Course Descriptions


Anthropology (ANT) Courses

ANT 110 Human Prehistory (3-0) 3 credits

This course is a survey of human evolution—from the origin of humans up to and including the emergence of early civilizations. Our focus is on the introduction to early human biological and cultural variability emphasizing evolution, cultural adaptation, and cultural change within different environments using the subfields of physical anthropology and archaeology. This course carries SUNY General Education Social Sciences and World History and Global Awareness credit.  View Course Syllabus Adobe Acrobat, PDF


ANT 111 Cultural Anthropology (3-0) 3 credits

An introduction to ethnology is the cross-cultural study of the diverse adaptive patterns human used to satisfy the requirements of life in specific natural and social-cultural environments including but limited to the principles of rights, access, equity, and autonomous participation to past, current, or future social justice action. Data will be drawn from contemporary nonindustrial and urban industrial societies to illustrate how and why cultural variations exist in today's ever-shrinking world. This course carries SUNY General Education Social Sciences and Diversity: Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice credit.  View Course Syllabus Adobe Acrobat, PDF


ANT 200 Comparative Cultures (3-0) 3 credits

Comparative Cultures is a survey of world cultures to examine how people achieve the necessary elements of hunting and gathering, matrilineage, big men, redistribution, and state-type societies. The courses starts with some very simple societies and compares them to very complex cultures like our own. This course will examine and describe the ways selected pre-literate and complex societies have used culture to adapt to their environments. Case studies drawn from American, Asian, African, and European societies will be the basis for engaging in cross-cultural studies. Prerequisite: ANT 111 This course carries SUNY General Education Social Sciences and Diversity: Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice credit.  View Course Syllabus Adobe Acrobat, PDF


ANT 205 Principles of Archaeology (3-0) 3 credits

This course is intended to be a survey in archaeology for undergraduates that will lead to further studies in anthropology including an archaeological field school. This course will provide the students with an introduction to archaeological design, methods and theories, analytical techniques and analyses. The intent is for students to understand how people lived in the past, what they valued, and what challenges they faced within their associated ecosystems. This course will include some hands-on, practical field/lab experiences.  View Course Syllabus Adobe Acrobat, PDF


ANT 206 North American Indian History and Cultures (3-0) 3 credits

This course introduces students to the historical and cultural experiences of the various indigenous populations of North America. Additionally, special emphasis will be given to a number of specific indigenous groups within the 10 cultural regions of North America as we examine this topic from a compassionate yet unromanticized historiographical and cultural perspective. In short, we will work from the premise that Native Americans were active participants in producing that past, both before and after the European contact as opposed to being solely victims of oppression; we do this in order to gain a greater appreciation for their rich and diverse history and cultural status today. Through the lens of anthropology and history, this course will discuss and examine the various native cultures of North America including their origins and cultural development through time; the underlying similarities and the wide range of variability within these native societies; the impact of European cultural systems on these groups, and finally, we examine Native American societies as they are today. (Also listed as HIS 206) This course carries SUNY General Education World History and Global Awareness AND SUNY General Education Diversity: Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice credit.  View Course Syllabus Adobe Acrobat, PDF