Major
The requirements for a major in Sociocultural Anthropology are 30 points in Anthropology courses, including the following three required courses:
- ANTH UN 1002 The Interpretation of Culture
- ANTH UN 2004 An Introduction to Social and Cultural Theory
- ANTH UN 2005 The Ethnographic Imagination
Note that these three required courses need not be taken in any specific order, although it is recommended that ANTH1002 be taken first.
While a senior thesis is not required of Anthropology majors, a number of students enroll in the Senior Thesis Seminar, as described here. In addition, the department provides the Ella Deloria Fellowship, which offers funding for anthropological research to Columbia Anthropology majors pursuing fieldwork during the summer between their junior and senior years.
Minor
The minor in Anthropology allows students to choose between two paths: entry level and advanced.
For the entry level minor, students should take a total of 5 courses:
- ANTH UN 1002 The Interpretation of Culture and any four (4) courses in the Anthropology department, in ethnomusicology, or taught by a member of the Anthropology Department at Columbia or Barnard, regardless of the department in which that course is listed.
or
- Two 2000-level Anthropology courses and any three (3) courses in the Anthropology department, in ethnomusicology or taught by a member of the Anthropology Department at Columbia or Barnard, regardless of the department in which that course is listed.
For the advanced minor, students should take the following required courses:
- ANTH UN 2004 An Introduction to Social and Cultural Theory
- ANTH UN 2005 The Ethnographic Imagination
In addition, students should take: any three (3) courses in the Anthropology department, in ethnomusicology, or taught by a member of the Anthropology Department at Columbia or Barnard, regardless of the department in which that course is listed.
Concentration
The requirements for a concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology are 20 points in the Anthropology department, in ethnomusicology, or taught by a member of the Anthropology Department at Columbia or Barnard, regardless of the department in which that course is listed, including:
- ANTH UN 1002 The Interpretation of Culture
General guidelines
Any course taken in the Barnard Department of Anthropology counts toward the Anthropology major/minor/concentration at Columbia. Courses offered in other departments count toward the major/concentration automatically when taught by a member of the Anthropology Department at Columbia or Barnard, regardless of the department in which that course is listed. Occasionally, courses from other departments not taught by an Anthropology faculty member, may possibly count toward the major/minor/concentration, but only with the approval of the Anthropology Department Director of Undergraduate Studies.
In accordance with College guidelines, no course with a grade of D or lower may count toward the major/minor/concentration, and only the first course that is counted toward the major/ minor/concentration may be taken pass/fail.
The Department of Anthropology enthusiastically encourages interdisciplinary work and participation in study abroad programs.
Study Abroad
As fieldwork is one of the defining characteristics of the field of anthropology, study abroad is very much encouraged for anthropology majors, minors and concentrators. Before students leave for the semester, they should meet with the DUS to discuss their proposed program of study. While pre-approval does not guarantee that students will receive credit for courses taken—that is up to the College—students will find out which courses may be eligible for major/ minor/concentration credit. The DUS reserves the right to decide that credit is not warranted after reviewing the completed program of study and the student's evaluations.