At the intersection of biological science, humanities and social science, anthropology brings a social, cross-cultural, historical, and multi-ethnic dimension to the liberal arts curriculum. Anthropology provides students with a theoretical and analytical framework with which to function in an increasingly global, complex and interdependent world. By teaching us about other people’s lives, traditions and values, anthropology prepares us to understand and appreciate our own multicultural society.

American anthropology includes four sub-disciplines: cultural anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology and linguistics. We emphasize the holistic attributes of traditional anthropology, and we're committed to applying anthropological insights to contemporary social issues such as human rights, cultural resource management, and political and economic injustices.