Anthropology
Anthropologists study the human species and our closest non-human relatives. We seek to understand the human condition in the past and present so that we can shape our future.
Undergraduate Program Information
Anthropology is the study of humankind, a multidisciplinary endeavor that crosses the usual divides between social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. In order to tackle this complicated subject from different angles, the discipline of anthropology is often divided into different subfields, including:
- Archaeology, which uses the material evidence of archaeological sites and artifacts to reconstruct past societies and interpret their behaviors;
- Biological anthropology, which seeks to understand humankind from a biological perspective, including the study of human origins, primate relatives, and human biological diversity;
- Cultural anthropology, which describes and compares living human cultures in order to understand human cultural diversity;
- Linguistic anthropology, which studies different systems of human communication in order to understand how culture is shared and maintained; and
- Medical anthropology, which takes a holistic approach to understanding health, illness, disease, sickness, and healing.
The Department of Anthropology offers the following undergraduate degrees and minors. Click on each link to see a description of the major or minor program requirements.
Undergraduate students can earn a:
- Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology
- Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology (Culture & Language), which includes a concentration in culture and language studies
- Minor(s) in Anthropology, Archaeology, Medical Anthropology, Religious Studies, and Sustainability
Please visit the Anthropology Catalog for descriptions of all courses offered by the department.
Anthropology Master's Accelerated Program (MAP)
The Anthropology MAP Program permits qualified undergraduate students to earn a maximum of 9 credits of graduate-level coursework and have these credits count both for the BA in Anthropology and the Master’s degree in Anthropology. The Anthropology MAP program is a dual credit program, not a dual degree program.
Students accepted to the Anthropology MAP Program may apply 9 credits of qualified elective courses towards the graduate MA degree in Anthropology or towards an interdisciplinary graduate minor or graduate certificate in Anthropology, Archaeology, Food Studies, the Graduate Certificate in Cultural Resource Management, or the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies.
The NMSU Graduate School has established general rules and processes for all MAP programs at NMSU. They have been adapted to meet the particular requirements of the Department of Anthropology and the requirements of Anthropology’s graduate programs. For details about the NMSU Graduate School MAPS program, please see Honors College: https://honors.nmsu.edu/for-students/masters-accelerated-program-map.html.
For questions about the Anthropology MAP Program, please contact the Department of Anthropology Home Page (nmsu.edu).
Graduate Program Information
The Anthropology Master of Arts Program at NMSU provides students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience they need to transform their interests into a rewarding career. Our program strengths include applied research, especially in the areas of cultural resource management, museum studies, environmental anthropology, food security, and health and wellness. We value our M.A. students, and work to develop strong advising and mentoring relationships. Many of our graduates go on to successful careers in the public or private sector, while some choose to pursue a Ph.D. after completing their master's degree at NMSU.
In addition to the Anthropology Master of Arts degree, our program also offers two Graduate Certificates and several graduate minors. Click on each of the links below to see descriptions of the program requirements.
Graduate students can earn a:
- Master of Arts in Anthropology
- An undergraduate anthropology degree is not required for admission; however, students who lack the equivalent of core undergraduate anthropology courses may be required to take them during their first year of the master's program.
- Graduate Certificates in Cultural Resource Management (CRM) and Museum Studies
- These graduate certificates are separate from the M.A. degree and require a separate application. Many of our M.A. students also earn graduate certificates.
- Graduate minors in Anthropology, Archaeology, and Food Studies
- Graduate minors are available to students earning their master's or Ph.D. degrees in other programs at NMSU.
Please visit the Anthropology Catalog for descriptions of all of our anthropology courses.
Degrees for the Department
Bachelor Degree(s)
Master Degree(s)
Anthropology Master's Accelerated Program (MAP)
The Anthropology MAP Program permits qualified undergraduate students to earn a maximum of 9 credits of graduate-level coursework and have these credits count both for the BA in Anthropology and the Master’s degree in Anthropology. The Anthropology MAP program is a dual credit program, not a dual degree program.
Students accepted to the Anthropology MAP Program may apply 9 credits of qualified elective courses towards the graduate MA degree in Anthropology or towards an interdisciplinary graduate minor or graduate certificate in Native American Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, the Graduate Certificate in Cultural Resource Management, or the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies.
The NMSU Graduate School has established general rules and processes for all MAP programs at NMSU. They have been adapted to meet the particular requirements of the Department of Anthropology and the requirements of Anthropology’s graduate programs. For details about the NMSU Graduate School MAPS program, please see Honors College: https://honors.nmsu.edu/for-students/masters-accelerated-program-map.html.
For questions about the Anthropology MAP Program, please contact Dr. Rani T. Alexander (raalexan@nmsu.edu).
Eligibility:
Undergraduate students may petition to participate in the Master’s Accelerated Program (MAP) in the Department of Anthropology if they meet the following requirements:
- Undergraduate students must be juniors or seniors and have completed 60 credit hours of coursework towards an undergraduate degree.
- Preferred 3.5 GPA.
- Completion of two or more of the undergraduate core courses, Anth 301, Anth 315, Anth 355, and Anth 350 is strongly preferred.
- Undergraduate students must have an assigned faculty advisor within the Department of Anthropology and obtain appropriate signatures before being approved for MAPS by the NMSU Graduate School.
- Students must be advised by financial aid advisor and obtain appropriate signatures before being approved for MAP by the NMSU Graduate School.
- MAP students must meet with their advisor at least once per semester before registration.
- Students accepted into the Anthropology MAP program, must participate in the Online Developing New Scholars Program (DNSP), offered by the Graduate School.
- Students may not have previously earned a Bachelor’s Degree.
- Students have removed any Incomplete grades or holds at the time that they request admission to a graduate-level class.
- Students may not attempt more than 3 credits of graduate coursework in one semester.
- Students must earn a grade of B or higher to have graduate credits count under the MAP program. Graduate courses completed with a B- or lower are not eligible for MAP credit.
- Qualified graduate level courses included in the Anthropology MAP program are limited to a discrete list of electives numbered 500 and above. Eligible MAP courses are chosen only with approval of the student’s MAP advisor and consent of instructor.
- For full program details and questions, please contact the Anthropology Department:Home Page (nmsu.edu).
Professor, Lois Stanford, Department Head
Professors Stanford, Walker; Associate Professors Jenks, Olszowy; Assistant Professors Brause, Hart, Marks; University Museum Curator ; Emeritus Professors, Alexander, Chaiken, Conelly, Eber, O'Leary, Pepion, Staski, Trevathan.
L. Stanford, Department Head, Ph.D. (Florida)-food studies, food justice, qualitative methods, Mexico, U.S.-Mexico border; H. Brause, Ph.D. (New Mexico)- environmental anthropology, water, small farmers, U.S.-Mexico border; T. Hart, Ph.D. (Connecticut)-- paleoethnobotany, prehistoric agriculture, Mesoamerican archaeology; K. Jenks, Ph.D. (Arizona)--cultural resource management, historical archaeology, Southwestern archaeology; A. Marks, Ph.D. (Tulane)- medical anthropology, pharmaceuticals, reproductive justice, feminist discourses, Latin America; K. Olszowy, Ph.D. (Binghamton) - economic development and chronic disease risk, sex/gender-based disparities in obesity risk, mental and physical health outcomes associated with natural disasters, child growth and development, and the biology of poverty; W. Walker, Ph.D. (Arizona)– Southwestern archaeology, theory and field method in archaeology, ritual prehistory.
Anthropology Courses
ANTH 1115G. Introduction to Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
Anthropology is the systematic study of the humanity both past and present. The course introduces students to the four subfields of anthropology, which include archaeology, biological, linguistic and cultural anthropology. Students will learn about the concepts and methods that anthropologists use to study our species and gain a broader perspective on the human experience.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe and summarize terms, approaches, and cultural and biological adaptations in the four subfields of anthropology.
- Explain and analyze conceptual and ethical arguments in the four subfields of anthropology.
- Effectively communicate content, perspectives, and ideas in four subfields of anthropology.
- Critically evaluate sources, approaches, and arguments in the four subfields of anthropology.
ANTH 1135G. Introduction to Biological Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides a basic introduction to the broad field of biological anthropology. The research interests of biological anthropologists include the history and development of modern evolutionary biology, molecular and population genetics, modern primates, the primate and human fossil record, and modern human biological diversity.
