Anthropology
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
1111 Woods Hall
Phone: 301-405-1423
anthinquiry@umd.edu
http://bsos.umd.edu/anth/
Anthropology has a strong commitment to preserving and transmitting the knowledge of the past, illuminating the challenges of the present, and contributing to their solutions and shaping the future. We are known for our strong theoretical orientation and are nationally recognized for having an excellent program in applied anthropology. Our department is prepared to further collaborations within the university, locally, and globally.
Chair: B. Pavao-Zuckerman
Professors: J. Chernela, M. Leone, J. Richardson, P. Shackel
Associate Professors: S. Brighton, C. Getrich, G. Hambrecht, K. Lafrenz Samuels, A. Lopez, T. Sangaramoorthy
Assistant Professors: M. Brown, Y. Orr, L. Shaffer, M. Thomann
Lecturers: M. London, J. Messing
Affiliate Professors: A. Bolles (WMST), L. Frederik Meer (THET), J. Hanna, R. Harrison (CMLT, LASC), S. Kim (WMST), D. Linebaugh (HISP)
Adjunct Professors: S. Abbott-Jamieson (NOAA), M. Butler, T. Cederstrom, C. Crain (LTG Associates), S. Fiske (NOAA), A. Froment, S. Huertin-Roberts, J. Kunen (USAID), B. Little (National Park Service), F. McManamon (National Park Service), M. Mieri (Smithsonian), C. Puentes-Markides, D. Russell (USAID), J. Schablitsky (MD SHA), J. Schneider, R. Sobel (Smithsonian), N. Tashima (LTG Associates), R. Winthrop (BLM)
Professors Emeriti: E. Chambers, J. Freidenberg, F. Jackson, M. Paolisso, T. Whitehead
The primary advisor for students in the Anthropology major is the undergraduate advisor. The advisor is available to students during appointments, walk-in hours, and by phone and email. The advisor is responsible for helping students plan their successful completion of the Anthropology major. Students will work with the advisor for an orientation to the department, status on degree progress, administrative approval for special course enrollment, academic audits, and graduation clearance. In addition, students should consider the Undergraduate Advisor a resource for general academic and career advice during their time at Maryland.
The office of the undergraduate advisor is supervised and supported by the director of undergraduate studies (a faculty member) in the Department of Anthropology. In addition, all faculty members in the department may serve as faculty advisors to students. For more information, or to contact the director of undergraduate studies or undergraduate advisor, please call 301-405-1423 or go to http://bsos.umd.edu/anth/.
Academic Programs and Departmental Facilities
The Anthropology department offers beginning and advanced course work in four principal subdivisions of the discipline: archaeology, cultural anthropology, ecological anthropology, and medical anthropology. Within each area, the department offers some degree of specialization and provides a variety of opportunities for research and independent study. Laboratory courses are offered in ecological anthropology. Field schools are offered in archaeology. The interrelationship of all branches of anthropology is emphasized.
The Anthropology department has a total of five laboratories, which are divided into teaching labs and research labs. The department's four archaeology labs, containing materials collected from field schools and research projects of the past several years, serve both teaching and research purposes. The other laboratory is a teaching laboratory in ecological anthropology. The Center for Heritage Research Studies, located in the Department of Anthropology, focuses on research devoted to understanding the cultural characteristics of heritage and its uses.
The undergraduate curriculum is tied to the department's Master in Applied Anthropology (M.A.A.) program; accordingly, preparation for non-academic employment upon graduation is a primary educational goal of the department's undergraduate course work and internship and research components. The department also has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program. Students at the graduate level are asked to focus in one of three areas of faculty expertise: Health, Heritage, and Environment.
Undergraduate Research Experiences
There are several undergraduate research experiences available for students. For more information, please see our website: http://bsos.umd.edu/anth/.
Fieldwork Opportunities
The Department of Anthropology encourages students to explore its field school and study abroad opportunities which include, summer archaeology field schools including field schools in Iceland and Ireland, and an ethnographic field school in the Brazilian Amazon.
For more information, see our website: http://bsos.umd.edu/anth/.
Internships
All undergraduate students are encouraged to do an internship. There are many non-profit and government agencies in the Baltimore-Washington area that are willing to support Anthropology interns. For more information, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Undergraduate Advisor.
Honors Program
The Anthropology department also offers an Honors Program that provides the student an opportunity to pursue in-depth study of his or her interests. Acceptance is contingent upon a 3.5 GPA in anthropology courses and a 3.0 overall average. The Honors Citation is awarded upon completion and review of a thesis to be done within the field of anthropology. For additional information, students should contact the Director of Departmental Honors Program, Dr. Stephen Brighton, 301-405-3700; Email: sbrighto@umd.edu.
Student Societies and Professional Organizations
Anthropology Student Association (ASA): An anthropology student association that meets regularly to plan student events and to help coordinate various student and faculty activities. For meeting times contact the Undergraduate Advisor.
Scholarships and Financial Assistance
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) administers all types of federal, state and institutional financial assistance programs and, in cooperation with other university offices, participates in the awarding of scholarships to deserving students. For information, visit: http://financialaid.umd.edu.