Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology Roadmap

120 Total Units Required
Minimum number of units in the Major: 40

This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.

Plan of Study Grid
First SemesterUnits
ANTH 100 Introduction to Biological Anthropology (Foundation Core, B2) 3
ENG 114 Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 3
GE Area A 2 3
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 3 6
 Units15
Second Semester
ANTH 110 Introduction to Archaeology (Foundation Core, C2, GP) 3
GE Area A 3
GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 3-4
GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 4 3
GE Area E 3
 Units15-16
Third Semester
ANTH 120 Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology (Foundation Core, D1, SJ) 3
ANTH 130 Introduction to Visual Anthropology (Foundation Core, D1) 3
GE Area C - Take Two 6
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 3 3
 Units15
Fourth Semester
ANTH 300 Foundations of Anthropology: History (Foundation Core) 3
Major Electives in Anthropology (15 Units Total) - Take One 5, 6 3
GE Area D: U.S. History (D2) 3
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Two 3 6
 Units15
Fifth Semester
ANTH 305GW Writing Anthropology - GWAR (Foundation Core) 3
Major Electives in Anthropology (15 Units Total) - Take One 5, 6 3
GE Area F ± 3
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Two 3 6
 Units15
Sixth Semester
Select One (Theory and Foundations): 5 3
Foundations of Archaeology
Foundations of Human Variation (UD-B)
Foundations of Visual Anthropology
Major Electives in Anthropology (15 Units Total) - Take One 5,6 3
GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences 3
U.S. and California Government 3
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 3 3
 Units15
Seventh Semester
Major Area 2: Methods and Practicum – See List – Select One 5,7 4-6
Major Electives in Anthropology (15 Units Total) Take One 5,6 3
GE Area UD–C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities 3
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 3 5
 Units15-17
Eighth Semester
Major Electives in Anthropology (15 Units Total) – Take One 5,6 3
GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences 3
Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Three 3 9
 Units15
 Total Units120-123
1

ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses.

2

To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) within your GE or major.

3

Complementary Studies
All candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology must complete at least 12 units of Complementary Studies from courses outside the primary prefix for the major, and not cross-listed with the primary prefix for the major. Students who complete a 2nd major, a minor, or a minimum of 12 units in an approved Study Abroad program, automatically complete the Complementary Studies requirement.

Other options for complementary studies are:

  1.     Foreign Language: 12 units in a single foreign language; or
  2.     Related Subjects: 12 units of coursework in related disciplines with the approval of an Anthropology Department advisor.

Related disciplines typically include courses in the College of Ethnic Studies, Classics, Geology, Geography, Sexuality Studies, Sociology, History, Language Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. Up to six units may be double-counted towards the fulfillment of the University-Wide elective units for the major. Units may be upper-division, lower-division, transfer, or resident units.

4

To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.

5

Anthropology Subfields

At least one upper-division course (Area 1, Area 2, or electives) must be taken in each of the three subfields: biological, cultural/visual, and archaeology. If an Anthropology course is not listed below, consult an advisor to determine the subfield.

Biological Anthropology

ANTH 302 Foundations of Human Variation (3 units) (UD-B)
ANTH 333 Primate Behavior (4 units)
ANTH 530 Human Osteology Practicum (4 units)
ANTH 531 Fossil Humans Practicum (4 units)
ANTH 535 Paleopathology (3 units)
ANTH 545 Bioarchaeology (3 units)

Cultural Anthropology

ANTH 303 Foundations of Visual Anthropology (3 units)
ANTH 315 Regional Ethnography (3 units)
ANTH 316 ( units)
ANTH 319 ( units)
ANTH 320 Racism: Cross-Cultural Analysis (3 units)
ANTH 321 Endangered Cultures (3 units)
ANTH 325 Work, Money, and Power (3 units)
ANTH 327 Anthropology and Film (3 units) (UD-D, GP)
ANTH 328 Anthropology and Photography (3 units)
ANTH 420 Media and Dissent (4 units)
ANTH 500 Language and Cultural Systems of North American Indians (3 units)
ANTH 501 Latin America: The National Period (3 units)
ANTH 551 Anthropology of the Body (3 units)
ANTH 555 Urban Anthropology (3 units)
ANTH 557 Ethnography of Urban Inequality (4 units)
ANTH 569 Cross-Cultural Aspects of Sex and Gender (3 units) (UD-C, SJ)
ANTH 585 Globalization and World Cultures (3 units)
ANTH 590 Feminist Anthropology (3 units)
ANTH 595 Anthropological Filmmaking I (6 units)
ANTH 596 Anthropological Filmmaking II (4 units)
ANTH 630 Medical Anthropology (3 units)
ANTH 631 STEM and Social Justice (3 units) (UD-D, SJ)
ANTH 651 Ethnographic Field Methods (4 units)
ANTH 657 Ethnography of Dance (3 units) (UD-C, GP)

Archaeology

ANTH 301 Foundations of Archaeology (3 units)
ANTH 326 Origins of Art and Visual Representation (3 units)
ANTH 356 Archaeology of California (3 units)
ANTH 460 Historical Archaeology (3 units)
ANTH 470 Archaeology of Mexico and Central America (3 units)
ANTH 471 ( units)
ANTH 490 ( units)
ANTH 592 Archaeological Methods (4 units)
ANTH 594 Zooarchaeology (4 units)
ANTH 609 Approaches to the African Past (3 units) (UD-D, GP)

6

Upper-division units selected from any courses with the ANTH prefix including those from the two areas that have not been used to fulfill the area requirements. No more than 6 units can be taken in internships (ANTH 695) and independent study (ANTH 699) combined.

7

Area 2: Methods and Practicum
Select one of the following:
ANTH 333 Primate Behavior (4 units)
ANTH 530 Human Osteology Practicum (4 units)
ANTH 531 Fossil Humans Practicum (4 units)
ANTH 557/USP 557 Ethnography of Urban Inequality (4 units)
ANTH 592 Archaeological Methods (4 units)
ANTH 594 Zooarchaeology (4 units)
ANTH 595/CINE 635 Anthropological Filmmaking I (6 units)
ANTH 596/CINE 636 Anthropological Filmmaking II (4 units)
ANTH 651 Ethnographic Field Methods (4 units)
ANTH 652 Anthropological Statistics (4 units)

±

Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.