Corequisite(s): ANTH 1135L.
Learning Outcomes
- Summarize the basic principles of evolution and recognize how they apply to the human species.
- Recognize the biological and behavioral continuity of humans with all life, and especially other modern primate species.
- Identify ways in which the human species is biologically and behaviorally unique.
- Summarize fossil evidence for human evolution.
- Distinguish the major Paleolithic industries and outline the behavioral and cognitive changes indicated by the fossil and archeological evidence.
- Critically evaluate popular accounts of human variation and human evolution.
- Interpret modern human dilemmas (e.g., overpopulation, co-evolution of disease, and genetic engineering) from an evolutionary perspective.
- Discuss in class and analyze in writing scholarly arguments concerning course concepts.
ANTH 1135L. Introduction to Biological Anthropology Lab
1 Credit (2P)
This laboratory course expand on the topics covered in lecture course and uses scientific methods and principles to examine evidence for the process of evolution, the nature of heredity, human evolutionary history and family tree relationships, primate ecology and behavior, and modern human diversity. Hands-on experience with fossil and skeletal material will be an important part of the learning process. Corequisite(s): ANTH 1135G
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method.
- Employ principles of Mendelian genetics to determine genotype and phenotype probabilities, and calculate gene, genotype, and phenotype frequencies using the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium formula.
- Demonstrate an understanding of cell structure and functions.
- Use common lab and anthropometric equipment such as a compound microscope and calipers.
- Discuss primate evolution, and compare and contrast members of the Primate order in terms of structure, behavior, and phylogeny.
- Classify hominid species based upon selected traits such as anatomical changes associated with bipedalism, changes in the size and structure of the brain, and the development of culture.
- Locate and describe the major bones of the human skeleton, and identify characteristics of human skeletons or skulls such as gender, age, and ancestry.
- Discuss current research in genome analysis of various hominid populations.
ANTH 1136. Introduction to Historic Preservation
3 Credits (3)
Introduction to historic preservation, its history, goals, methods, legal basis, and economic importance. Explores public role in decision-making. Community Colleges only.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand why historic preservation is important;
- be familiar with what is important to preserve;
- know who among the general public, state, and federal governments is responsible for preserving the past;
- Have gained experience in how we all preserve.
ANTH 1140G. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This is an introductory course that provides an overview of cultural anthropology as a subfield within the broader discipline of anthropology and as a research approach within the social sciences more generally. The course presents core concepts and methods of cultural anthropology that are used to understand the ways in which human beings organize and experience their lives through distinctive cultural practices. More specifically, this course explores social and cultural differences and similarities around the world through a variety of topics such as: language and communication, economics, ways of making a living, marriage and family, kinship and descent, race, ethnicity, political organization, supernatural beliefs, sex and gender, and globalization. This course ultimately aims to present a broad range of perspectives and practices of various cultural groups from across the globe. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Introduce students to the basic concepts and research methods of cultural anthropology as one of the disciplines of social science, including fundamental concepts, such as culture and society, which form the pillars of the discipline (e.g., cultural relativism, cultural persistence and change, world-view and enculturation).
- Comprehend the importance of studying cultural anthropology.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the practice of anthropological research in the modern world that is increasingly multicultural, transnational and globally interconnected (e.g., globalization and modern world system).
- Demonstrate an awareness of how students’ own cultures shape their experiences and the way they see the world, as well as help them understand and interact with other cultures.
- Understand how beliefs, values and assumptions are influenced by culture, biology, history, economic, and social structures.
- Gain a sense of relationship with people possessing different experiences from their own.
- Gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for cultural anthropology as a broad discipline through learning about its practices, and differentiating cultural anthropology from other disciplines that study people
- Become more sensitive and engaged global citizens from culturally relative perspectives.
ANTH 1160G. World Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This course is an exploration of human evolution and cultural development throughout the world. Students will be introduced to basic anthropological methods and theories and will learn how anthropological research has contributed to our understanding of major themes in human prehistory, including human evolution, the origins of culture, migration and colonization, animal and plant domestication, and the rise and fall of civilizations.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe and explain the major developments in human prehistory.
- Identify and describe major archaeological cultures throughout the world.
- Employ critical thinking skills in the evaluation of competing theories about the past.
- Select and use relevant archaeological evidence to explain how prehistoric populations adapted to their natural and cultural environments.
- Demonstrate competency in written communication.
ANTH 2140G. Indigenous Peoples of North America
3 Credits (3)
This course is a general survey of the history and ethnology of indigenous groups in North America. The course is designed to give students a comprehensive view of major issues pertaining to the indigenous cultures of North America, such as family structure, social organization, subsistence and contemporary economies, environmental adaptation, Indian-White relations, religious practices, and contemporary issues.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate familiarity with common elements pertaining to the languages and social organization of indigenous peoples in North America.
- Recognize fundamental differences and similarities among traditional indigenous cultures.
- Describe social relations of indigenous peoples in relationship to other ethnic groups.
- Identify and analyze important ways that European societies and cultures and indigenous societies and cultures interacted from the time of Columbus to the present.
- Evaluate the impacts of Euroamerican policies and programs on indigenous cultures.
- Distinguish major social issues facing contemporary indigenous communities in North America.
- Understand objectives and limitations of cross-cultural analysis in anthropology as they relate to the study of indigenous peoples in North America.
- Demonstrate research and communication skills as they relate to the study of indigenous peoples in North America.
ANTH 2996. Special Topics
1-4 Credits
Specific subjects to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Varies
ANTH 301. Cultural Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
The course will introduce students to the basic concepts and methods in cultural anthropology, focusing on the critical role of culture in traditional society and in the modern world. We apply the anthropological perspective to study the components of cultural systems, including language and meaning, ways of making a living, kinship, worldview, power and political systems, and socio-cultural inequalities, among others, across different cultures. By “unpacking” culture, we focus on how local knowledge is put to work in grappling with practical problems of everyday life. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will explain the core concepts in cultural anthropology, including the complexities, contradictions, dynamics, and implications.
- Students will identify the important methods of fieldwork, linking theory to application.
- Students will explain the critical components of cultural systems and how they operate, comparing and contrasting their different manifestations across different cultures. This identification should also address the complexities, dynamics, and implications.
- Students will develop anthropological field skills in carrying out field projects, analyzing observed practices, symbols, and activities.
- Students will identify and explain factors that explain cultural persistence and the relevance of culture in the modern world.
ANTH 305V. Contemporary Native Americans
3 Credits (3)
Introduction to contemporary native peoples and cultures of North America. Emphasis on sociocultural and socioeconomic history, sociocultural change and persistence, present day reservation life, and current social and economic goals.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the major challenges within American Indian communities.
- Analyze the components and causes of contemporary issues in Indian country.
- Understand and be able to define sovereignty and self-determination and the relationship of Native nations to the U.S. government.
- Develop an awareness of the historical and continuing efforts of resistance, adaptation, and endurance of Native peoples.
- Integrate learned concepts to address contemporary Native American issues.
- Possess foundation knowledge as preparation for higher-level coursework in NATV.
ANTH 306V. Peoples of Latin America
3 Credits (3)
The course presents an overview of different cultures in Latin America, covering a range of topics including history, environment, race and ethnicity, religion, health, music, food, popular culture, globalization, and violence. Within this context, the perspective of cultural anthropology looks at the commonality of patterns shared across Latin America, at the same time that we examine the construction of cultural diversity, a diversity that has persisted into the modern era. We also examine how different Latin American peoples use culture, i.e., through their food, music, religion, and politics among other elements, as a way of shaping and conserving their ethnic identity. The class includes a mixture of lecture, discussion, films, music, and good food…
Learning Outcomes
- Students will explain the major prehistoric Latin American civilizations and their role in shaping distinctive modern cultures today.
- Students will identify the major ecological zones in Latin America and corresponding cultural adaptations and subsistence strategies.
- Students will explain the critical role of economic and political history throughout the Colonial Period and Independence in shaping the patterns of cultural diversity, racial boundaries, and ethnic identities.
- Students will explain the role of cultural practices (such as religion, music, popular culture, and foodways) in supporting indigenous and minority populations’ efforts to retain distinct cultural identities.
