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Anthropology

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Anthropology studies the whole of the human condition and experience: our past, present, and future. Similar to other sciences, anthropology is concerned with the formulation of explanations of observed human phenomena. Particularly interested in diversity, anthropologists study culture, society, language, and biology across a broad range of human cultures, giving it a uniquely comparative and holistic perspective.

Degrees & Offerings
  • B.A.
Location
  • Bloomsburg
  • Lock Haven
  • Mansfield
Department
College
Program Contact
Chair of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work / Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
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Why Study Anthropology?

Here at Commonwealth University, you'll find anthropology divided into three study areas:

  • Cultural anthropology, which studies ways of life in societies across the world;
  • Biological anthropology, which traces human origins and biological variability;
  • Prehistoric archaeology, which seeks to explain human behavior by studying material remains from past cultures.

You’ll take courses in cultural anthropology, prehistoric archaeology, biological anthropology, history of anthropology, and research and writing skills. You will choose from classes in field archaeology, ethnographic field methods, an independent study, or an internship. We emphasize a strong foundation in the major subfields of anthropology: cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology. Our program is structured to both introduce you to the anthropology field, as well as allow you to conduct original research on your specific interests within anthropology. 

Commonwealth University's anthropology program is designed to provide majors with two different educational experiences. The program will give pre-professional training for those students who wish to pursue graduate study in anthropology, and a good liberal arts background to those students who are not interested in a graduate education.

To date, the anthropology program has been very successful in meeting these goals. CU students have successfully entered and participated in quality graduate programs in anthropology, while other anthropology majors have been able to obtain rewarding employment with a B.A. degree, usually in a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) or social service areas. The anthropology faculty are prepared to provide vocational guidance and tailor an anthropology curriculum to best meet the needs of each individual student. By selecting anthropology as a major, a student has not limited their career options, but has only begun to explore a range of vocational opportunities. 

Course Delivery Format

  Bloomsburg

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

  Lock Haven

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

  Mansfield

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

  Clearfield

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

Other Programs You May Be Interested In

Courses and Curriculum

Degree Requirements Degree Works

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, Degree Works.

  • Diversity: Identify the ways in which diverse worldviews operate and are experienced at individual, cultural, and global levels and how they interact with human behavior, biology, material culture, and the environment.
  • Theory: Identify and describe anthropological theories and concepts relating to human biocultural evolution and the impact of historical forces in shaping approaches to understanding the human condition.
  • Professional Ethics: Application of professional ethics to conduct research and apply knowledge in professional contexts.
  • Research - Scientific Method: Critically evaluate anthropological hypotheses using scientific data.
  • Communication: Demonstrate knowledge of anthropological ideas, ethics, applications, and research through written, visual, and verbal analyses to communicate effectively within the discipline and to the public.
  • Responsible Decision-Making: Interpret data and apply appropriate analytical techniques to evaluate potential solutions to biological, cultural, and environmental issues to promote informed decision-making and action.

Faculty specializations mean you’ll have the opportunity to take fascinating courses, including:

  • Anthropology and World Issues
  • Anthropology of Gender
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Religion and Magic
  • Ecological Sustainability and Humanity
  • Field Archaeology
  • Mesoamerican Archaeology
  • South American Archaeology
  • Indigenous Peoples of the United States
  • Forensic Anthropology
  • Race and Human Variation
  • Neanderthals
  • Archaeological Theory and Practice
  • Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology

Course offerings subject to change.

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Resources for Anthropology Students

Graduate Studies

Your studies add up to allowing you to precisely tailor an anthropology program for your personal career goals and interests. This curriculum is designed to prepare you for admission to graduate school in anthropology. Each year, approximately one-third of the seniors majoring in anthropology apply to graduate school, with 90 percent accepted at their first-choice institution. Previous students have been accepted to:

  • Marquette University (MEd in Student Affairs)
  • University of Colorado (MA in Medical Anthropology)
  • City College of London (Bio Anthropology)
  • University of Edinburgh (Bio/Archaeology)
  • Brandeis University (MA Archaeology)
  • University of Scranton (MA Spanish)

and more! 

