Anthropology
Courses for Anthropology (ANTH) +/-
808. Cross-Cultural Mentoring I (WMNS 808) (3 cr) Fld.
Requires weekly meetings with mentee. Pairs UNL student with a refugee and/or immigrant and/or minority K-12 student or adult.
Work with a refugee and/or immigrant and/or minority K-12 student or adult to assist them with the cultural transition process and the educational process Problem-solving techniques and community resources.
809. Cross-Cultural Mentoring II (WMNS 809) (3 cr) Fld.
Prereq: ANTH/WMNS 408/808
Requires weekly meetings with mentee. Continuation of ANTH/WMNS 808.
Continuation of work with refugee and/or immigrant and/or minority K-12 student or adult to assist them in educational process and/or culture transition.
810. Women and Men: An Anthropological Perspective (WMNS 810) (3 cr) Lec 3.
Prereq: 9 hrs ANTH
Cross-cultural meaning and impact of gender definition, with emphasis on women. Gender as a correlate of biology, language, economic systems, social and political structures, and belief systems.
812. Social Structure (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 212 or equivalent
Analysis of social structure emphasizing kin and local groups.
816. Topics in Cultural Anthropology (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 212
Advanced study of selected topics in cultural anthropology.
817. History of Anthropological Theory (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hrs ANTH
In-depth study of the origins and development of anthropological theory, method, and thought; the historical growth of the discipline focusing on schools of thought from the Enlightenment through the contemporary period.
818. Ethnology and Museums (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 110 or permission
An approach to the museum as it relates to the growth of anthropology in general and ethnological studies in particular. Special emphasis on non-Western technology and its role in the modern museum.
819. Art and Anthropology of Native North America (3 cr)
For course description, see MUSS 870.
820. Ethnic Identity and Ethnic Conflict (3 cr)
Concept of ethnicity and ethnic groups. Reviews way in which ethnic groups emerge and ethnic relations affect the modern nation state. Several ethnic conflicts reviewed and examined, accompanied by discussion of the dynamics of each of these situations. How ethnic identity is formed, adjusted and recreated.
822. Medical Anthropology (3 cr)
Exploration of culture as it affects health care, disease transmission and prevention and health education.
830. Nutritional Anthropology (NUTR 830) (3 cr) Lec 3.
Prereq: 12 hrs ANTH and permission
Anthropological approaches to the study of nutrition. Background to nutrition science; bio-cultural aspects of obesity, fertility, lactose intolerance, and infant feeding practices; biological differences in nutritional requirements, fertility, and mortality; interpretation of nutritional deficiencies in skeletal remains; reconstructing prehistoric diets from archaeological evidence; and evidence of relationships between dietary patterns and dental remains in fossil record.
832. History and Theory of Archaeology (3 cr) Lec 3.
Prereq: 12 hrs ANTH
Current concepts and theories used in archaeology to interpret the archaeological record.
833. North American Archaeology (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hrs ANTH, including ANTH 232
An areal survey of North American archaeology including methodology, history, and current trends of research. North American prehistory from earliest occupations to the contact period.
834. Introduction to Great Plains Archaeology (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hours of ANTH, including ANTH 232
History of archaeological research, taxonomic issues, cultural sequences, and current research topics dealing with the Great Plains area of North America.
835. Introduction to Heritage Management Archaeology (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 232
Introduction to the nature and purpose of historic preservation as it pertains to resource management and archaeological research. Legislation which forms the basis for cultural resource management principles; integration of state programs and archaeological contractors within the overall framework of land modification planning.
836. The Ancient Maya (LAMS 436) (3 cr) Lec.
Introduction to the prehistory of the Maya region and its periphery, and the features of the Ancient Maya political, economic, religious, gender and material structures. Theoretical and political debates in Mesoamerican scholarship. Interdisciplinary research and the types of methods used to create knowledge about Maya civilization.