- Students will explain the global and historical connections between Latin American and the United States, in particular the role that Latin American culture, migration, and traditions have played in shaping our society’s development.
ANTH 307V. Japanese Culture and Society: Anthropological Perspectives
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces students to Japanese culture from anthropological and philosophical perspective. Learning about Japanese culture (non-Western) enhances students’ awareness of the diversity of human values, beliefs, and morals and provides an understanding of cultural differences outside of mainstream American culture.
Learning Outcomes
- Take a position on an anthropological theory that accounts for how and why Japanese culture has changed through time.
- Select and integrate relevant anthropological perspectives to argue for or against ethical and moral differences between American and Japanese cultures.
- Analyze social, political, and religious aspects in Japanese society and compare them with those in America.
- Investigate sociopolitical and economic status of minority groups in Japan using anthropological approaches and compare them with those of America.
- Engage in face-to-face interactions with Japanese people in southern New Mexico and discuss similarities and differences between cultures, values, and worldview.
ANTH 312. The Ancient Maya
3 Credits (3)
Archaeological evidence of culture change in the Maya civilizations of Mexico and Central America from 2000 BC to the Spanish Conquest.
ANTH 313V. Ancient Mexico
3 Credits (3)
We will explore the archaeology the Aztecs, Zapotecs, and the Maya of Mexico and Central America from 3000BC up to and including the Spanish invasion of 1519-1521. We will examine how the legacies of these great civilizations were erased from written sources and how Mesoamerican heritage can be preserved and reclaimed for descendant communities and the public using archaeological remains. We will address: (1). the origins of agriculture and traditional food systems in Mesoamerica; (2). the rise of cities and urban centers; (3). writing, religion, social inequality, and the circulation of commodities; (4). Political disintegration, fragmentation, and collapse; (5). the formation and expansion of the Aztec and Tarascan empires; and (6). the consequences of the Spanish invasion and colonialism.
Learning Outcomes
- Take a position on theories that explain how, when, and why human lifeways changed in ancient Mesoamerica.
- Select and integrate relevant archaeological evidence to argue for and against a theoretical position.
- Analyze the significance of sites, structures, artifacts, and ecofacts within their archaeological contexts and explain their relevance for people today.
- Evaluate how practices in research, conservation, and tourism to archaeological sites promote stewardship of non-renewable archaeological resources and intangible heritage.
- Critique and reflect on designs for virtual public tours of archaeological sites in Mexico or Central America and suggest improvements to best practices for the preservation and public presentation of archaeological resources.
ANTH 315. Introduction to Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces you to the discipline of archaeology, situating this discipline within the wider field of anthropology. The first part of the course presents a brief history of the discipline, introduces some foundational concepts, and explains common field research methods. The second part of the class takes you through the process of identifying, classifying, and interpreting archaeological materials. The third and final part of the class introduces you to different research areas and types of professional work within archaeology. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify major figures, sites, and trends in the history of archaeology
- Identify and describe common field and laboratory methods used in archaeology
- Construct and critically evaluate material culture typologies
- Explain and provide examples of different models of archaeological inference
- Describe and apply different theoretical approaches to the study of the human past
- Identify and describe significant areas of archaeological research and work
ANTH 318. Historical Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This survey course explores the development of historical archaeology, its methods and theory, and popular research themes within the discipline. Students will be introduced to the ways that archaeologists identify and analyze historical-period documents, oral histories, features, and artifacts, and how they use these data to deepen our understanding of the recent past. Crosslisted with: ANTH 518.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically evaluate historical sources.
- Identify and analyze common historical-period artifacts and features.
- Utilize historical and archaeological evidence in research.
- Demonstrate how historical archaeology can be used to draw attention to and highlight the contributions of diverse populations in history.
- Demonstrate improved oral and written communication skills.
ANTH 320. Anthropological Linguistics
3 Credits (3)
The study of language and culture with particular emphasis on the cultural factors in the communication process.
ANTH 330V. Magic Witchcraft and Religion
3 Credits (3)
Provides an introduction to method and theory for the study of religion, ritual, and spiritual practice. Review and discussion of case studies drawn from around the globe to enhance understanding of the varied ways that people in diverse cultural systems construct and change their religious traditions to serve practical and meaningful ends.
Learning Outcomes
- Define and identify examples of magic, science, witchcraft, and religion. Develop an understanding of the variation in cultural and behavioral practices associated with each.
- Develop knowledge and critique early approaches and concepts in the anthropology of religion and its role in explanations of cultural change.
- Develop knowledge of variation in religion as a cultural system and the experiences of liminality in rites of passage.
- Identify the statuses and roles of various kinds of religious practitioners and their positionalities vis a vis dominant and resistant ideologies and structural inequality.
- Develop critical thinking skills that speak to the relevance of different forms of religious thought and ritual practice in our daily lives.
ANTH 345. Introduction to Museology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides a broad introduction to the museum world. Through discussion of readings, examination of case-studies, and practical assignments, students will gain an understanding of the museum as an institution, as well as learn the challenges and responsibilities that museums and their staff encounter. Topics include the history of museums, contemporary debates surrounding the definition of museums, ethical and legal issues, and community connections. The course will cover various types of museums—including art, history, ethnographic, indigenous, and scientific—and discuss how these thematic orientations impact museum practice. Students will also explore common museum processes such as collecting, cataloguing, conservation, exhibition, research, and education through practical exercises using the collections of the University Museum in Kent Hall, as well as through case studies of museums around the world.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the major conceptual and practical influences on museums today—including issues of historical development, ethics, missions, and thematic orientations.
- Critically engage with diverse types of museums as cultural institutions, their practices, and the communities with whom they engage.
- Implement skills relevant to the museum profession, such as collections management, condition reporting, exhibition and programming planning, and research.
ANTH 349. Museum Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides an introduction to the methodological and theoretical approaches of museum anthropology. Students will gain experience with all these aspects of museum anthropology in the course by engaging with critical scholarship, analyzing case studies, and practicing collections-based research methods utilizing the collections of the University Museum. Through assignments students will analyze objects in the museum’s collections using techniques of close looking, drawing, photography, sequences of making, and external research using scholarly sources. Students will gain skills in primary and secondary research, the analysis of material culture, and the practicalities of navigating research in museums.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe major theoretical approaches to museum anthropology, and how these have changed over time.
- Critically engage with the intersections between museums as institutions and the practice of anthropology, including the politics of representation.
- Implement methodological research skills as a student-scholar by conducting independent research based on museum collections.
- Convert collections-based research into written and media works characteristic of scholar-facing and public-facing practice in museum anthropology, curatorship, and museum studies.
ANTH 350. Anthropological Theory
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces students to historical and contemporary theory in anthropology with a focus on understanding why theory matters in our discipline. Key questions the course explores include: How have anthropologists thought about the concept of culture in different ways throughout the history of anthropology? What is the relevance of anthropological theory, both inside and outside the discipline? What new and promising trajectories do we see in anthropological theory today? May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Trace the history of anthropological theory. You will recognize major figures and schools of thought in anthropological theory and be able to articulate their contributions to the field.
- Critically analyze anthropological concepts of culture. Throughout the course, you will hone analysis skills through discussing and critiquing various anthropological perspectives on the culture concept.
- Apply anthropological theory to contemporary anthropological “problems”. Throughout the course, you will reflect on the usefulness of anthropological theory to the field and beyond. You will be able to articulate the connections made through writing and class discussion.
ANTH 355. Biological Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
An introduction to the fundamentals of the scientific method and organic evolution specific to the study of human origins and contemporary biological variation. Non-human primate diversity and behavior are also considered.
Learning Outcomes
- Increase scientific literacy.
- Improve specific skill areas including: Critical thinking; Expository writing; Analytical reading; Oral presentation skills.
- Establish foundational knowledge as a basis for further study in: Evolutionary theory; Human variation and adaptation; Primatology; Human origins and evolution.
ANTH 356. Forensic Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
Overview of the field of forensic anthropology. Topics covered include basic human osteology; skeletal examination and documentation; skeletal trauma; personal identification; forensic taphonomy and the process of decomposition; archaeology and scene processing; sex, age, stature, and ancestry estimation; and contemporary issues and limitations in the field of forensic anthropology.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn about the scientific method and how to apply scientific findings to field work.
