Undergraduate Program

For undergraduate students, California State University, Northridge offers a BA in Anthropology, a Minor in general Anthropology, and a Minor in Applied Anthropology.

The Major in Anthropology is designed to contribute to a student's liberal arts education and to prepare the student for graduate work, teaching or other professional pursuits. Majors receive firm grounding in traditional sub-disciplines, including archaeology, physical anthropology and sociocultural anthropology, as well as the emerging field of applied anthropology, preparing students for employment that utilizes anthropological training, advanced work in the field, and a host of other professional paths.  Students interested in focusing on a more specialized area of interest have the choice to pursue the Optional Major Program.

The Minor in Anthropology draws on the traditional, holistic emphasis in the field, which will serve students well in a variety of post-graduate experiences and career paths.  The Minor in Anthropology provides students with substantive anthropological knowledge and methodological and analytic skills with a focus on diversity and global issues. 

The Minor in Applied Anthropology focuses specifically on how to operationalize anthropological knowledge and skills in non-academic settings and thus provides a focused complement to studies in many fields.  This minor will provide students with sufficient theoretical, methodological, and substantive background to enable them to combine anthropological perspectives and skills with those of their chosen major, making them significantly more desirable and effective in a competitive job market. 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN ANTHROPOLOGY (revised Spring 2017)
Students completing the undergraduate degree program in anthropology should be able to:

1 Describe/explain human experiences & the causes/consequences of cultural diversity across space/time from an anthropological perspective

2 Describe and explain the evolutionary process, particularly as it relates to primate and specifically hominin evolution

3 Describe and explain biological and behavioral variation among human and non-human primates in context

4 Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational concept of culture and core theories in anthropology and their applications to the field

5 Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, collect, describe, analyze, interpret, and communicate anthropological evidence according to generally accepted professional practice and ethics

6 Describe and explain how anthropology can be used to engage in contemporary issues and can be applied toward addressing social problems