837. Borders and Frontiers (3 cr) Lec 3.
Social and spatial processes of borders and frontiers through historical and contemporary articulations between local, national, and global orders. Commonalities of frontier and border experiences worldwide. Frontiers in the North American and global experience, border formation and maintenance case studies, contemporary issues of globalization, indigenous peoples, conflict and/or cooperation, natural resources, and ethnic identity.
838. Topics in Old World Prehistory (CLAS 838) (3 cr) Lec 3.
Prereq: ANTH 242 or equivalent
Topics from Old World prehistory. Archaeological data relevant to selected theoretical or topical problems.
839. Archaeology of Preindustrial Civilizations (3 cr)
Prereq: 12 hours of anthropology
Development and organizational variability of past preindustrial civilizations. Ideas and theories about state formation and their evaluation through use of the archaeological record. Students exposed to general archaeological and anthropological problems posed by complex societies. Databases will include preindustrial civilizations from Mesopotamia, Africa, Egypt, India, China, Japan, Polynesia, Mexico, and Peru.
842. Human Variation (3 cr) Lec 3.
Biological variation of modern humans worldwide through time and space. Standard measurements of phenotypic, e.g., elementary anthropometry. Biological adaptation to environment using recent theoretical perspectives.
844. Biology of Human Variation (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 110 or permission
Introduction to the scope and meaning of human biological variation with emphasis on present day populations.
848. Human Growth and Development (BIOS 848) (3 cr) Lec 3.
Prereq: ANTH 242 and 242L, or BIOS 101 and 101L
Biological diversity from an evolutionary perspective. History of study of human physical and biological principles of growth. Genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal effects on human and other mammal growth patterns and the environmental factors that influence growth including nutrition, disease, socioeconomic status, and pollution. Highlights of unique features and various stages of human growth, the anthropologist's interpretation of growth patterns among human populations, and possible adaptive significance of human variation.
851. Contemporary Issues of Indigenous Peoples in North America (ETHN 451) (3 cr) Lec 3.
Prereq: ANTH 351 or 352
Political, economic, and social issues concerning indigenous peoples in North America.
854. Traveling Ethnographic Field School (3-6 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 212 or upper division anthropology course; and permission
An advanced comparative study of contemporary populations in a selected area of North America (occasionally outside of the US) that will combine the traditional survey of ethnographic literature with personal observation and participation in rural, urban, or traditional settings. The ethnographic focus (e.g., Native Americans or recent immigrants to the US) will change depending on research opportunities.
872. Belief Systems in Anthropological Perspective (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 110 or permission
Cross-cultural examination of the structure, form, and functions of belief systems. Interrelationship between the ideological subsystem of a culture and its social, political, and economic organization. Primitive and contemporary societies surveyed.
873. Ecological Anthropology (NRES 873) (3 cr)
Integrative study of human adaptive systems and their ecological contexts. Examination of the dynamic interrelationships between subsistence, technology, social behavior, human demography, and ecological variability.
874. Applied and Development Anthropology (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 212
Analysis of the many recent attempts by anthropologists and other trained specialists to influence the process of development and socioeconomic change in the modern world. Special emphasis on programs directed specifically at ethnic minorities in urban as well as in rural settings throughout the world.
875. Primitive Technology (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hours ANTH
Survey of the major technologies and industrial complexes of the prehistoric and primitive worlds. Through lectures, experiments, and examination of artifacts, students gain familiarity with the ways in which preindustrial man has manipulated his environment. Skills necessary to analyze technology within its cultural setting.
876. Human Rights, Environment, and Development (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 212
Human rights from an anthropological perspective. Assesses issues of significance in the area of international human rights, development, and the environment, paying specific attention to concerns such as Western and non-Western perspectives on human rights; individual rights and collective (group) rights; social, economic, and cultural rights; women’s rights; indigenous peoples and minority groups’ rights; and planetary (environmental) rights. Particular emphasis on rights to food, culture, development, and a healthy ecosystem.
877. Hunters-Gatherers (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hours ANTH, including ANTH 212
Survey of hunter-gatherer society with emphasis on ecological and social adaptations. Acquaints student with the literature on hunters-gatherers and their important role in human history and evolution.