- Learn about the history and applications of forensic anthropology.
- Gain a practical understanding of the methods, applications, and limitations of forensic anthropology as relates to police and other investigations.
- Learn to identify human bones and the process of building a biological profile of human remains.
- Learn about decomposition and how forensic anthropologists process and interpret crime scenes.
ANTH 357V. Medical Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces students to evolutionary, ecological, interpretive, political-economic, and applied anthropological perspectives on health, illness, and healing to address some of the major questions in the field. How do humans adapt to changing environments that bring with them new illnesses and diseases? How do anthropologists understand the multiple meanings of health and illness cross-culturally? How can anthropologists effectively study health inequalities? What can medical anthropological perspectives contribute to addressing the health issues that we face in our current global context?
Learning Outcomes
- Explain medical anthropology to someone unfamiliar with the field. Meeting this goal requires that you are able to: Define medical anthropology; Define health, illness, sickness, disease, and healing; Explain basic research methods in medical anthropology; Identify the different perspectives within medical anthropology.
- Evaluate health problems from medical anthropological perspectives. Meeting this goal requires that you are able to: Accomplish goal
- Identify different medical anthropological perspectives in research and reporting on health problems; Identify what is missing (based on your knowledge of medical anthropological perspectives) in addition to what is present in research and reporting on health problems.
- Apply medical anthropological perspectives to current health problems. Meeting this goal requires that you are able to: Accomplish goals 1 and 2; Develop deeper understanding of medical anthropological perspectives by formulating “in your own words” definitions of medical anthropological perspectives; Identify multiple facets of major health issues.
ANTH 360V. Food and Culture Around the World
3 Credits (3)
Study of the interaction between food and human culture from an anthropological perspective. Examines the traditional role of food in local economies, social relations, and identity around the world. Also examines the impact of globalization on traditional food systems and cultures.
ANTH 362V. Environmental Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course examines environmental studies from an anthropological perspective. The class focuses on how cultural values mediate environmental management. The class covers topics such as environmental anthropology, large scale development, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, indigenous groups, consumption, and globalization.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will understand the impact of cultural values on how humans interact with the environment.
- Students will understand how different cultural perspectives can be used to address environmental problems.
- Students will critically reflect on their own environmental values and recognize how these values are shaped by our own culture.
ANTH 375. Pottery Analysis in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces the basic concepts, methods, and approaches used in the analysis of archaeological pottery. The purpose of the course is first to provide hands-on experience with the full range of analytical techniques routinely applied to ceramic materials recovered from archaeological sites, but to also provide a contextual framework for the interpretation and evaluation of these data. Classes consist of brief introductory lectures, and seminar presentation and discussion of course readings. Lab meetings consist of exercises designed to provide you with practical experience working with the materials and measures covered in lectures and readings. Crosslisted with: ANTH 575.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will learn the theory underlying pottery analysis as well as some of the methods used to identify and interpret pottery;
- Students will learn to think about the organization of pottery technology from a behavioral rather than a purely typological framework;
- Students will have the opportunity to develop and then evaluate a research question or problem statement within a chosen theoretical framework, as well as have the opportunity to evaluate that question or questions using both qualitative and quantitative analyses;
- Students will gain the skills needed to assess pottery analysis reports and undertake pottery analyses for senior thesis, M.A. theses, and CRM contexts.
ANTH 376. Lithic Technology Organization
3 Credits (3)
Advanced seminars and laboratory exercises to learn and develop techniques and methods that will help us determine how to interpret behavioral and cultural information from lithic (stone tool) data.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 315.
ANTH 378. Introduction to Lab Methods in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
Introduction to laboratory techniques used in the analysis of archaeological materials.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify different categories and types of archaeological materials.
- Employ common methods for analyzing material culture.
- Explain how research design determines analytical methods and shapes interpretations.
- Discuss our ethical obligation to preserve collections for future researchers, while recognizing the challenges involved in this endeavor.
ANTH 385. Internship in Anthropology
3-12 Credits (3-12)
Applied or field experience to gain professional expertise. Placements with public agencies, NGOs, or research organizations. Topical focus tailored to student's individual needs through consultation with instructor.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status, consent of instructor and GPA 2.8 or better.
ANTH 388. Intermediate Archaelogical Field School
2-6 Credits (2-6P)
Training in archaeological field methods, including excavation of archaeological sites, mapping, and data management and analysis. Consent of Instructor required.
Learning Outcomes
- Map sites/site features using a compass and tape, GPS unit, and total station/RTK GNSS receiver.
- Identify artifacts, ecofacts, and features in archaeological contexts.
- Document sites, features, and/or excavation units using appropriate forms.
- Conduct excavations using arbitrary or natural levels.
- Process/analyze archaeological materials in field/laboratory settings.
- Work collaboratively and productively with a team in a challenging field setting.
- Record your daily field activities, observations, and preliminary interpretations in a field journal.
ANTH 389. Archaeological Mapping
3 Credits (3)
Techniques for mapping archaeological sites and recording spatial distributions of archaeological data using a variety of surveying equipment and computer mapping software. This course will take you through the process of creating a detailed archaeological site plan map and record the information on the NM Cultural Resource Information System (NMCRIS). You will learn how to set up and operate a theodolite and GPS devices (both optical and total station, GNSS receivers). You will record data sufficient to make 1. a feature map; 2. a topographic map; and 3. an artifact density map on our chosen site. You will learn how to calculate horizontal distances and elevations. You will learn about the capabilities and common sources of error in the use of the equipment. You will transform your raw data and draw several kinds of maps using Surfer software.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn different methods and use of survey instrumentation to create maps of archaeological sites.
- Learn how to record and process field data needed to create a. a feature map; b. a topographic map; and c. an artifact density map on our chosen site.
- Learn to calculate horizontal distance and elevation.
- Use common mapping software – ARCGIS and Surfer to draw your maps.
- Learn about the capabilities and common sources of error in survey instrumentation.
- Produce accurate information and site maps needed to complete NMCRIS LA forms.
ANTH 399. Professionalism & Practice in Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course serves as a capstone for Anthropology majors. It offers students a writing focused opportunity to hone professional anthropological skills including critical thinking and communication strategies. All communication takes a position; it makes an argument. Students will learn and practice these skills through writing, rewriting and then rewriting again a research paper, a curriculum vitae/resume, employment letters of inquiry, and graduate school letters of inquiry. Restricted to Anthropology Majors. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn and practice written communication these skills through writing, rewriting and then rewriting again a research paper,
- Learn and practice professional verbal and visual communications through research presentations, job interviews and elevator speeches
- Identify and use anthropologically informed ethical responsibilities that pervade written, verbal and visual communication skills (e.g., goals for use of information, use of accurate information, protection of sources of information, honest attribution of credit to sources of scholarly work, sensitivity to others cultural traditions);
ANTH 402. Contemporary Medical Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
Contemporary Medical Anthropology This advanced seminar in medical anthropology addresses contemporary issues in the field of medical anthropology through theoretical and ethnographic texts. Topics span a wide range of studies in medical anthropology and may include such issues as the social production of health and illness, medical pluralism, discourses of mental health, the practice of complementary and alternative medicine, health disparities, the political economy of infectious disease, race and biological variation in biomedicine, and implementing biocultural perspectives. Crosslisted with: ANTH 546.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 301 or ANTH 355 or ANTH 357V or consent of instructor.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss current issues relevant to the study of medical anthropology.
- Apply medical anthropological concepts and ideas to theoretical and practical health issues.
- Acquire skills in the critical appraisal of ethnographic literature.
ANTH 414. The Archaeology of Religion
3 Credits (3)
The class offers an in-depth introduction to the Archaeology of Religion focusing on the theoretical framework of artifact agency. The course begins with a discussion of the role of material culture in society and religion (artifact agency theory) and then moves through a series of case studies that highlight important themes in the archaeology of religion. These themes include the Religion among the Earliest Paleolithic Cultures, Relationships between Houses and Temples, Sacrifice (Artifact, Animal and Human), New Religious Movements, and Witchcraft Persecution.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will develop a stronger understanding of the role of religious material culture in anthropology and archaeology.
