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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.
An introduction to forensic anthropology, focusing on human identification through analysis of bone and teeth. Students learn the basic information used by forensic anthropologists to recognize and evaluate sex, age, stature, genetic origin, disease, and trauma. Human skeletal anatomy,…
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…
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…
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…
Students will develop knowledge about the history of curation in North America and basic collection management practices, including the maintenance and preservation of artifacts and associated documentation. Policies, responsibilities, and curatorial best practices associated with…
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…
Focusing on forced human displacements, this course explores the underlying causes of displacement, like conflict, persecution, political turmoil, and consequences of climate change, and organizations that provide essential services to asylum seekers in the U.S., Thailand, Austria, and…
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…
What is the “natural” human diet? What are the evolutionary, behavioral, and sociocultural factors influence contemporary diets? This course will introduce you to the field of nutritional anthropology, examine dietary variation throughout our species history, and explore role of evolution…
Survey of the history and culture of Egypt from its prehistoric origins to the end of the Ptolemaic Dynasty (30 BC). Within a chronological framework, we will explore the evolution of political ideology, social organization and identity, writing, economy and international relations, and…
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.…
History of ships, harbors, and human-sea interaction, particularly in the Mediterranean and Near East, until the Industrial Revolution. Covers archaeological methods for identifying and analyzing maritime sites; the evolution of shipbuilding technology and seafaring; and contemporary…
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…
Anthropology is the study of human diversity. Economics is the study of how people make decisions about resources. Economic anthropology examines the diversity of peoples' preferences, choices, behaviors, habits, activities, customs, and institutions relating to resources. When this course…
The major human issues related to contemporary conservation initiatives. As these initiatives expand and proliferate, their impact is felt more widely and acutely by local communities, and anthropologists have more opportunities to engage in the process. Examination of various conservation…
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…
Archaeological reconnaissance, survey, excavation, laboratory preparation and analysis of collected materials. Non traditional format: This course is taught in the field at an archaeological site, followed by laboratory preparation and analysis of collected materials. During the summer,…
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…
The development and use of theory in archaeology. The roots of theory in archaeology and how it impacts archaeological methods, an understanding of some of the major theoretical paradigms currently influencing archaeological research, and how to translate abstract ideas into research…
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.…
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…
Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains in archaeological contexts. The skeleton is a dynamic structure that responds to stressors in the natural and built environments, offering insights on health, human-environment interactions, and social processes in the past. This course covers…
The archaeology and history of eastern North America. Topics to be explored include Indigenous population movements, human-environment interactions, cultural differentiation and ethnogenesis, economy and exchange systems, mortuary practices, social organization and stratification, European…
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…
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…
Exploration of primate behavioral and ecological variation and understanding of the evolutionary explanations for such variation.
When this course is taught as a split level, additional requirements for graduate students: Graduate students will be assigned…
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…
See if and when courses are offered in a given semester via our downloadable course schedule.
Summer 2025 Courses
Spring 2025 Courses
Fall 2025
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