Anthropology (ANT)
Multicultural societies will be examined with respect to cultural histories as well as modern problems. Special attention will be given to the cultural complexity of the continental United States.
Modern approaches to descriptive, exploratory, and formative anthropological research, with foundational concepts underlying research design as well as core methodologies. Students develop a domestic research project to collect primary data and gain experience in ethnographic methods, including participant observation, mapping, interviewing, survey design, data management and analysis (indexing, coding, transcribing, and related methods).
Experience conducting actual research in human evolutionary biology. Students collect data on living humans, perform laboratory analyses, statistical analyses, and manuscript preparation and presentation. Students gain experience with scientific methodology, hypothesis generation and study design, human subjects committees, biosafety and bioethics, biological sample collection, biomarker assays, survey design, and statistical analyses.
Students learn how granting at the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health works, identify research and publication biases, recognize ethical issues in research, distinguish good science from bad attempts at it, identify potential granting opportunities, develop general writing and oral presentation skills, and develop peer reviewing skills.
This course examines human biological variation, with a focus on human genetic and phenotypic diversity, adaptation, and health disparities in contemporary global populations. The overall framework for understanding human variation is evolutionary and biocultural. It draws from various scientific disciplines, including anthropology, evolutionary biology, genetics, physiology, nutrition, psychology, and global health.
Students are taught key concepts in Medical Anthropology to examine how health and wellbeing are socially and culturally constituted in contexts of cultural diversity. We bring key insights from anthropological cross-cultural comparisons to public health and medical practice.
Study of social theory that informs historical transformations in the ethics of global public health, including the history of research and practice in international and population health. Topics include equality and equity, access and competition, homogeneity and diversity, legitimacy and power, responsiveness and exploitation, and moral reasoning and justice, among others.
Critique of existing domestic and international policy goals that include efforts to improve global health. Special attention (via analyses of case-studies) is given to the ethical and legal principles pertaining to global health policies.
Advanced work in Anthropology on variable topics. Subject and hours of credit agreed upon by student and instructor prior to registration. May be taken more than once provided the content differs substantially from that of any prior offering of the course that the student has taken.
Supervised research for doctoral students developing a dissertation proposal and studying for the preliminary examination required for advancement to candidacy. A student may repeat this course for credit with a maximum of twelve total hours.
Provides graduate students opportunity for internship work experience in research positions with consent of advisory committee.
Research, data analysis, writing, and defense of an approved doctoral dissertation project. Student must have been admitted to candidacy before registering for dissertation hours.