Anthropology - transfer major
Department website: https://www.mhcc.edu/education-options/degrees-certificates/anthropology/
Faculty Adviser
Janet Campbell: 503-491-7430 | Room AC2667 | Janet.Campbell@mhcc.edu
Anthropology can be defined as “the study of what makes us human.” Anthropologists study the many aspects of being human. They study the past, through archaeology, to see how humans have lived for hundreds – or thousands – of years. They study human biology and genetics, as well as bones, diet and health. They look at how different groups of people get food, prepare it, and share it with each other. The study of anthropology also asks:
- Why did we develop religion?
- How did we change economically?
- How is language used and why did we develop it?
- What did ancient societies look like?
- What values might they have had?
Students interested in pursuing the Anthropology major can complete the following courses toward the Social Science requirement and/or electives in the AAOT (recommended), AS, AGS or ASLA degrees. Students should work with a university transfer adviser to choose the right courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH101 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology (Course offered online) | 4 |
| ANTH102 | Introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| ANTH103 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| ANTH140 | Language and Culture (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
Transfer Schools
The following examples show how a student can complete an AAOT degree while also taking anthropology courses. Students should work with their MHCC adviser, and their preferred transfer college, to pick the right classes. Not all courses are offered every term. Click on a course number to see what term(s) the course is typically offered. While students are welcome to start classes at MHCC in any term, many plans in the catalog are meant to start in fall term unless otherwise noted.
- Full time = 12 or more credits per term; takes 6 to 7 terms to complete.
- 3/4 time = 9 to 11 credits per term; takes about 8 to 10 terms to complete.
- Part time = 6 to 8 credits per term; takes about 11 to 13 terms to complete.
Sample Plan (Full Time)
| First Quarter | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH101 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology (Course offered online) | 4 |
| WR121Z | Composition I (Course offered online) | 4 |
| Oral Communication | 3-4 | |
| Arts & Letters | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Quarter | ||
| ANTH102 | Introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| MTH105Z or MTH111Z |
Math in Society or Precalculus I: Functions (Course offered online) |
4 |
| WR122Z or WR227Z |
Composition II (Course offered online) or Technical Writing (Course offered online) |
4 |
| Elective / university requirement | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Quarter | ||
| ANTH103 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| Lab Science | 4-5 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 4 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Fourth Quarter | ||
| Health & Physical Education | 3 | |
| Social Science (other than ANTH) | 3-4 | |
| Lab Science | 4-5 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fifth Quarter | ||
| ANTH140 | Language and Culture (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| Arts & Letters | 3-4 | |
| Lab Science | 3-5 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Sixth Quarter | ||
| Arts & Letters | 3-4 | |
| Science / Math / Computer Science | 4-5 | |
| Elective(s) if needed to reach 90 credits | 6-8 | |
| Credits | 15-17 | |
| Total Credits | 90-92 | |
Sample Plan (part time)
| First Quarter | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH101 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology (Course offered online) | 4 |
| WR121Z | Composition I (Course offered online) | 4 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Second Quarter | ||
| ANTH102 | Introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| WR122Z or WR227Z |
Composition II (Course offered online) or Technical Writing (Course offered online) |
4 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Third Quarter | ||
| ANTH103 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| Oral Communication | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Fourth Quarter | ||
| Lab Science | 3-5 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 4 | |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Fifth Quarter | ||
| ANTH140 | Language and Culture (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course) | 4 |
| MTH105Z or MTH111Z |
Math in Society or Precalculus I: Functions (Course offered online) |
4 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Sixth Quarter | ||
| Arts & Letters | 3-4 | |
| Lab Science | 3-5 | |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Seventh Quarter | ||
| Lab Science | 3-5 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 4 | |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Eighth Quarter | ||
| Social Science (other than ANTH) | 3-4 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 4 | |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Ninth Quarter | ||
| Science (can be non-lab) / Math / Computer Science | 3-5 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Tenth Quarter | ||
| Arts & Letters | 3-4 | |
| Health / Physical Education | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Eleventh Quarter | ||
| Arts & Letters | 3-4 | |
| Elective / university requirement | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 7-8 | |
| Twelfth Quarter | ||
| Electives, if needed to reach 90 credits | 7-8 | |
| Credits | 7-8 | |
| Total Credits | 90-92 | |
ANTH101 Introduction to Biological Anthropology (Course offered online)
Credits 4Fall/Winter/Spring
Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.
Biological anthropology covers four areas: genetic variation, primate paleontology, human evolution and modern human variation. Emphasis is placed on the fossil record and the interactions between biology, environment and culture in the evolution of the hominoid and human species as well as current genetic, environmental and cultural factors in contemporary human populations.
This course fulfills: Human Relations; Social Science
View Course Outcomes:
- Apply knowledge of human behavior and social phenomena to social and community issues
- Discuss narrative of human evolution
- Identify paleoanthropoligical methods, primatology and biological variation
- Relate basic genetics, evolutionary theory and fossil hominid
ANTH102 Introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course)
Credits 4Fall/Winter/Spring
Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.
This class is an introduction to the study of archaeology. Class topics include a brief introduction to archaeological methods and an overview of world prehistory from the mammoth hunters to the earliest civilization.
This course fulfills: Cultural Literacy; Human Relations; Social Science
View Course Outcomes:
- Describe the cultures of the Mesolithic
- Describe the methods, goals, and concepts of archaeology
- Examine the cultures of the Neolithic, the advent of agriculture, early civilization
- Examine the cultures of the Upper Paleolithic
- the peopling of the America
ANTH103 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Cultural Literacy course)
Credits 4Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring
Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.
This class focuses on the anthropological concept of culture. Students learn how culture is studied while performing cross-cultural analyses of various aspects of culture such as religion, language, economy and technology. Emphasis is placed on understanding cultural differences.
This course fulfills: Cultural Literacy; Human Relations; Social Science
View Course Outcomes:
- Apply knowledge of human behavior and social phenomena to social and community issues
- Describe and explain cross cultural similarities and differences concerning subsistence strategies, gender, family, technology and religion
- Describe and explain the culture concept, culture change and anthropological linguistics
ANTH140 Language and Culture (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course)
Credits 4Fall/Winter/Spring
Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.
This course provides answers to these provocative questions by exploring the anthropological disciplines of descriptive, historical and ethno linguistics: How does language work? Where is it in the brain? How do children acquire it? How does language affect thought and our perception of the world? How is our language different from that of other animals? How did human language evolve and develop throughout history?.
This course fulfills: Cultural Literacy; Human Relations; Social Science
View Course Outcomes:
- Apply knowledge of human behavior and social phenomena to social and community issues
- Demonstrate knowledge of theories concerning the manner in which language affects thought and our perception of the world
- Describe and define phone, phenome, morpheme, syntax and grammar
- Describe knowledge of theories concerning the origins, evolution and historical developments of language throughout history
- Describe the anatomy of human speech
- Describe, define and identify idiolect, dialect, pidgin and Creole
- Distinguish human vocal communication from that of other animals, especially primates
Online option regularly offered
Cultural Literacy course