You are in the official 2001-2002 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Roger M. La Jeunesse, Chair
Franklin Ng, Coordinator for Asian American Studies
Henry D. Delcore
Walter A. Dodd
Ellen Gruenbaum
Mary A. Ludwig
Jay O'Brien
John H. Pryor
Anthropology is concerned with everything that is human, in
all parts of the world, both present and past. It is unique among
the social sciences in its scope. Most disciplines focus only
on modern civilization or concentrate on single aspects of life,
such as government or the economy. Anthropology is interested
in all human societies and views life as a complexly integrated
whole that is more than the sum of its parts. It is the human
experience as a whole that anthropology seeks to understand.
The breadth of anthropology is reflected in its four subfields.
Physical anthropology studies biological evolution and
how heredity conditions the ways we conduct life. Cultural
anthropology, by studying the enormous diversity of lifeways
in contemporary cultures throughout the world, attempts to explain
both differences and similarities in the way different peoples
carry out the process of living. Archaeology explores the
human past far beyond the range of written records, using specialized
techniques to probe human prehistory. Linguistic anthropology
investigates the nature of language and the critical role
it has played in developing our unique intellectual capabilities
and behavior. The central concept in anthropology is "culture,"
and it is this vital idea which binds the subfields into an integrated
discipline.
Our program has three goals:
Both the anthropology major and minor offer a varied but well-structured
exposure to all four subfields of the discipline. The major consists
of two parts. The core curriculum introduces both data and theory
in a logical sequence of courses from basic to advanced and includes
an introduction to anthropological fieldwork. The four degree
tracks are intended to prepare students for specific careers in
the following areas: education, cultural resources management,
social services, or post-secondary teaching. The minor is a briefer
but balanced survey of the discipline, designed to complement
any major whose graduates need to understand and deal with people
from different cultural backgrounds.
Career opportunities for anthropology graduates are increasingly numerous and varied because cultural pluralism and international communication are on the increase. There is a growing need for people with cross-cultural sophistication and an ability to mediate between value systems. Graduates of our department have established successful careers in such fields as personnel work, mental health, social research, education, law enforcement, business, government, and medicine.
Students who contemplate graduate study, whether in anthropology or another field, find that our program is both rigorous and thorough. In fact, anthropological training at the undergraduate level is widely recognized as excellent preparation for advanced degrees in many professional fields. Graduates of this department have completed graduate programs in medicine, law, social work, international business, and international relations, to name a few.
Professional careers in anthropology itself usually require the Ph.D. Enterprising anthropologists throughout the nation have been remarkably successful in securing high-level positions in both government and business, usually under titles other than "anthropologist." These successes indicate that employers at the highest levels appreciate the unique training and capabilities of professional anthropologists. Imaginative anthropologists who can communicate their special abilities should be able to establish rewarding careers in a variety of settings.
Directed by professors Ludwig and Pryor, the Anthropology Department provides data collection, analysis, and student training in both archaeological and ethnographic studies. Advanced students may also pursue specialized training and research into the chemical composition of archaeological materials in our chemistry laboratory, which is under the supervision of Professor LaJeunesse. C. Kristina Roper manages our contract archaeology program, which provides students with practical experience in public archaeology.
Anthropology
Courses