MAJOR/MINOR FAQ 

 

How do I declare a major in Anthropology?   

Email the Undergraduate Chair, to set up a meeting to discuss your interest in the major as well as your possible course plan. Once you have met with the Undergraduate Chair, fill out the Declare/Update Field of Study form and submit it for approval. The Undergraduate Chair will then approve the form and your degree audit will switch to the anthropology major. 

 

How do I declare a minor in Anthropology?   

Email the Undergraduate Coordinator to set up a meeting to discuss your interest in the major as well as your possible career plan. Once you have met with the Undergraduate Coordinator, fill out the Declare/Update Field of Study form and submit it for approval. The Undergraduate Chair will then approve the form and your degree audit will switch to the anthropology minor. 

 

What are the requirements of a major in Anthropology?   

Anthropology majors can choose from six different tracks (General, Biological, Medical, Cultural, Archaeology, Environmental). Each track requires three introductory courses, ten anthropology courses that vary depending on your track, and ANTH 4000: Research Seminar in Anthropology.   

 

What are the requirements of a minor in Anthropology?  

Anthropology minors must complete six anthropology (or crosslisted) courses to finish the minor. All minors are encouraged to take three introductory courses, though these are not required. No more than four courses may be taken from a single anthropology concentration. 

 

Why does Path@Penn say that I need permission to enroll in this course?   

There are many reasons you could need a permit for a course: the course could be full, there could be seats reserved for seniors, you may need a permit as an undergraduate, etc. Students are able to submit permit requests on the Path@Penn website. 

 

Can I get research funding from the Anthropology department?   

Yes! Each year the Penn Anthropology department awards select students with research funding. See the Undergraduate Research Award for more information. 

 

What ANTH classes count towards college requirements?   

The ANTH classes that fulfill College requirements always note this fact in the course description. Alternatively, students can conduct a course search in Path@Penn by entering the required code into the Course Attributes search filter.

 

Can I transfer course credits from another university or study abroad program for ANTH courses at Penn?

Yes! For transfer students, this process starts with the Office of Admissions. For courses away/study abroad credits, students can submit requests and check the status of their requests through XCAT. Students should be aware that there is a limit of four courses away/study abroad credits that can be applied to the anthropology major. Transfer students do not have the same credit limitations when bringing transfer credits to the major. More information about these processes can be found here.

 

Can I submatriculate in the Anthropology department?   

Yes! Students can apply to the submatriculation program to receive both their BA and MA degrees simultaneously. Detailed information about the submatriculation program can be found here. 

 

What does it mean to "graduate with honors" in the Anthropology department?   

To graduate with honors a major must complete a senior thesis and maintain a GPA of 3.5 for all courses applied toward the major (you can check your major GPA through Penn in Touch).  

 

What does completing a thesis entail?   

Students completing a senior thesis must take both ANTH 4000: Research Seminar and ANTH 4010: Senior Thesis, before they graduate, under the supervision of their faculty thesis advisor. These two classes can be taken during the same semester, or ANTH 4010 can be taken the semester after ANTH 4000. To begin the process of completing a thesis, students should contact the faculty member they would like to work with and discuss research possibilities. Once you have chosen a research topic/title and have agreed upon a research curriculum with your advisor, submit the online Senior Thesis Proposal Form.  

 

Can I work with faculty in the Anthropology department?   

Yes! The best route to working with a faculty member is to ask! If you are not sure who you would want to work with, email the undergraduate coordinator to discuss your interests and we can advise you on who works in those areas.   

 

I have a question about something on my worksheet, what should I do?   

If it has to do with your major/minor, email the undergraduate coordinator with your question. 

 

Can I study abroad as an Anthropology major?   

Absolutely! Check out our research section for more info.  

 

What do Penn Anthropology alumni do after graduation?  

Career Services has lots of information on this topic. The anthropology department website also has many resources for students beginning their careers. 

 

What is Anthrofest?  

More about Anthrofest here!   

 

I think I want to be an Anthropology Major/Minor, but I'm not sure...  

No problem! Email the undergraduate coordinator to set up a meeting to talk about your interests and how you might fit into the program.