878. Pro-seminar in Latin American Studies (EDPS 878; GEOG 878; HIST 878; LAMS 478; MODL 878; POLS 878; SOCI 878; SPAN *878) (3 cr, max 6) Lec 3.
Prereq: Permission
Interdisciplinary analysis of the mechanics and consequences of cultural continuity and social change in Latin America.
879. Pro-seminar in International Relations I (AECN 467; ECON 866; GEOG 848; HIST 879; POLS 866; SOCI 866) (3 cr)
Prereq: Permission
Open to students with an interest in international relations. Topic varies.
881. Landscape Archaeology (4 cr) Lec, lab.
Survey of theory, method, and practice in describing and interpreting archaeological landscapes.
882. Research Methods in Anthropology (3 cr)
Prereq: Permission
Strongly recommended to graduate students in all sub-fields before starting thesis work. Introduces advanced students to practical and theoretical issues involved in designing and undertaking anthropological research. Logic and organization of research emphasized.
883. Advanced Field Methods (3 cr, max 12)
Prereq: Permission
When appropriate, small-scale fieldwork exercises will be planned, executed and analyzed. Preparation for fieldwork through study of the philosophical and practical problems of anthropological field research.
884. Quantitative Methods in Anthropology (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hrs ANTH; STAT 218 or equivalent
Introduces collection, management and analysis of quantitative anthropological data. Through exercises and a final paper, both methods of exploratory and confirmatory data analysis are reviewed. Computer-assisted analysis.
885. Pro-seminar in Anthropology (1-3 cr)
Investigation of selected problems in anthropology to be arranged in keeping with the needs of the instructor and the students.
886. Community-based Research and Evaluation (ETHN 487) (3 cr)
Prereq: ANTH 212
Qualitative ethnographic field and participant observation research projects involving documentation, data analysis and theory. Focus on community-based organizations, agencies and development advocacy projects.
887. Analysis of Archaeological Materials (4 cr, max 16) Lec/lab.
Topics vary by semester. Survey of vocabulary, techniques, and ideas needed to research major materials found in archaeological sites.
A. Ceramics (4 cr)
B. Lithics (4 cr)
D. Archaeofauna (4 cr)
E. Historic Material Culture (4 cr)
887A. Ceramics (4 cr)
887B. Lithics (4 cr)
887D. Archaeofauna (4 cr)
887E. Historic Material Culture (4 cr)
888. Contentious Issues in Anthropology (3 cr)
Prereq: 9 hours of anthropology beyond ANTH 110
Explores recent controversial issues through the integration of biological, cultural and archaeological branches of anthropology.
890. Advanced Fieldwork (1-6 cr per sem, max 24) Fld.
Prereq: ANTH 290 or equivalent; no credit toward major if ANTH 280 is counted
Open only to students who have completed ANTH 280 or a comparable class and who wish to gain further practical experience in field research. Further practical experience in field research.
891. Advanced Laboratory Work (1-6 cr, max 24) Lab, fld.
Prereq: Permission
Open only to advanced students wishing to complete a research project they have developed with ANTH faculty guidance.
*894. Internship in Professional Archaeology (1-6 cr, max 6) Fld.
Prereq: 9 hrs ANTH
Structured professional experience in archaeological research, administration, or curation outside the traditional academic setting.
895. Internship in Anthropology (1-6 cr, max 6) Fld.
Structured professional experience outside the traditional academic setting. Learn and use anthropological skills. Develop professional networks.
896. Special Readings in Anthropology (1-6 cr)
Advanced readings in special areas of topics of anthropology to be selected by the student in consultation with the instructor.
898. Advanced Current Topics in Anthropology (3 cr)
Prereq: Permission
Seminar on current issues and problems in anthropology. Topics chosen in keeping with the needs of the instructor and students.
*899. Masters Thesis (6-10 cr)
Prereq: Admission to masters degree program and permission of major adviser
915. Seminar in Ethnology (3 cr)
Intensive study of theory and method in ethnology, with special attention to current research literature.