- Students will develop strong research skills by applying that knowledge of material culture theory in a term paper that explores artifact agency in an ancient religion.
- Students will develop strong communication skills through the preparation of a written term paper and class power point presentation of that research.
ANTH 415. Applied Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
Examines the intellectual roots of applied anthropology and early case studies of anthropologists working as administrators. Examines the ethical and methodological approaches that applied anthropologists employ. Examination of case studies that show role of applied anthropologists in improving human service delivery, cultural preservation, planning and implementing programs of participatory change, advocacy, and economic development. Taught with ANTH 515.
ANTH 419. Topics in Prehistoric Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
Specific subjects in prehistoric archaeology as announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated up to 6 credits.
ANTH 431V. Nutritional Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides biological, ecological, and cross-cultural perspectives on human nutrition. Topics covered include human nutritional evolution, dietary adaptation, variation in human foodways and habits, relationships between diet and health, nutrition transitions, and methods for studying human diet and nutrition in field settings.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the ways in which biology, culture, and ecology shape human nutritional outcomes and dietary patterns.
- Be able to identify methods best suited to answering questions about human diet and nutrition in field settings.
- Be able to develop a research question and basic research strategy.
ANTH 433V. Sex, Gender and Culture
3 Credits (3)
This seminar course introduces students to the anthropological study of gender. We take an integrated approach to the subject, considering the ways that that different kinds of anthropological research, including archaeology, biological anthropology, ethnography, etc.,expand our understanding of the various ways gender is defined across space and time, how it is lived, and what it means to us and others. Students will review the historical context and development of this subject within the field, and will explore such topics as sex versus gender, embodiment and gendered performance, gender hierarchies, the politics of reproduction, and globalization. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and evaluate different anthropological approaches to the study of gender
- Develop and employ analytical and critical thinking skills
- Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication
- Integrate and synthesize knowledge of gender-related topics in a research paper
ANTH 435. Human Health and Biological Variation
3 Credits (3)
Overview of contemporary human biological variation and adaptability within a scientific evolutionary and biocultural framework. Special emphasis is placed on human adaptation to the environment and the sociocultural, epidemiological, and evolutionary factors that underlay contemporary issues in human health and disease. Crosslisted with: ANTH 535.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop critical thinking skills and scientific literacy through discussion, reading, and writing exercises and evaluating scientific theories, data, and research methods.
- Develop an understanding of evolutionary theory, and how human organic evolution shapes variation, adaptation, and health in contemporary human populations.
- Learn how human evolutionary history has shaped the global distribution of contemporary human biological diversity.
- Understand the scientific critique of the biological race concept, and how social inequality, particularly racism, can become embodied.
- Understand the various ways that humans adapt to the environment on different timescales.
- Study life course theory and how experiences during development impact health across the life course.
- Develop specific transferable skills, including written communication, public speaking, and information gathering (research), and for graduate students, research questions development, hypothesis testing, basic data analysis/visualization in Excel.
ANTH 436. Evolutionary Medicine
3 Credits (3)
This course provides an overview of evolutionary medicine, a field that applies evolutionary theory to understanding variation in human biology and health and treating and preventing disease. Topics covered in the course include evolutionary perspectives on diet and nutrition, chronic disease, infectious disease, cancer, stress, mental health, reproductive health, women’s health, and child growth and development.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the basic principles of evolutionary theory.
- Understand how anthropologists and medical and public health professionals can apply evolutionary theory to understand human health and disease.
- Understand both the promise and limits of evolution as an explanatory paradigm for variation in human health and disease.
- Be able to apply principles of evolutionary medicine to development of a research proposal.
- Develop collaborative and oral presentation skills through a group presentation.
ANTH 449. Directed Reading
1-6 Credits
Comprehensive reading on selected topics. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Prerequisite(s): Upper division anthropology majors with consent of instructor.
ANTH 449 H. Directed Reading Honors
1-3 Credits
Same as ANTH 449. Additional work to be arranged. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
ANTH 456. Native American Intersections in Museums
3 Credits (3)
This course explores the changing relationships and complex intersections between Native people and museums. We will examine how museum practices of collection and exhibition influence ways in which knowledge is formed and presented, and interrogate the role of museums as crucial sites for discourse around issues of ownership, indigenous knowledge and representation. Case studies revealing shifting meanings of objects, curatorial challenges, the development of tribal museums and repatriation complexities will be used to critically engage with Native responses via art, criticism and legal action. Crosslisted with: ANTH 556.
ANTH 458. Gender and Reproduction
3 Credits (3)
This course examines biocultural variation in reproductive health and birth practices. Human reproductive events like childbirth, contraception, abortion, surrogacy, fertility treatment, and conception, are not only biological in nature, but are also shaped by cultural beliefs and social, medical, and political institutions. Through cross-cultural case studies, we will examine how reproductive experiences are impacted by health-related ideas and medical technologies, and by national and international population policies. We will explore how pregnancy, menstruation, birth, menopause, and fertility control provide sites for gender formation, the reproduction of social inequalities, and state regulation of national populations.
Prerequisite: ANTH 301 or ANTH 355 or ANTH 357V or consent of instructor.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the fundamental concepts, modes of analysis, and central questions of the anthropology of reproduction.
- Gain proficiency in the use of critical thinking skills in their assessment of ethnographic writing.
- Apply knowledge of peoples’ reproductive practices, and gendered identities and sexual lifeways in a range of social contexts.
- Articulate, in oral and written forms, the central issues in reproduction and culture.
ANTH 463. Cultural Resource Management I
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces you to the field of cultural resource management (CRM) and to the federal and state laws and regulations that govern most archaeology and historic preservation projects conducted today. Class lectures, readings, and written assignments will cover the major relevant US federal laws (NHPA, NEPA, ARPA, NAGPRA); New Mexico state cultural resource laws, regulations, and permitting practices; and major international heritage laws. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding how to evaluate and nominate cultural resources for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Good oral and written communication skills are essential for success in CRM, so students will be provided with numerous opportunities to develop these skills in class.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the goals of cultural resource management (CRM)
- Describe the major laws and regulations that govern CRM in the United States, in the state of New Mexico, and abroad
- Identify some common challenges with implementing these laws and regulations
- Determine the eligibility of cultural resources for listing on the NRHP, and justify this determination
ANTH 464. Curation Crisis in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This collection management course will introduce students to collections curation, collections care, and collections-based research. Archaeological collections stewardship begins before an archaeologist steps foot into the field and continues well after the recovered collections reach the repository. This course provides students with an understanding of the curation “crisis” using archaeological collections curated at the University Museum as a case study and the responsibilities that archaeologists have to the collections they generate.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn about the maintenance of archaeological collections
- Learn about the management of, access to, and use of archaeological collections
- Learn about the curation crisis at a small museum (e.g., Kent Hall University Museum)
- Learn about collections-based research
- Learn about various ways of disseminating archaeological collections to the public
- Change the perception of the “just digging and we will deal with the collections later” approach.
ANTH 467. Archaeology of the American Southwest
3 Credits (3)
Description and analysis of the archaeology of the American Southwest including paleo-environmental reconstruction, culture change, and relations with contemporary cultures.
Prerequisite: ANTH 315.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn the culture history of the American Southwest from the Ice-Age through the Spanish Colonial Period.
- Students will learn the advances in archaeological method and theory developed in the American Southwest such as Tree-ring dating, Pottery Seriation, Paleoindian Archaeology.
- Students will develop a research interest in the region through a paper specializing in a theme and subregion e.g. Architectural change in the four corners during the 13th century, the adoption of corn in the Late archaic borderlands of southern New Mexico.
ANTH 468. Applied Medical Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces students to applications of medical anthropological perspectives to health care, international development, public health, and health policy.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the usefulness of anthropological perspectives in addressing health issues in a variety of interdisciplinary and professional settings.
- Assess the health impact of public policy from anthropological perspective.
ANTH 474. Human Osteology
3 Credits (3)
A survey of the functional, developmental, and evolutionary biology of the human skeleton. Identifying bones and teeth from hands-on experience with skeletal and dental material. Provides a foundation for human evolutionary studies, bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. May be repeated up to 3 credits. Crosslisted with: BIOL 424.
