UB Programs At-A-Glance

Anthropology

Department of Anthropology
College of Arts and Sciences
380 Millard Fillmore Academic Center
Ellicott Complex
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261-0026

Phone: 716.645.2414
Fax: 716.645.3808
Web: wings.buffalo.edu/anthropology

Donald Pollock
Chair

Phillips Stevens
Director of Undergraduate Studies

About the Program

Anthropology combines the biological, historical, and social sciences in a unique study of humankind. It is the only discipline that examines and attempts to understand humankind as a whole. The undergraduate program includes the subfields of archaeology, cultural anthropology, and physical anthropology. Students should specialize in one of these subdisciplines.

About Our Degrees

Applications Information

Deadlines: Rolling
Number of applicants/year: 60
Number of accepted majors/year: 60
Total currently enrolled majors: 210

Degree Requirements

See the Undergraduate Catalog.

About Our Courses

The typical class size for:

Freshman/introductory courses is: 36 - 150
Sophomore/intermediate courses is: 36 - 100
Upper level/advanced courses is: 10 – 40

In the Department of Anthropology, what do teaching assistants (TA's) do?

TA's assist in courses taught by faculty members; in particular, they assist with grading and labs, and they may do some teaching.

Suggested Introductory Courses

  • APY 106 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • APY 107 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
  • APY 108 Introduction to Archaeology


For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.

About Our Faculty

Dr. Sirianni, Dr. Steegmann, and Dr. Stevens have each received awards for excellence in teaching. Dr. Sirianni is a State University of New York Distinguished Teaching Professor. Three faculty members have been recognized with the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Stevens received the Student Association’s Milton Plesur Teaching Excellence Award. Recent internal and external evaluations have given high marks to the department. Dr. Frake holds the Capen Chair and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

See a list of our undergraduate faculty.

Practical Experience and Special Academic Opportunities

Notable Program Features
The undergraduate program in anthropology provides many options for students with specific interests.

The Marian E. White Anthropology Research Museum is an integral part of the department’s research and teaching program. Its primary purpose is to preserve, organize, catalog, and curate archaeological materials gathered by the field school and the Archaeological Survey, by faculty engaged in research, and through donations of collections. There is an extensive non-circulating library. Internships are available in the museum and in the survey.

UB is one of a select group of universities with access to the Human Relations Area Files, a current, comprehensive database of worldwide cultures. This invaluable resource is an important tool in analyzing the wide variety of social features that are present in different cultures. It is also used for research and training in cross-cultural studies.

The undergraduate program in anthropology provides many options for students with specific interests. The pre-medical/pre-dental concentration is recommended for anthropology majors who are also pursuing the university's pre-medical or pre-dental recommendations in preparation for application to graduate school in one of the health professions.

Honors Program

Honors in Anthropology is achieved by maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.5 in anthropology courses, and by satisfactorily completing an intensive two-semester research project through regular consultation with one or more faculty members. Interested students must apply in writing to the department by the end of their junior year.

Internships

Students may serve internships with local agencies, under the supervision of a departmental faculty member. Internships are available in the Archaeology Museum and Archaeological Survey.

Awards

  • Departmental Honors
  • Justin R. Van Ness Award
  • Klein Family Award in Honor of Viola Odenheimer
  • Lucia Maria Houpt Award
  • Marion Dickson Scholarship
  • Nathaniel Cantor Scholarship



Opportunities for Undergraduate Research and Practical Experience

Field School

An Archaeology Field School is conducted each summer. This is a six-week, six-credit course open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Field instruction provides students with the opportunity to participate in archaeological research and to learn techniques of site survey and excavation.


Extracurricular Activities

Undergraduate Anthropology Club

Serves several academic, social and professional purposes. The club has sponsored field trips to museums in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Toronto, and has worked with the faculty advisor in seminars on application to graduate school, resume preparation, and job hunting. For more information, call 716-645-2414.

Lambda Alpha

The National Collegiate Honors Society for Anthropology, open to students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in anthropology.

See the UB Student Association.

Complementary Programs and Courses


The Anthropology department encourages students to propose joint majors with other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Career Information

Anthropology is the sole discipline that studies both individuals and humankind as a whole - biologically and culturally, in all places, and at all times (past and present). The anthropology student learns to allow for differences in cultures. This is helpful in health careers, social services, business, and urban planning. The ethnic composition of our population is becoming increasingly diverse, and anyone dealing with the public needs some understanding of their languages and cultures.

Skills gained in this program include:

  • Dealing with people of diverse cultures, making allowances for differences in customs and beliefs
  • Providing insight into social problems by supplying information as to how problems, such as aging or bereavement, are addressed in our cultures
  • Interviewing people to obtain information about their attitudes, customs, and beliefs
  • Using statistics and computer science to analyze data
  • Adapting approaches used in public relations, marketing, or politics to different population groups
  • Working cooperatively with others, adapting to varied conditions
  • Using scientific equipment and instruments


Career Choices

  • Anthropologist
  • Archaeologist
  • Archivist
  • Art conservator
  • Banking
  • Biographer
  • Business
  • Community recreation development
  • Cultural resource management
  • Curator
  • Dentist
  • Economist
  • Educator
  • Genealogist
  • Health administrator
  • Historian
  • Lawyer
  • Librarian
  • Museologist
  • Nurse
  • Paleontologist
  • Peace Corps volunteer
  • Physician
  • Political scientist
  • Public advocate
  • Research associate
  • Social worker
  • Technical writer
  • and many, many more!


Work settings include:

Government, education, banking, personnel work, public relations, marketing research, and human services.

Career Hints

To work in any branch of anthropology, an advanced degree is needed, usually a Ph.D. Most anthropologists work for universities and colleges; some for museums or government. There are only a few thousand anthropologists in the entire country and openings are scarce. The B.A. degree in anthropology, however, has practical applications. The anthropology student learns to allow for differences in cultures. This is helpful in health careers, social services, business, and urban planning.

Salary Information

Salaries range greatly from one occupation, position, and work setting to another. According to the Fall 2003 NACE national salary for bachelor's degree graduates: Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates' salaries ranged from $24,000 to $35,300.

Additional Resources

American Anthropological Association

American Association of Museums

Anthropology and Archeology, Subject bibliography #205 available from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

National Trust for Historic Preservation

Links to Further Information About This Program

Last Modified: Tuesday, 7-Nov-2006 10:26:03 EST