UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

The Department of Anthropology is part of the University of Maryland’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. We are centrally located in Woods Hall, between McKeldin Library and the Main Administration Building.

Anthropology is a scientific and humanistic discipline devoted to improving our understanding of human culture and diversity. Anthropologists are holistic in that they endeavor to describe in the broadest sense what it means to be human. This includes exploring relationships between the human past and the present as well as between the biological and social components of our species. Anthropology is the study of people—their origins, adaptations and ecology, distribution, customs, languages, and social and religious beliefs.

The faculty of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Maryland are engaged in a wide variety of teaching and research activities in each of the four traditional subfields of the discipline—archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.

The Anthropology Department also maintains a strong focus on the practical uses and applications of anthropological knowledge, and faculty members and alumni have played important roles in the development of the field of applied anthropology. Faculty applied interests in such areas as the environment, health, and heritage are reflected in both undergraduate and graduate course offerings.

A strong background in anthropology is an asset in preparing for a variety of careers and professional opportunities. The faculty at the University of Maryland’s Department of Anthropology is uniquely qualified to provide undergraduate majors with advice and assistance related to both their academic and career interests. The undergraduate program also provides a variety of study abroad experiences, summer field schools, and internship opportunities—all of which can contribute significantly to a student’s understanding of the discipline.

Undergraduate majors have the option of focusing in one of three subfield focus areas or of maintaining a general anthropology focus. The focus areas are: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and general anthropology.

Follow this link for a statement of the Undergraduate Program Core Values.

For more information about the Undergraduate Studies Program, follow the links below.