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Anthropology Major  
Physical Anthropology Emphasis
This is a major for students who are planning careers in primatology, police work and forensics, or genetics counseling. Physical anthropologists are concerned with the biological aspects of human evolution and human variation. Research specialties include evolutionary theory, genetics, demography, anatomy, adaptation, growth, disease, osteology, and primate evolution and behavior. Physical anthropologists usually begin with the fossilized remains (bones and teeth) of an individual, then go on to make generalizations about numbers of individuals and the population of which the individual was a part. Studies of teeth, bones, growth, biochemical genetics, ecology, and non-human primates combine to answer the oldest human problem: What are we and how did we come to be what we are?

Skills Developed in this Degree

The physical anthropology emphasis provides students with a background in human evolution. Understanding the human organism from a biological/evolutionary perspective is the foundation of all physical anthropology offerings, from introductory and general education courses to advanced seminars. Advanced courses provide students with additional skills, particularly relating to human skeletal analysis. The ability to find out information, think critically about it, and to communicate that information through writing and speaking are the necessary skills for many careers in today’s culturally diverse world.


Requirements
Be sure to consult a departmental advisor to clarify your graduation requirements. This page is not an official university document and is provided for your convenience only. Click here to view the official Catalog entry.
Core
All Anthropology Majors at SJSU are required to take a set of five Core anthropology courses (15 units).  These classes are integral to the students' understanding of anthropology.  Anth_011, Anth_012, and Anth_013 lay the foundation for all other anthropology courses.  Anth_131 provides a theoretical framework will be complemented by the research methods course taken in the emphasis.  Anth_191 is the capstone course that allows students to integrate their anthropological understanding and prepares them for a career or further graduate work.
Anth 011
 Anth 012
 Anth 013
 Anth 131
 Anth 191
 
Statistics
All Anthropology Majors are required to take a statistics class in support of the major (3 units).  Although the Department of Anthropology does not offer its own class in statistics you may select one of these courses offered by other departments.
  Stat 095 Soci 015 Soci 102 Soci 103  
 
Research
Methods
Anthropology Majors with a physical anthropology emphasis must take the physical anthropology research methods class, Human Osteology (3 units).
  Anth 155        
 
Foundation
Electives
Student may elect to take three or four Foundation courses to deepen their understanding of  physical anthropology (9-12 units). To complete the major you must take a total of seven (7) elective courses, foundational and breadth, for a total of 21 units.
Note: Elective courses may not be offered every semester, see the Projected Course Rotation schedule for the availability of individual classes.
  Anth 152 Anth 153 Anth 154 Anth 156 Anth 157
  Anth 180 Anth 184 Anth 187 Anth 195  
   
ANTH 180, ANTH 184, ANTH 187, and ANTH 195 are special courses and may only be taken as appropriate and with the approval of your advisor.
     
Breadth
Electives
Student may elect to take three or four Breadth courses to expand their understanding of anthropology (9-12 units).  It is important, even if you are focused on bones and primates, to understand the larger context of anthropology and the variations in human behavior.
Note: Only three units of advanced GE courses may be used to fulfill the electives requirement.
  Anth 102 Anth 105 Anth 108 Anth 114 Anth 115
  Anth 117 Anth 125 Anth 126 Anth 127 Anth 133
  Anth 140 Anth 141 Anth 142 Anth 143 Anth 145
  Anth 146 Anth 147 Anth 148 Anth 149 Anth 160
  Anth 161 Anth 162 Anth 164 Anth 168A Anth 168B
  Anth 169 Anth 170 Anth 172 Anth 173 Anth 175
  Anth 176 Anth 180 Anth 184 Anth 187 Anth 195
   
ANTH 180, ANTH 184, ANTH 187, and ANTH 195 are special courses and may only be taken as appropriate and with the approval of your advisor.
 
Completing
Your
Bachelor's
Degree
In addition to the 42 units for the major listed here, you must also complete 42 general education units, 2 physical education units and 34 more elective units (120 total units) to complete the requirements for a BA degree.
Note: Of the 51 general education units required by the university 9 may be satisfied by specific major and support requirements. Double counting of transfer units may also change the number of elective units needed. Consult your major advisor for details.
 
Writing
Area Z of the General Education requirements is a Writing course (e.g. Anth_100W).  The Department of Anthropology strongly recommends that students majoring in anthropology take Anth_100W to fulfill this requirement.  The 100W courses offered by the different departments are tailored to provide students with writing experiences in that particular discipline's writing style.
  Anth 100W Psyc 100W Soci 100W    

Programs and Resources

Students have access to a variety of ongoing funded projects in human skeletal analysis conducted in the department's physical anthropology laboratory. 

Faculty: Professor Robert Jurmain

Physical Anthropology Emphasis Checklist

Major and Minor Resources

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