Anthropology
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Overview
Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. The Major in Anthropology provides students with critical, creative, and globally-based thinking skills. At UGA, our focus on ecological and environmental anthropology crosscuts three main sub-fields: archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology. Each of these teach a set of distinctive abilities and, when combined, prepare students for a wide array of future careers in 21st century business, research, industry, and public service.
In the department, we do not make the distinction between basic and applied research and development that is the tradition in academia, but instead seek to train students within the
program in the context of ongoing, real-world interdisciplinary projects addressing real-life issues.
Faculty and students are engaged in active projects throughout the world, including Mexico, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, South-East Asia, East Africa, Western Europe, Canada, Southern Appalachia, and Georgia. Their commitment is to the value of systematic fieldwork and methodological, intellectual, and academic rigor in the pursuit of anthropology.
Explore Careers With This Program
Anthropologists and Archeologists
Anthropologists and archeologists study the origin, development, and behavior of humans. They examine the cultures, languages, archeological remains, and physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world.
Spotlight
Degree(s) earned: Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Minor in Classics, and Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Why did you decide to major in Anthropology: When I was in the fifth grade, I said I wanted to be Jane Goodall when I grew up. I chose Dr. Goodall simply because I wanted to work with primates just as she had, because, well, monkeys are cute! Little did I know, I would fall in love with her field years later. Beginning my first year at UGA, I chose anthropology because of its unique combination of institutional research, fieldwork, and travel. However it was not until I took my first anthropology course that I truly fell in love with the field. Everything about anthropology excited me, from its cultural studies to archaeological methods. Learning about different cultures and societal norms allowed me to gain an understanding of different human perspectives, and studying evolution and primatology allowed for me to better understand the human species. It is truly the best discipline for understanding the complete human
experience.