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Anthropology (BS)

About

Anthropology is the study of humanity. Appalachian State University’s Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology immerses students in the content, methods, theory and practice of this field from a science-based perspective. 

Alumni of this degree program typically seek careers that require a selection of courses in either, or both, of these two areas:

  • Archaeology — the study of material remains, stone tools, GIS, built environments, landscapes and settlements.
  • Biological anthropology — the study of humans and non-human primates from a biological and evolutionary perspective, skeletal analysis, human evolution, biocultural adaptation, paleontology, forensics, ecology, and primate conservation and behavior.

After Graduation

Employment: Many students receive job offers after graduation. See a list of employers

Graduate school: App State students with an anthropology degree have been accepted at the master’s and doctoral level in a variety of fields: biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, art history, geoarchaeology, political science, global studies, international development, health sciences, history, museum studies, nursing, physician assistant program, psychology, social work, Latin American studies, linguistics, urban and regional planning, public health, and law programs. See a list of schools

Career Exploration website

People

  • Faculty Profile: Dr. Alice Wright and Dr. Cameron Gokee
    Faculty Profile: Dr. Alice Wright and Dr. Cameron Gokee

    Wright and Gokee are leading an App State research team into the Linville Gorge Wilderness area in search of probable archaeological sites. They hope to learn more about the lives of ancestral Cherokee and Catawba and other Indigenous people who once used the land — while facilitating the preservation of cultural resources. Learn more.

    Meet more faculty

  • Student Profile: Rachel Anderson
    Student Profile: Rachel Anderson

    Anderson was selected to participate in the American Indian Language Development Institute, which provides critical training to strengthen efforts to revitalize and promote the use of Indigenous languages.

  • Alumna Profile: Callie Gunzenhauser ’21
    Alumna Profile: Callie Gunzenhauser ’21

    Gunzenhauser reports on her study abroad at American University in Bulgaria, applying skills learned in App State’s Department of Anthropology.

  • Alumni Profiles: Cala Castleberry ’17 and Hayley Wynn ’17
    Alumni Profiles: Cala Castleberry ’17 and Hayley Wynn ’17

    After graduation, Castleberry and Wynn completed internships with the National Park Service related to historical preservation — assessing archaeological sites in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and digitizing site reports from archaeological surveys completed between the 1940s and early 2000s in other southeastern parks.

Courses

  • Program of Study
    Program of Study
  • Four Year Guide
    Four Year Guide
  • NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide
    NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide

Related Programs

  • Anthropology (BA)
  • Anthropology (BS) – Multidisciplinary

Minors

A minor is required.

View all minors

Engagement Outside the Classroom

Anthropology Club — A student group that discusses the field of anthropology and different aspects of culture and society.

Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society.

The Department of Anthropology regularly offers field schools in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Italy and Wales, as well as areas of North America.

Admission Requirements

There are no admission requirements beyond admission to Appalachian State University.

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Why Appalachian?

  • Department of Anthropology students are known for their ability to analyze complex cultural and social situations, and find employment in many fields, including marketing, research and development, community and international development, law and more.
  • The department houses state-of-the-art lab equipment, including a 3D scanner and metallurgical and stereo microscopes.
  • Faculty members have received prestigious fellowships from the Fulbright Program, National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities and Princeton University to pursue their research.
  • Students are given the opportunity to conduct research alongside faculty and attend national undergraduate and professional conferences.
  • With the exception of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the department has the largest vertebrate osteological comparative collection in North Carolina. It also maintains archaeological research collections from excavations of prehistoric and historic sites in Western North Carolina and adjacent regions.
  • Students have opportunities for field schools and internships.
  • The department offers scholarships and awards.

Location

Boone and Hickory*

*The Hickory Campus location is pending accreditation from SACSCOC for this program. Accreditation is expected in summer 2023.

Careers

Some positions may require more than a bachelor’s degree:

  • Education and Outreach Coordinator
  • Archaeologist
  • Librarian
  • Photographer/Videographer
  • College-level Educator
  • GIS Analyst
  • English as Foreign Language Teacher
  • Research Assistant
  • Historian/Curator
  • Conservator
  • Consultant
  • Field Crew Supervisor
  • Park Ranger
  • Medical Examiner Specialist
  • Educational Director
  • International Development Specialist

More examples

Contacts

Dr. Krista Lewis
Chair
lewiska5@appstate.edu
828-262-7404

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Anthropology

  • Department of Anthropology

    The Department of Anthropology offers a comparative and holistic approach to the study of the human experience. The anthropological perspective provides a broad understanding of the origins as well as the meaning of physical and cultural diversity in the world – past, present and future.

  • College of Arts and Sciences

    Appalachian’s Largest College

    The College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college spanning the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. The college is dedicated to providing instruction and research essential to the university's mission and seeks to cultivate the habits of inquiry, learning and service among all its constituents.

    By the Numbers

    • 1/3 of the degrees awarded at Appalachian
    • More than 70% of general education courses are taught in the college
    • 93 majors offered
    • 53 minors offered
    • 6,411 undergraduate majors
    • More than 460 full-time faculty members
    • 41,203 living alumni
    • $8,754,800 awarded to the college in external grants during the 2020–21 academic year
    • $236,914 awarded to students through 6 collegewide scholarships and 98 departmental scholarships for the 2020–21 academic year

    Graduate Programs

    Accelerated Master’s program opportunities are available in pursuing a master's degree in 12 selected areas: Appalachian Studies, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, English, Geography and Planning, History, Mathematics, Romance Languages (French/Spanish), Political Science, Psychology (Experimental Science) and Public Administration. Other master’s degrees, graduate certificates and specialist degrees are listed on Appalachian’s School of Graduate Studies website.

    Top Employment Sectors

    • Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools
    • Federal, State and Local Government
    • Justice, Public Order and Safety Activities
    • Computer Systems Design and Related Services
    • Legal Services
    • Health Care
    • Biotech/Engineering
    • Elementary and Secondary Schools
    • Nonprofit Organizations

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