ANTH 477. Zooarchaeology
3 Credits (3)
Detailed study and analysis of taphonomic processes affecting animal bone recovered from archaeological and paleontological contexts. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
ANTH 485. Special Research Project
1-3 Credits
Anthropological, archaeological, or museum field work or laboratory experience in academic, private, state, or federal agencies. Must spend 30 hours in a field, museum, or laboratory setting per credit hour earned. May be repeated up to 6 credits.
Prerequisite(s): Complete 12 ANTH credits and consent of instructor.
ANTH 486. Community Engagement and Service Learning
3 Credits (3)
Course combines classroom instruction with a local community service project. Formal instruction component will examine social science research findings and perspectives on a locally relevant social issue or problem. In the service learning component, students will be trained and work on a local community service project. Students will develop field experience and methodological skills in community engagement. Projects and social issues may vary for different semesters.
ANTH 488. Archaeological Field School Advanced
2-6 Credits (2-6P)
Additional training in archaeological field methods for students with previous fieldwork experience. Consent of Instructor required.
Learning Outcomes
- Map sites/site features using a compass and tape, GPS unit, and total station/RTK GNSS receiver.
- Identify artifacts, ecofacts, and features in archaeological contexts.
- Document sites, features, and/or excavation units using appropriate forms.
- Conduct excavations using arbitrary or natural levels.
- Process/analyze archaeological materials in field/laboratory settings.
- Work collaboratively and productively with a team in a challenging field setting.
- Record your daily field activities, observations, and preliminary interpretations in a field journal.
ANTH 497. Special Topics
1-6 Credits (1-6)
Specific subjects to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): Junior or above standing.
ANTH 500. Seminar in Anthropological Theory
3 Credits (3)
Detailed focus on specific areas of anthropological theory. Course subtitled in the Schedule of Classes. Course may be repeated.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing in Anthropology or consent of instructor.
ANTH 502. Fundamentals of Anthropology
1-4 Credits (1-4)
Review of fundamental knowledge and theories in biological, cultural, or linguistic anthropology or archaeology. Graded S/U.
ANTH 503. Anthropological Theory
3 Credits (3)
This seminar is designed to introduce graduate students to the major concepts and developments in anthropological theory. Students will develop an understanding of the major principles, contributions, and limitations of anthropological theory from the 1890s to the present. The course will address theoretical developments in biological anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, archaeology, and public and applied anthropology.
Learning Outcomes
- Articulate the history of theoretical developments in multiple anthropological subfields and explain the holistic connections among them.
- Explain and critique the major theoretical formulations of the field, including: human biological evolution and variation; cultural relativism; practice theory; life history and formation processes of archaeological, paleontological, and contemporary sites and specimens; historical contingency in culture change and globalization; human ecology and environmental anthropology, past and present; indigenous perspectives, participatory action research, and collaborative research designs; identity and the intersections of gender, sex, race, class, and other categories, past and present; origins and contemporary variation of inequality and socioeconomic disparities; political economy, domination and resistance, past and present; the development and critique of diverse narratives of the past drawn from archaeological/material, visual and performative, documentary, and oral historical media; stewardship of tangible and intangible cultural heritage,
- Read and practice in the norms of written and verbal expression across multiple theoretical domains in anthropology.
ANTH 505. Issues in Anthropological Practice
3 Credits (3)
This is a course in professional development in which students design their thesis/non-thesis research projects and write a first draft of their capstone research proposal. The purpose is to connect the MA thesis or non-thesis research project to your future career. Professionals in anthropology should demonstrate competency in research and writing by completing an M.A. thesis or qualification equivalent (e.g. internship report, research report, which increasingly include public scholarship and the development of creative digital media). Successful completion of an original research project demonstrates that a student can conduct applied and collaborative research, complete a scope of work according to standards and guidelines of the agency, institution, or organization, and evaluate the research and contributions of colleagues and peers. Anthropologists are all called to participate in the investigation, management, and evaluation of cultural resources (tangible and intangible), address the intersectionalities within organizations and institutions that differentially impact social groups, and work with individuals and communities to achieve shared objectives that enhance engagement.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will develop and implement a research project in anthropology. We will focus on research design—from defining the research problem, funding, lit review, logistics of fieldwork, analysis, and write-up. Students will move from exploring a topic of interest to developing a proposal for investigation.
- Students will develop professional skills, ethics, values, and attitudes necessary for developing and implementing a research project and for employment in the field. They will map out a pathway to a career in anthropology. We will examine anthropological practice in academic and applied contexts. We will consider expectations and qualifications needed for different work environments and degree programs. Students will work towards matching NMSU’s MA curriculum to their professional goals. You should make the curriculum and university resources work for you.
ANTH 506. Advanced Studies in Physical Anthropology
1-3 Credits
Lectures, seminars, or laboratory research in selected topics. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing in Anthropology or consent of instructor.
ANTH 507. Advanced Studies in Archaeology
1-3 Credits
Lectures, seminars, field or laboratory research in selected topics. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing in Anthropology or consent of instructor.
ANTH 508. Advanced Studies in Cultural Anthropology
1-3 Credits
Lectures, seminars, or field research in selected topics. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing in Anthropology or consent of instructor.
ANTH 512. Quantitative Analytical Methods in Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This class is an introduction to statistical analysis of anthropological and social science data. Students will learn how quantitative and statistical techniques are used in the analysis of anthropological problems and how to evaluate statistical arguments in the literature. No previous background in statistics is required. We will consider data collection, sampling and statistical populations, exploratory summaries of data, and the importance of choosing appropriate statistical techniques. All course work will emphasize anthropological interpretation through applied statistical methods. The course has a four-field focus (archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistics), and students will work with readings, examples, and problem assignments from each subfield.
Learning Outcomes
- Articulate the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics.
- Explain the difference between a population and a sample and learn how to draw random samples (various methods – simple random, stratified, systematic, etc.) in the field and using numerical data and statistical procedures within SAS or other STATPACKS (SPSS, R).
- Use appropriate graphs, tables, and measures of central tendency and dispersion to display and summarize distributions of nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio level data.
- Understand the Normal Distribution and the assumptions required for hypothesis testing.
- Perform hypothesis testing and interpret the results for univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical procedures, including Chi Square, T-tests, Non-parametric Comparison tests, ANOVA, Correlation, Simple Linear Regression, Multiple Regression, Cluster and Discriminant Analysis (as time permits).
- Develop an exploratory statistical analysis for original anthropological data and write a final paper interpreting the results.
ANTH 514. Advanced Issues in the Archaeology of Religion
3 Credits (3)
The class offers an in-depth introduction to the Archaeology of Religion focusing on the theoretical framework of artifact agency. The course begins with a discussion of the role of material culture in society and religion (artifact agency theory) and then moves through a series of case studies that highlight important themes in the archaeology of religion. These themes include the Religion among the Earliest Paleolithic Cultures, Relationships between Houses and Temples, Sacrifice (Artifact, Animal and Human), New Religious Movements, and Witchcraft Persecution.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will develop a stronger understanding of the role of religious material culture in anthropology and archaeology and be required to lead class discussions.
- Students will develop strong research skills by applying that knowledge of material culture theory in a term paper that explores artifact agency in an ancient religion.
- Students will develop strong communication skills through the preparation of a written term paper and class power point presentation of that research.
ANTH 515. Applied Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
Examines the intellectual roots of applied anthropology and early case studies of anthropologists working as administrators. Examines the ethical and methodological approaches that applied anthropologists employ. Examination of case studies that show the role of applied anthropologists in improving human service delivery, cultural preservation, planning and implementing programs of participatory change, advocacy, and economic development. Taught with ANTH 415.
ANTH 516. Advanced Archaeology of the American Southwest
3 Credits (3)
Advanced topics in Southwestern archaeology including ritual architecture, environmental reconstruction, violence, site formation processes, and experiment and research.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will have an advanced understanding of the changes in subsistence, social organization, and material culture in the American Southwest from the Ice Age through the Spanish Entrada.
- Students will understand the history of archaeological method and theory as it played out in the archaeology of the American Southwest. They will recognize that theory determines they questions ask about the ancient peoples of the region.
