Department Chair:

Christopher DeCorse, Chair
209 Maxwell Hall
315-443-2200

Faculty

Mona Bhan, Christopher R. DeCorse, Amanda Hilton, Azra Hromadzic, Jok M. Jok, Heather Law-Pezzarossi, Kyrstin Mallon Andrews, Shannon A. Novak, Guido Pezzarossi, Lars Rodseth, Robert A. Rubinstein, Maureen Trudelle Schwarz, Theresa A. Singleton, John Marshall Townsend, Lauren Woodard

Anthropology explores the entire range of human experiences in the past and present. Our department offers undergraduate courses covering the breadth of the discipline, including physical anthropology (the study of human evolution and biological variation); archaeology (the study of prehistoric and historic cultures through material remains); linguistics (the study of language - its structure, historic developments, and social aspects); cultural anthropology (the study of contemporary societies); and applied anthropology (the use of anthropological methods and theory to solve real-world problems). Ongoing research by our faculty and graduate students covers a broad array of topics, from slave settlements in Jamaica to women and development in India; from religious movements in Brazil to sustainable agriculture in Nepal; from forestry in Kenya to the Underground Railroad in Syracuse. Current research sites span the globe, including South and East Asia, South and North America, West and East Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Undergraduate training in anthropology is useful in many fields, including education, international business, law, journalism, cultural resources management and public service. For students interested in future graduate studies in anthropology, our program offers a solid ground in theory, methods, ethics and practical application.

Undergraduate students are encouraged to explore anthropology not only through coursework, but with direct involvement in laboratory research and field work. Our department has fully equipped archaeology and physical anthropology laboratories, providing a variety of research opportunities. A well-established archaeological field training program is offered each summer. Field experience in cultural anthropology is available through community internships, independent studies, and ongoing faculty research. We also recommend that students consider spending a semester or two in another country through the University’s SU Abroad Program, as a way of enhancing their major with true cross-cultural experience. For information, contact the Department of Anthropology Undergraduate Director.

For all Arts and Sciences|Maxwell students, successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in this major requires a minimum of 120 credits, 96 of which must be Arts and Sciences|Maxwell credits, completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements, and the requirements for this major that are listed below.

Dual Enrollments:

Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.

*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core. Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.