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Exploration of the scientific principles governing natural systems and their contribution to understanding the emergence and biological evolution of humans, the role of environment in shaping human behavioral and cultural variation, and the consequences of human activity on local, regional…
Students are introduced to the most famous archaeological sites in the world, with themes centered around the following: evidence of early humans, first cities, death and burial, art and architecture, ritual and religion, warfare, sacrifice, conflict, and great inventions.
Students will learn the art and science of asking and answering quantitative questions about the human condition, within and between cultures. In this class, we will turn numbers into meaningful data through the application of rational and critical thinking and basic mathematical skills.…
Biological anthropology is the study of human biological evolution and biocultural variation. In this course, students will learn about the interdependent relationships between the environment, human adaptation, health, and culture, including human-induced effects on the environment, as…
Exploration of the complete story of human evolution, from our origins in Africa, our affinities with all primates, and our modern biological and cultural adaptations.
Introduction to anthropological study of the biology and behavior of humans and the primates. Concepts of macro and microevolution, adaptation, cell and genetics, paleontology, human and primate origins, bioarchaeology and biomedical anthropology. Observational and hands-on activities are…
Course introduces cultural anthropology as a profoundly useful way of thinking about the contemporary world. Students will develop skills to study beliefs, institutions, and diversity revealing things taken for granted that matter a great deal. They will identify, interpret, and evaluate…
The exploration of the many ways that sport and other forms of physical activity help us understand the human condition. We will use games, sports, and other activities to examine the biological and historical foundations of physical activity and consider the cultural, socioeconomic, and…
Provides the basic foundations for conducting ethnographic fieldwork. Students will explore the unique strengths and utility of an ethnographic approach; learn how to conduct ethnographic techniques through hands-on, experiential learning activities; and apply these skills to a research project…
This course is about past human-environmental relationships and what they may mean for the present day. Students learn how humans changed their natural environments in the past, how past peoples reacted to resulting social, cultural, and climatic changes, and how this may inform on current…
Contemporary assessment of the multiple ways in which societies understand, value, regulate, and engage with water. Provides an international perspective on the relationship between water and culture, with a focus towards global sustainability. Non traditional format: This course will be…
The origins, causes, and consequences of warfare in human societies from the Paleolithic to the twenty-first century. Ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological data will be employed to evaluate the relationship between conflict and cultural change.
Introduces students to the field of archaeology. Students will gain a basic understanding of the history of archaeology as a discipline, the nature of archaeological data, the core concepts and various methodologies used by archaeologists, and how archaeologists use anthropological…
Introduction to the processing, classification, and analysis of archaeological artifacts common to Georgia and the southeastern United States. Non traditional format: Lecture will be presented within laboratory format to allow strong hands-on component to the course.
Exploration of Old World prehistory from the Paleolithic until the Iron Age. Students will learn about developments that occurred throughout Europe, including hominin relations, agriculture and sedentism, and emerging urbanism. Developments in theories and methods in regard to Old World…
This course explores the historical and contemporary circumstances that have shaped Native American and First Nations peoples from the sixteenth century to the present. This includes legacies of settler colonialism, displacement, and structural violence, processes of revitalization,…
How health is shaped by beliefs, behaviors, and conditions in the United States. What is health and what does it mean to be healthy for different groups in the United States? In our examination of U.S. healthcare, we will begin with a discussion of how culture shapes health. We will then…
This course empowers students by teaching them how to turn their degree in anthropology into a career. Themes explored include professional qualifications, standards, ethics, job searches, CV and resume building, and communication skills. Academic and applied pathways are explored.…
Practical training in tree-ring research methods, including field collection, sample preparation, tree-ring measurement, dating, and analysis, using both modern forest and archaeological and heritage wood samples in the UGA Tree-Ring and Wood Analysis Lab collections. Includes potential field…
Introduction and training in dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) methods and overview of the tree-ring record's interdisciplinary applications in archaeology, art history, climate, and ecology. Includes lecture and hands-on activities using ancient to modern wood samples from UGA Tree-Ring…
Students will learn about the social, cultural, economic, and political processes that have contributed to the evolution of cities in ancient and modern societies. Students will be able to identify and interpret similarities and differences in urbanization processes, urban features, and…
Explores contemporary and past hunter-gatherer societies. The course examines cultural anthropologists' attempts to understand the similarities and differences between the lives of foragers and ourselves, ecological anthropologists' attempts to explain diversity of foraging behaviors, and…
Animal remains recovered from archaeological sites, studied in light of zoological and archaeological methods and theories and interpreted in terms of human and animal behavior.
When this course is taught as a split level, additional requirements for graduate…
Agriculture and farmers in a cross-cultural, deep-time perspective, from the domestication of plants and animals 10,000 years ago, to how farmers throughout the world make ends meet while coping with risk and uncertainty, to the place of farming and farmers in the modern world system.…
Supervised work experience with a natural history collection. Students will learn techniques and other procedures for curating materials in a collection of their choice under the direction of collection personnel.
Students will maintain regular, weekly work schedules totaling 7 hours per…
A survey of archaeological evidence for the transition from foraging to farming and herding throughout the world, its causes, and its consequences. Emphasis is on evidence obtained from archaeological studies of human, plant, and non-human animal remains from archaeological sites in Africa…
Supervised experience with public agencies, private industry, or non-profit organizations working in anthropological related areas, such as internships in ethnographic investigation, environmental impact assessment, archaeological endeavors, museum collections, conservation, heritage…
The role of disease in the human experience. Students will draw on information from medical anthropology, epidemiology, human adaptation, disease ecology, and evolutionary biology to examine how diseases have been shaped by human-environmental interactions, culture, individual behavior,…
Through hands-on experience, students will be trained in different methods and techniques for conducting all phases of archaeological field and laboratory work, including surface survey, remote sensing, excavation, data and material recovery, recording, processing, and analysis. Students…
Students will gain an understanding of different approaches to studying the evolution of monumental architecture and sculpted monuments. Students will utilize archaeological and historical data to recognize patterns and interpret trajectories in monumentality across time and space.…
Human osteology is the study of our bones. Osteology is relevant to disciplines that depend on detailed knowledge of the human body, e.g., forensic anthropology and paleoanthropology. Students will learn to identify and describe bones and use a comparative approach to understand their…
Introduction of the theoretical framework of Conservation Biology using primates as examples, including population demographics, life-history strategies, primate ecological services, human activities affecting primate populations (e.g., habitat loss, hunting, climate change), and…
Advanced introduction to studying and analyzing material culture. Focuses on studying physical and chemical properties of objects and sites. Includes visits to labs and facilities on campus to allow direct observation and hands-on participation. This course acts as the capstone for…
This course integrates evolutionary theory, conservation science, and art. Students research scientific concepts and develop creative projects that translate them into accessible communication. Through active learning, guest lectures, and workshops, the class emphasizes creative problem…
Exploration of the institutional frameworks employed to govern human-environmental interactions. Conventional and critical perspectives on idealized institutional forms (e.g., state, market, community) and governance trends will be covered. Taught in seminar format designed to advance…
This capstone course enables final-year Forensic Science minors to synthesize and apply interdisciplinary knowledge through seminars, professional development, and an independent thesis or project. Students explore scientific foundations, career and graduate pathways, and professional…
See if and when courses are offered in a given semester via our downloadable course schedule.
UGA Schedule of Classes
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