How do I declare an Anthropology major?

Admitted students may submit the Change of Major form to request a new major. This form is for prospective students only. Currently enrolled students must meet with their academic adviser. Please review the admissions requirements to ensure that you are eligible for the requested major. Requests will not be processed if ineligible.

What kind of jobs can I get with a degree in Anthropology?

Archaeologist: Studying past human societies through excavation and analysis of material remains. Forensic Anthropologist: Identifying human remains in criminal investigations by analyzing skeletal features. Cultural Anthropologist: Studying living cultures to understand their beliefs, practices, and social structures. Ethnographer: Conducting fieldwork to document and analyze a specific culture Linguistic Anthropologist: Studying language in its cultural context College Professor: Teaching anthropology courses at the university level Environmental Anthropologist: Studying the relationship between humans and their environment Archivist: Managing historical documents and artifacts in a museum or library

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Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Anthropology, BA

Delve deeply into the study of humans both past and present as an Anthropology major. Anthropology is a deeply comparative and participatory discipline that prepares you for meaningful life and work in our diverse and interconnected world.

As an Anthropology major, you will examine the origins and evolution, biological characteristics, material culture and social dimensions of humankind, gaining a broad range of perspectives on the experiences and meanings of being human.
You will be exposed to the methods of inquiry and to the special knowledge and insights of anthropology.
Our program prepares you for graduate school and careers in anthropology, or for a broad range of jobs and careers in the public, nonprofit or private sectors.
Our program offers a close-knit community of students and faculty.
We direct and encourage opportunities for hands-on and experiential learning experiences, whether through research labs, field schools, internships or study abroad programs.

Your Degree Plan The WVU Difference Learn by Doing Careers and Outcomes Meet Your Community Places and Spaces Frequently Asked Questions Admission Requirements Tuition and Aid Take the Next Steps

Your Degree Plan

Intro

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human. Its immersive, field-based and interdisciplinary approach seeks to understand the full sweep and complexity of cultures across all of human history.

Tailor this major to your interests by taking one of these courses as you pursue your degree:

ANTH 350:
Latin American Culture
Ethnographic analyses of the peoples, culture, history, and politics of Latin America, and its relation to the global processes. Consideration of popular cultures, political violence and impacts of colonialism, neocolonialism and globalization.
ANTH 349 :
Human Osteology
Introduction to the anthropological study of the human skeletal system. Emphasis on the methods for identifying human remains (including identification of complete bones and important skeletal markers) and methods used to conduct a biological profile for an individual (including determination of age, sex, ancestry, and pathology/trauma estimation).
ANTH 451 :
Material Culture
Examines physical aspects of culture, including human-made and natural objects and spaces. Applies an interdisciplinary perspective that is rooted in archaeology and cultural anthropology and draws on a number of methodological and theoretical approaches.

Take advantage of special options related to this major:

Honors

Expand your curiosity — and enhance your curriculum — through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations for first- and second-year students and Honors EXCEL for third- and fourth-year students.
Explore Honors

The WVU Difference

What sets this program apart from its competitors?

Comprehensive curriculum covers three major subfields of anthropology (archaeological, biological, cultural), in addition to training in theory and methods.
A student-focused program with small class sizes, allowing for close student-faculty interaction and mentoring.
Experiential and field-based learning opportunities, often part of faculty research, through the WVU Archaeology Lab, the WV Environment and Society Lab and a faculty Research Group, as well as WVU undergraduate SURE and RAP programs.
Guidance in selecting field schools, internships and study abroad opportunities.
No academic major captures the breadth and depth of human experience like anthropology!
Earn academic credit through Eberly internship courses.
500+ scholarships awarded annually by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
Academic Enrichment Program offers funding for activities that complement, extend and enhance your academic experience.

Scholarships

Over 92% of WVU freshmen receive grants or scholarships (2022-2023).

Learn more

Learn by Doing

Learning happens outside the classroom. Get involved.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE): An 8-week WVU summer program for students interested in graduate school and research/creative work in their discipline or a related discipline. Participants work under the direction of a WVU faculty research mentor and a graduate or post-doctoral mentor. Students interested in research careers are especially encouraged to apply.
Research Apprenticeship Program RAP: A two-semester WVU program for students with limited or no research experience. Students can earn course credit and use federal work-study funds for undergraduate research apprenticeships with WVU research faculty.
Environment and Society Lab: A virtual space for teaching, collaboration and advocacy focused on the intersection of environment and society in West Virginia and Appalachia.
Research Center on Violence: Conducts research and publishes scholarly work to prevent and control violent behaviors. The research informs progressive policies seeking to reduce violence in West Virginia, the U.S. and worldwide.
Arch Lab: Offers practical archaeological experience and promotes West Virginia archaeology and the research potential of legacy collections. It's a welcoming and inclusive environment for students passionate about archaeology.
Hirshman Research Group - Archaeology Research lab
ANTH 491 Professional Field Experience
ANTH 495 Independent Study
ANTH 497 Research
Spring break or semester Service Learning Study Abroad, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Network with professionals in your field as a student member of:

Attending college will prepare you for many things. The Anthropology major will give you the following skills:

Interpersonal skills necessary to work in a team environment
Communication skills that enable individuals to convey technical information to a wide audience
Critical thinking skills necessary to perform thorough and well-constructed research
Cultural sensitivity that enables individuals to work collaboratively with diverse groups of people
Adaptability
Ability to work in challenging environments or foreign settings
Appreciation for the diversity present in humans as a species and in human populations

Live, study and pursue outside-the-classroom learning in a residence hall community that shares your interests:

Outside of the Evansdale Crossing building.