Clubs and Organizations

Anthropology Club (Bloomsburg, virtual options available for other campuses) 

  • Membership is open to any student interested in anthropology. There are no club dues. The club meets bi-weekly and sponsors programs of all kinds. In the past, the club has sponsored a tour of the Olmec exhibit at Princeton University, talks and presentations by several faculty, the annual Fall Festival, participation in Native American Pow Wows, and student attendance at the American Anthropological Association's Annual Meeting and the PASSHE Undergraduate Anthropology Conferences. The club also sponsors an annual T-shirt competition to determine the design for each year's club shirt. 
     
    Contact: Damien Marken, dmarken@commonwealthu.edu 

Honor Societies 

  • Beginning in 1996, the Bloomsburg's anthropology department became a member of Lambda Alpha, the national honorary society for anthropology students. Anthropology students become eligible for membership when they achieve junior status with at least 12 credits in anthropology and maintain a minimum of a 3.2 GPA in their anthropology classes. Students elected to the honors society pay a one-time due of $25, which entitles them to a membership certificate and a one-year subscription to the society's newsletter. 
     
    Lambda Alpha sponsors a nationwide scholarship competition each year for students who would like to attend graduate school. There is an awards luncheon hosted by the anthropology department to honor Bloomsburg Lambda Alpha students and the Anthropology Student of the Year at the end of the spring semester each year. 
     
    Contact: Susan Dauria, sdauria@commonwealthu.edu

Center for Community Research and Consulting

  • Bloomsburg's Center for Community Research and Consulting (CCRC) features a dedicated team of faculty and students who collaborate to improve the community through internship opportunities, research, and professional development. 
     
    Contact: Susan Dauria, sdauria@commonwealthu.edu

Professional Preparation

Strong Curriculum

Customize your education and create additional career options through a selection of minors and concentrations.  

  • Geography  
  • History  
  • Languages and Cultures  
  • Legal Studies  
  • Media and Journalism  
  • Political Science  
  • Social Work  
  • Sociology 

The Commonwealth Difference

19%
Job Growth Projected
The anthropology field is expected to see a high employment growth rate through 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Waka’ Archaeological Project (PAW)
CU students can travel to the ancestral Maya site of El Perú-Waka’ to conduct archaeological field and lab research with Dr. Damien Marken and his colleagues.

Careers

Our Anthropology program prepares you for a wide array of career opportunities.

Potential Job Opportunities

  • Advertising, Marketing and Business Management
  • Cultural Resources Management and Archaeology
  • Forensic Anthropology (Crime Lab)
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Health Care
  • Urban Planning
  • Museum Curator
  • Economic and Cultural Development
  • Social Work and Counseling
  • Environmental Conservation, Park Services, and Forestry
  • Attorney
  • Epidemiologist
  • Journalist
  • Medical Anthropologist
  • Mental Health Counselor
  • Policy Analyst
Ariana Ambrosio, anthropology student, standing outside at a historic location.

This experience gave me everything I needed to excel in archeology, not only at CU-Bloomsburg, but to get involved with the professional world. Not only did it give me enthusiasm for my future in archeology, it showed me what it’s going to take to pursue this career and where I can end up in the future.

Arianna Ambrosio
Anthropology
Anne Snyder, anthropology student, outdoors at a dig site.

Watching the gears in a child’s brain start to turn, as they ask question after question becoming more and more inquisitive, made me feel like I was making a difference in their life. Perhaps I’m sparking an interest in their future field of study. Maybe I was giving them an experience which will spur them to pursue a specific path. Either way, giving a child an experience they may not normally have access to was an honor.

Anne Snyder
Anthropology
Anne Snyder, anthropology student, outdoors at a dig site.
Ariana Ambrosio, anthropology student, standing outside at a historic location.

Program Contacts

CommonwealthU University Employee

Kelly Roth

  • Chair of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work / Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
  • Bloomsburg

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