- Graduate students will write a term paper (professional technical and scientific writing) that contributes to their MA projects either directly as part of a specific thesis or as extension of their interest in a topic (e.g. , identity, domestication, ritual violence) or method (e.g., pottery sourcing, faunal analysis).
ANTH 517. Advanced Topics in Mesoamerican Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
Specific subjects in Mesoamerican archaeology to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
ANTH 518. Advanced Historical Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This survey course explores the development of historical archaeology, its methods and theory, and popular research themes within the discipline. Students will be introduced to the ways that archaeologists identify and analyze historical-period documents, oral histories, features, and artifacts, and how they use these data to deepen our understanding of the recent past. Crosslisted with: ANTH 318.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically evaluate historical sources.
- Identify and analyze common historical-period artifacts and features.
- Utilize historical and archaeological evidence in research.
- Demonstrate how historical archaeology can be used to draw attention to and highlight the contributions of diverse populations in history.
- Demonstrate improved oral and written communication skills.
ANTH 519. Advanced Topics in Prehistoric Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
Seminar on specialized research archaeology.
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
ANTH 520. Ethnographic Field Methods
3 Credits (3)
Basic methodologies used in conducting qualitative ethnographic research. Projects in participant observation, ethnographic interviews, life history interviews, folk taxonomy construction, and coding of field notes.
ANTH 522. Archaeological Field School-Graduates
2-6 Credits (2-6P)
Graduate-level training in archaeological field methods, including excavation, survey, mapping, documentation, and processing/analysis of data. Consent of Instructor required.
Learning Outcomes
- Map sites/site features using a compass and tape, GPS unit, and total station/RTK GNSS receiver.
- Identify artifacts, ecofacts, and features in archaeological contexts.
- Document sites, features, and/or excavation units using appropriate forms.
- Conduct excavations using arbitrary or natural levels.
- Process/analyze archaeological materials in field/laboratory settings.
- Process archaeological materials safely so that they can be analyzed in a laboratory environment.
- Record your daily field activities, observations, and preliminary interpretations in a field journal.
ANTH 523. Archaeological Mapping
3 Credits (3)
Techniques for mapping archaeological sites and recording spatial distributions of archaeological data using a variety of surveying equipment and computer mapping software. This course will take you through the process of creating a detailed archaeological site plan map and record the information on the NM Cultural Resource Information System (NMCRIS). You will learn how to set up and operate a theodolite and GPS devices (both optical and total station, GNSS receivers). You will record data sufficient to make 1. a feature map; 2. a topographic map; and 3. an artifact density map on our chosen site. You will learn how to calculate horizontal distances and elevations. You will learn about the capabilities and common sources of error in the use of the equipment. You will transform your raw data and draw several kinds of maps using Surfer software.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn different methods and use of survey instrumentation to create maps of archaeological sites.
- Learn how to record and process field data needed to create a. a feature map; b. a topographic map; and c. an artifact density map on our chosen site.
- Learn to calculate horizontal distance and elevation.
- Use common mapping software – ARCGIS and Surfer to draw your maps.
- Learn about the capabilities and common sources of error in survey instrumentation.
- Produce accurate information and site maps needed to complete NMCRIS LA forms.
ANTH 529. Advanced Evolutionary Medicine
3 Credits (3)
This course provides an overview of evolutionary medicine, a field that applies evolutionary theory to understanding variation in human biology and health and treating and preventing disease. Topics covered in the course include evolutionary perspectives on diet and nutrition, chronic disease, infectious disease, cancer, stress, mental health, reproductive health, women’s health, and child growth and development.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the basic principles of evolutionary theory.
- Understand how anthropologists and medical and public health professionals can apply evolutionary theory to understand human health and disease.
- Understand both the promise and limits of evolution as an explanatory paradigm for variation in human health and disease.
- Be able to apply principles of evolutionary medicine to development of a research proposal.
- Develop collaborative and oral presentation skills through a group presentation.
ANTH 531. Issues in Nutritional Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides biological, ecological, and cross-cultural perspectives on human nutrition. Topics covered include human nutritional evolution, dietary adaptation, variation in human foodways and habits, relationships between diet and health, nutrition transitions, and methods for studying human diet and nutrition in field settings.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the ways in which biology, culture, and ecology shape human nutritional outcomes and dietary patterns.
- Be able to identify methods best suited to answering questions about human diet and nutrition in field settings.
- Be able to develop a research question and basic research strategy.
ANTH 533. Advanced Issues in Sex, Gender, and Culture
3 Credits (3)
Survey of the history of anthropological ideas about gender and women, and a comparison of gender roles, relations, and ideologies across a range of cultures. May be repeated up to 3 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain to others how you understand the concepts of sex, women, gender, and culture.
- Critically analyze the uses of these concepts across a range of different contexts including media, politics, cultural performance, and everyday interactions.
- Apply theoretical concepts introduced in this class to a current anthropological research problem/topic.
ANTH 535. Adv. Human Health and Biological Variation
3 Credits (3)
Overview of contemporary human biological variation and adaptability within a scientific evolutionary and biocultural framework. Special emphasis is placed on human adaptation to the environment and the sociocultural, epidemiological, and evolutionary factors that underlay contemporary issues in human health and disease. Crosslisted with: ANTH 435.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop critical thinking skills and scientific literacy through discussion, reading, and writing exercises and evaluating scientific theories, data, and research methods.
- Develop an understanding of evolutionary theory, and how human organic evolution shapes variation, adaptation, and health in contemporary human populations.
- Learn how human evolutionary history has shaped the global distribution of contemporary human biological diversity.
- Understand the scientific critique of the biological race concept, and how social inequality, particularly racism, can become embodied.
- Understand the various ways that humans adapt to the environment on different timescales.
- Study life course theory and how experiences during development impact health across the life course.
- Develop specific transferable skills, including written communication, public speaking, and information gathering (research), and for graduate students, research questions development, hypothesis testing, basic data analysis/visualization in Excel.
ANTH 538. Plants, Culture, and Sustainable Development
3 Credits (3)
Study of role of indigenous cultures and indigenous knowledge systems in plant domestication, ethnoecology, and preservation of traditional crop diversity. Examination of issues related to conserving cultural diversity, food systems, food security and biodiversity.
ANTH 539. Culture and Foodways
3 Credits (3)
Study of interaction between food and culture from anthropological perspective. Study of role of food in cultural history, social relations, ritual, and identity. Examination of impact of globalization of food systems on traditional cultures, local food systems, and food security.
ANTH 540. Cultural Resource Management
3 Credits (3)
Study of federal and state of New Mexico historic preservation laws and regulations and their application in current Cultural Resource Management and a review of relevant case studies.
ANTH 542. Cultural Resource Management II
3 Credits (3)
Continuation of ANTH 540. This course introduces students to the business and practice of doing contractual cultural resource management in the United States.
Learning Outcomes
- Map an archaeological site (meeting New Mexico state standards for archaeological survey)
- Document an archaeological site (using a Laboratory of Anthropology site form)
- Prepare a written site description suitable for inclusion in a survey report
- Analyze and present data using relevant software (e.g., Excel, Access)
- Prepare a research proposal or report (meeting New Mexico state standards)
ANTH 543. Indigenous Ways of Knowing
3 Credits (3)
This course examines Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing as a means to gain an appreciation of an epistemology and ontology that may be outside the boundaries of Eurocentric theory, concepts, and principles. Knowledge development through mythology and story telling is viewed from the nature of difference rather then comparative analysis.
Learning Outcomes
ANTH 545. Advanced Museology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides a broad introduction to the museum world. Through discussion of readings, examination of case-studies, and practical assignments, students will gain an understanding of the museum as an institution, as well as learn the challenges and responsibilities that museums and their staff encounter. Topics include the history of museums, contemporary debates surrounding the definition of museums, ethical and legal issues, and community connections. The course will cover various types of museums—including art, history, ethnographic, indigenous, and scientific—and discuss how these thematic orientations impact museum practice. Students will also explore common museum processes such as collecting, cataloguing, conservation, exhibition, research, and education through practical exercises using the collections of the University Museum in Kent Hall, as well as through case studies of museums around the world.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the major conceptual and practical influences on museums today—including issues of historical development, ethics, missions, and thematic orientations.
