems, systems of communication, kinship and family structure, belief systems, aesthetic expression, and recognition of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Cultural anthropology also explores how cultures have been impacted by colonialism and are being shaped by globalization, and it demonstrates the value of the discipline in the form of applied anthropology. Anthropologists employ high ethical standards while exploring diversity in human culture and highlight the importance of understanding and appreciating that diversity. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 102 or ANTH 102H. C-ID ANTH-120.
ANTH 103: Introduction to Archaeology
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall
This course explores archaeological theory and method, including techniques of field excavations and laboratory analysis. It also uses archaeological data to understand cultures of the past, including Stone Age lifeways, early farming cultures, and emergent civilizations around the world, such as the ancient Egyptians, Maya, and Inca. The course also examines current issues in cultural resource management, ethics in archaeology, and the role of archaeology within the broader field of anthropology. C-ID ANTH-150.
ANTH 104: Native American Cultures
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Spring
This course explores the diversity of Native American cultures, including PaleoIndians (known largely from archaeological evidence) and more recent groups (known from historical documents and ethnographic accounts). The course employs the perspective of cultural ecology to investigate how environments influence many facets of human culture, including economic systems, social systems, family structure, and art and ritual.
ANTH 105: Evolution of Human Behavior
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 105H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall
This course explores the biological basis and evolutionary value of human behavior. Students explore current research in genetics and epigenetics, neuroanatomy, physiology, and endocrinology to understand behaviors such as sex differences in cognition, personality, parenting strategies, mating behaviors, and lifetime responses to stress. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 105 or ANTH 105H.
ANTH 105H: Evolution of Human Behavior (Honors)
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 105.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall
This honors course offers highly motivated students an advanced opportunity to explore the biological basis and evolutionary value of human behavior. Students explore current research in genetics and epigenetics, neuroanatomy, physiology, and endocrinology to understand behaviors such as sex differences in cognition, personality, parenting strategies, mating behaviors, and lifetime responses to stress. This honors course also challenges students to conduct independent research. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 105 or ANTH 105H.
ANTH 107: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall or Spring
This course explores and compares the diverse cultural categories of gender and sex including their grounding in biological functions, belief systems, kinship, and popular representation across the globe. It explores sexuality as more than a biological process, viewing sexuality as a human cultural expression. This course contextualizes gender, sex, and sexuality within broader cultural systems as well as global interactions to understand how these categories are shaped and, in turn, shape our lives.
ANTH 190: Primate Behavior and Ecology
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 190H.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Spring
This course explores principles of animal behavior and ecology from an evolutionary perspective. Topics include predator avoidance, foraging strategies, mating behaviors, the development of social groups, culture and cognition, and current issues in conservation. The course also addresses research methodology and requires an observational project of primates at the San Diego Zoo. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 190 or ANTH 190H.
ANTH 190H: Primate Behavior and Ecology (Honors)
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in ANTH 190.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Spring
This honors course offers highly motivated students an opportunity for advanced analysis of principles of animal behavior and ecology from an evolutionary perspective. Topics include predator avoidance, foraging strategies, mating behaviors, the development of social groups, culture and cognition, and current issues in conservation. The course also addresses research methodology and requires an observational project of primates at the San Diego Zoo.UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for ANTH 190 or ANTH 190H.
ANTH 292: Internship Studies
Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Course Typically Offered: To be arranged
This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a new site upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.
ANTH 296: Topics in Anthropology
Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: To be arranged
This course gives students an opportunity to study topics in Anthropology that are not included in regular course offerings. Each Topics course is announced, described, and given its own title and 296 number designation in the class schedule.
