Why Study Anthropology?
Strive to answer the basic questions of how we came to be the way we are as human beings and how we live together on this earth.
Students with an anthropology major or minor at Pacific University study current societies throughout the world. You'll learn the basic scientific methods of the discipline and gain real-world experience with fieldwork and study abroad opportunities.
The curriculum for the anthropology major is anchored in the concept of culture, which refers to primarily symbolic systems as well as material culture. You can take classes in comparative religions, world music, culinary practices, myth and ritual. As part of the anthropology major or minor program, students can combine service learning, fieldwork and independent study.
Students complete their capstone project on a topic of their choice, allowing them to personalize their senior year project and work closely with faculty. Students can participate in study abroad and travel courses, including a course to the Caribbean to conduct ethnographic fieldwork.
Many anthropology students pursue a double major, combining an anthropology major with another major in education, dance, biology, sociology, philosophy, music and more.
What Can You Do with an Anthropology Major?
Students with an anthropology major are trained in qualitative and ethnographic research skills along with tools for advanced critical thinking and theoretical application. An anthropology major contributes to a liberal arts education, prepares students for graduate training in anthropology, civic and community engagement, as well as careers in healthcare, government, business, law, journalism, social services, education, and human rights work—in local and international settings.
Pacific graduates with a degree in anthropology are prepared with the knowledge and perspectives needed to participate as engaged citizens in a global society. The anthropology major provides specific tools and opportunities for students to collaborate with local communities, share research through publishing, oral presentations, film, internet and museum exhibits, and to think, care, create, and pursue justice in our world.
Ethnographic Fieldwork in Trinidad
The travel course to Trinidad and Tobago serves as a field methods class in social science. Students design their own research projects, set goals for conducting and completing their projects, meet with Trinidadians they contacted themselves, and analyze the data they collected. The course blends scientific methods, critical philosophical inquiry, and literary writing practices to help students become creative and critical thinkers as well as internationally engaged and aware citizens.
The Anthropology-Sociology Club works to build social and cultural awareness about hunger and homelessness in our local area by sponsoring speakers, movie nights, travel experiences and to work with children at local elementary schools to emphasize global awareness and cultural diversity. The club is open to all members of the Pacific community. Learn more by contacting any faculty member in the Sociology and Anthropology Department.