- Critically engage with diverse types of museums as cultural institutions, their practices, and the communities with whom they engage.
- Implement skills relevant to the museum profession, such as collections management, condition reporting, exhibition and programming planning, and research.
ANTH 546. Advanced Contemporary Medical Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This advanced seminar in medical anthropology addresses contemporary issues in the field of medical anthropology through theoretical and ethnographic texts. Topics span a wide range of studies in medical anthropology and may include such issues as the social production of health and illness, medical pluralism, discourses of mental health, the practice of complementary and alternative medicine, health disparities, the political economy of infectious disease, race and biological variation in biomedicine, and implementing biocultural perspectives. Crosslisted with: ANTH 402.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss current issues relevant to the study of medical anthropology.
- Apply medical anthropological concepts and ideas to theoretical and practical health issues.
- Acquire skills in the critical appraisal of ethnographic literature.
ANTH 549. Advanced Museum Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
This course provides an introduction to the methodological and theoretical approaches of museum anthropology. Students will gain experience with all these aspects of museum anthropology in the course by engaging with critical scholarship, analyzing case studies, and practicing collections-based research methods utilizing the collections of the University Museum. Through assignments students will analyze objects in the museum’s collections using techniques of close looking, drawing, photography, sequences of making, and external research using scholarly sources. Students will gain skills in primary and secondary research, the analysis of material culture, and the practicalities of navigating research in museums.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe major theoretical approaches to museum anthropology, and how these have changed over time.
- Critically engage with the intersections between museums as institutions and the practice of anthropology, including the politics of representation.
- Implement methodological research skills as a student-scholar by conducting independent research based on museum collections.
- Convert collections-based research into written and media works characteristic of scholar-facing and public-facing practice in museum anthropology, curatorship, and museum studies.
ANTH 556. Advanced Native American Intersections in Museums
3 Credits (3)
This course explores the changing relationships and complex intersections between Native people and museums. We will examine how museum practices of collection and exhibition influence ways in which knowledge is formed and presented, and interrogate the role of museums as crucial sites for discourse around issues of ownership, indigenous knowledge and representation. Case studies revealing shifting meanings of objects, curatorial challenges, the development of tribal museums and repatriation complexities will be used to critically engage with Native responses via art, criticism and legal action. Crosslisted with: ANTH 456.
ANTH 558. Advanced Gender and Reproduction
3 Credits (3)
This course examines biocultural variation in reproductive health and birth practices. Human reproductive events like childbirth, contraception, abortion, surrogacy, fertility treatment, and conception, are not only biological in nature, but are also shaped by cultural beliefs and social, medical, and political institutions. Through cross-cultural case studies, we will examine how reproductive experiences are impacted by health-related ideas and medical technologies, and by national and international population policies. We will explore how pregnancy, menstruation, birth, menopause, and fertility control provide sites for gender formation, the reproduction of social inequalities, and state regulation of national populations.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the fundamental concepts, modes of analysis, and central questions of the anthropology of reproduction.
- Learn how to use a cross-cultural approach to understand reproductive health.
- Gain proficiency in the use of critical thinking skills in their assessment of ethnographic writing.
- Summarize key historical and contemporary debates in the field of reproductive health.
- Apply knowledge of peoples’ reproductive practices, and gendered identities and sexual lifeways in a range of social contexts.
- Articulate, in oral and written forms, the central issues in reproduction and culture.
ANTH 560. Advanced Forensic Anthropology
3 Credits (3)
Overview of the field of forensic anthropology. Topics covered include basic human osteology; skeletal examination and documentation; skeletal trauma; personal identification; forensic taphonomy and the process of decomposition; archaeology and scene processing; sex, age, stature, and ancestry estimation; and contemporary issues and limitations in the field of forensic anthropology.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand how scientific findings from fields like biological anthropology are applied in forensic anthropology.
- Understand the history and range of applications of forensic anthropology.
- Gain a practical understanding of the methods, applications, and limitations of forensic anthropology as relates to police and other investigations.
- Gain a practical understanding of how forensic anthropologists identify human bones and the process of building a biological profile of human remains.
- Understand processes like decomposition and recovery of remains at crime scenes.
ANTH 564. Advanced Curation Crisis in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This collection management course will introduce students to collections curation, collections care, and collections-based research. Archaeological collections stewardship begins before an archaeologist steps foot into the field and continues well after the recovered collections reach the repository. This course provides students with an understanding of the curation “crisis” using archaeological collections curated at the University Museum as a case study and the responsibilities that archaeologists have to the collections they generate.
Learning Outcomes
- Learn about the maintenance of archaeological and repository collections over time
- Learn about the management of, access to, and use of archaeological collections
- Learn about the curation crisis at a small museum (e.g., Kent Hall University Museum)
- Learn about collections-based research
- Learn about the development of a small as well as large archaeological database
- Learn about various ways of disseminating archaeological collections to the public
- Change the perception of the “just digging and we will deal with the collections later” approach.
ANTH 574. Advanced Human Osteology
3 Credits (3)
Advanced Human Osteology surveying the functional, developmental and evolutionary biology of the human skeleton. Identifying bones and teeth from hands-on experience with skeletal and dental material. Provides a foundation for human evolutionary studies, bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. May be repeated up to 3 credits. Crosslisted with: BIOL 574.
ANTH 575. Advanced Pottery Analysis in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
This course introduces the basic concepts, methods, and approaches used in the analysis of archaeological pottery. The purpose of the course is first to provide hands-on experience with the full range of analytical techniques routinely applied to ceramic materials recovered from archaeological sites, but to also provide a contextual framework for the interpretation and evaluation of these data. Classes consist of brief introductory lectures, and seminar presentation and discussion of course readings. Lab meetings consist of exercises designed to provide you with practical experience working with the materials and measures covered in lectures and readings. Crosslisted with: ANTH 375.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will learn the theory underlying pottery analysis as well as some of the methods used to identify and interpret pottery;
- Students will learn to think about the organization of pottery technology from a behavioral rather than a purely typological framework;
- Students will have the opportunity to develop and then evaluate a research question or problem statement within a chosen theoretical framework, as well as have the opportunity to evaluate that question or questions using both qualitative and quantitative analyses;
- Students will gain the skills needed to assess pottery analysis reports and undertake pottery analyses for senior thesis, M.A. theses, and CRM contexts.
ANTH 576. Lithic Technology Organization
3 Credits (3)
Advanced seminars and laboratory exercises to learn and develop techniques and methods that will help us determine how to interpret behavioral and cultural information from lithic (stone tool) data. Consent of Instructor required.
ANTH 577. Advanced Zooarchaeology
3 Credits (3)
Detailed study and analysis of taphonomic processes affecting animal bone recovered from archaeological and paleontological contexts.
ANTH 578. Advanced Lab Methods in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
Examination of advanced laboratory techniques used in the analysis of archaeological materials.
ANTH 579. Qualitative Data Analysis and Interpretation
3 Credits (3)
This course focuses on methods for qualitative data analysis, both computer-assisted and non-computer-assisted, and interpretation. It includes writing up data for academic articles or theses.
ANTH 585. Method and Theory in Archaeology
3 Credits (3)
Focus on major methodological and theoretical aspects of contemporary archeology.
ANTH 587. Field Work in Latin America
3-12 Credits
Covers anthropological field methods in Latin America that also incorporate in-field lab analysis. No S/U grading.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
ANTH 596. Readings
1-6 Credits
Individual study of selected readings and topics. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Consent of instructor required.
ANTH 597. Internship
1-9 Credits
Anthropological or archaeological internship in private, state, or federal agency. May be repeated for a maximum of 18 credits. Consent of instructor required. Restricted to ANTH majors.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing.
ANTH 598. Special Research Problems
1-6 Credits (6)
Individual analytic or experimental investigations. May be repeated under different subtitles for a maximum of 6 credits. Consent of instructor required. Restricted to ANTH majors.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing.
ANTH 599. Master's Thesis
1-15 Credits
Thesis. Consent of instructor required. Restricted to ANTH majors.
Prerequisite(s): graduate standing.
Name: Lisa Muñoz, Department Administrator
Office Location: Breland Hall, Room 331
Phone: (575) 646-2725
Website: https://anthropology.nmsu.edu