935. Seminar in Archaeology (3 cr)
Theory and method in prehistory and historic archaeology. Current research literature in the field.
945. Seminar in Physical Anthropology (3 cr)
Intensive study of theory and method in physical anthropology, with special attention to current research literature.
994. Seminar in Anthropology and Geography (GEOG 994) (1-3 cr, max 6)
996. Research Other Than Thesis (1-6 cr)
Research or reading in selected problems in anthropology, including the preparation of research for publication.
[edit] Description
For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.
Department of Anthropology Chair: Raymond Hames, Ph.D.
Graduate Committee Chair: Effie Athanassopoulos, Ph.D.
The department offers graduate courses leading to the degree of master of arts. The requirements for admission, for Candidacy, and for courses and thesis are those established and maintained by the Graduate College. Applicants should accompany their application for admission with a statement of educational goals and their scores from the general Graduate Record Examination.
With the exception of students in the Professional Archaeology Specialization, all graduate students will be required to take three core courses in the Department of Anthropology: ANTH 812, 832, and 842. If a student has taken any of these courses at the 400 level (412, 432, and 442), and they were taken within five years prior to the student’s admission to the Graduate College, they need not be repeated at the graduate level.
Upon admission to this program, all graduate students are required to have a course in statistics. If a statistics course has not been taken prior to admission, this will be regarded as a deficiency, which will have to be remediated.
Any class taken to remediate a deficiency will not count as part of the credits required for the master of arts in anthropology.
Program Assessment
In order to assist the department in evaluating the effectiveness of its program, majors will be required at the end of their graduate program:
1. to complete an oral examination which focuses on the breadth of the field as well as on the student’s field of specialization.
2. to complete a written exit survey, submitted anonymously.
The graduate adviser will inform students of the scheduling and format of assessment activities.
These assessment activities will in no way affect a student’s GPA or graduation.
Specializations available:
Environmental Studies; Great Plains Studies; Professional Archaeology; Women's and Gender Studies
[edit] Faculty
For faculty research interests and contact information, view the
graduate program summary.
- Athanassaopoulos, Effie F. -1997; Associate Professor; BA, Athens (Greece), 1979; PhD, Pennsylvania, 1993
- Awakuni-Swetland, Mark -2003; Assistant Professor; PhD 2003 Oklahoma
- Bleed, Peter A. -1972 Professor; BA 1965, MA 1968, Minnesota; PhD, Wisconsin, 1973
- Demers, Paul -2004; Assistant Professor; PhD 2001 Michigan State
- Draper, Patricia. -1998; Professor and Vice Chair; BA, Vassar, 1964; MA 1965, PhD 1972, Harvard
- Glazier, Stephen -1988; Adjunct Professor; MA 1976, PhD 1981 Connecticut
- Hames, Raymond -1980; Professor and Chair; BA 1971, PhD 1978 California (Santa Barbara)
- Hitchcock, Robert -1990; Adjunct Professor; BA 1972 California (Santa Barbara); MS 1977, PhD 1982 New Mexico
- Lynott, Mark -1977; Adjunct Professor, National Park Service; PhD 1977 Southern Methodist
- McCollough, Martha -1996; Associate Professor; MA 1990 Alaska; PhD 1996 Oklahoma
- Noble, Vergil -2004; Adjunct Assistant Professor; PhD 1983 Michigan State
- Osborn, Alan J. -1976; Adjunct Assistant Professor and Supervisory Archaeologist; BA 1970 Missouri; MA 1973, PhD 1977 New Mexico
- Osborne, Daniel -2007; Assistant Professor; BA 1998 Florida; PhD 2007 Indiana
- Sanchez, Carleen -2004; Assistant Professor; PhD 2003 UCSB
- Scott, Douglas D. -1983; Adjunct Assistant Professor, National Park Service; PhD 1977 Colorado
- Wandsnider, LuAnn -1991; Associate Professor; BS 1979 Wisconsin (Madison); MS 1981, PhD 1989 New Mexico
- Willis, Mary -2000; Associate Professor; MS 1990, PhD 1995 Washington

