Minor: Anthropology

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

  • Examine the role and relevance of the anthropological perspective for contemporary social life. Thus students will gain knowledge of the fundamentals in Anthropology, such as the foundations of human practice, belief, and organization.
  • Reflect on contemporary issues and controversies in the academic discipline of Anthropology. Thus students will be able to examine issues of inequality, cultural difference, and social stratification from a comparative perspective, applying anthropological principles and concepts to their own lives.
  • Explore the basic theoretical and methodological perspectives, both in the social sciences and in a chosen specialty area. Thus students will critically evaluate and engage contemporary issues, trends in theory, and instruments of social analysis.
  • Advance the critical research, thinking, and writing skills that are integral to professional development and civic engagement. Thus, students will apply the fundamentals of anthropology to both experience and enhanced interest in community engagement.

Anthropology is a holistic and cross-culturally comparative science that is uniquely qualified to prepare students for multicultural work and social environments in the U.S. and abroad. Careers for anthropologists, however, lie in all areas of human interaction. Anthropologists are especially attractive to companies and government agencies that work with and for national minorities and in foreign countries.

Students will be introduced to the subject and methods of cultural anthropology, examining its foundations and current trends in theory and applications. Students earning a minor in anthropology take 3 credit hours of required coursework (ANTHRO 103) and 15 credit hours of elective courses, which result in a total of 18 credit hours. At least 9 of the 18 credit hours must be in courses at the 300- or 400-level. Where courses are cross-listed in a major and a minor, only 6 credit hours can be applied to both. Only 3 credit hours can be shared between two minors. Students should consult with the program coordinator to select the appropriate courses. A minimum grade of C in ANTHRO 103 and a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in the minor must be attained. Twelve (12) credit hours must be taken at UMKC.

ANTHRO 103Introduction To Cultural Anthropology3
Elective Coursework (in consultation with advisor)15
Language and Culture
Culture, Emotion, and Identity
The Social Life of Things
Consumer Society
Body and Society
Urban Anthropology
The Living Dead
Anthropology of Religion
Technology and Society
Writing Culture: The Craft of Ethnography
Race and Ethnic Relations
Latinx Immigrants, Migrants, and Refugees in the U.S
Social Stratification
Culture and Society
Globalization and Development
Total Credits18