What you learn outside of the classroom is just as important as what you learn during class. We’ll help you follow your curiosity.

Careers and Outcomes

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Career Options

Anthropology graduates can pursue a variety of careers, including:

Archaeologist
Museum Technician
Design Anthropologist
Ethnographer

Where Graduates are Working

WVU Anthropology graduates have recently joined the workforce at:

University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine
George Mason University
Maryland/Legal Aid
Highmark Health
AmeriCorps
Peace Corps
National Park Service
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History
West Virginia Department of Highways

Fields of Study

Anthropology’s breadth enables you to pursue programs in many fields, such as:

Public Health
Archaeology
Public History
Museum Studies
Law
Conservation
Tourism
Nonprofits

Where Our Grads Have Studied

WVU Anthropology graduates have been accepted to graduate programs at:

West Virginia University
University of North Carolina
University of California-San Diego
UCLA
University of Kentucky
Northeastern University
University of Pennsylvania
New York University
American University
George Mason University
University of North Texas
University of Nevada-Reno
University of West Florida
MacMaster University
Mississippi State University
University of Alabama
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Wayne State University
University College London
Queen’s University of Belfast
University College Dublin
Cardiff University
Edinburgh University
Liverpool University
University of Groningen
University of Toronto

Meet Your Community

The Anthropology family will inspire and support you.

Daniel Enrique Renfrew

Professional highlights:
Professor of Anthropology, and Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Environmental anthropologist: research on community responses to toxic exposures, environmental justice, environmental subjectivity and the tensions between resource extraction and conservation; geographic focus in Uruguay (South America) and Appalachia and the Great Lakes (USA)

Author of "Life without Lead: Contamination, Crisis and Hope in Uruguay" (University of California Press, 2018)

Former Associate Editor and Interim Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology

Faculty Member, Grupo CSIC de Antropología y Ambiente [Sectorial Commission of Scientific Research on Anthropology and the Environment], Universidad de la República, Uruguay

Project Coordinator and Editor, West Virginia Environment and Society Lab
Amy J. Hirshman

Professional highlights:
Associate Professor of Anthropology

Archaeologist: Multi-method research on craft specialization and the emergence/expansion of social complexity; political economy; craft specialization; households; archaeometry (chemical characterization and petrography); social change; material culture; pedagogy; geographic focus: West Mexico (Michoacán) and West Virginia

Director, Hirshman Research Group-Archaeology Research lab

Traveling Exhibit: “Hidden No More: Researching the Enduring Impact of Native American and Enslaved People on the Evansdale Neighborhood and Morgantown, WV”

2024-2025 WVU Honors Faculty Fellow

Register Professional Archaeologist since 2004
Genesis Snyder

Professional highlights:
Teaching Assistant Professor

Historical Archaeologist: research and/or teaching interests in historical archaeology, public archaeology, history of anthropology, race and racism. Geographic focus: late nineteenth and early 20th century United States.

MA in Anthropology, Western Michigan University; ABD in Anthropology, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Principal Adviser and Point of Contact, WVU SOCA Anthropology majors
Diana Hoyos Gómez

Professional highlights:
Visiting Assistant Professor

Political anthropologist: research on political and structural violence, the state, human rights, post-conflict transitions, citizenship, peace building and rural communities. Geographic focus: Colombia and Latin America.

PhD in Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh

Teaching experience in the U.S. and abroad

Member of Anti-racism Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Olivia A. Jones

Professional highlights:
Anthropology Instructor

Bioarchaeologist: research on human skeletal assemblages, faunal versus human osteological identification, mortuary practices, archaeological collections management, best practices in museums, Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation; geographic focus: West Virginia and Greece (Europe)

Director, WVU Archaeological Training and Research Laboratory

Lead Curator, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex

Registered Professional Archaeologist since 2008

President, Council for West Virginia Archaeology

Research Associate, Max Planck Institute for Science and Human History

Rita Alcala (Snyder Furr)
BA, Women/Gender Studies; Anthropology and Sociology concentration, 2010

“I am currently the operational designer of several dual admission partnerships across Virginia, serving predominately low-income, first-generation and minority-majority student populations. The programs foster greater access to higher education and actively reduce institutional and financial barriers to bachelor’s degree attainment. The foundation I received at WVU in feminist, anthropological and sociological theories continues to inform my daily praxis by using concepts including social location, intersectionality, power, privilege and oppression while working within one of the largest social institutions influencing equality and social change. The incredible faculty and valuable education I received nurtured my passion for understanding social issues and gave me the tools requisite to dedicate my career to educational equity.”

Amanda Goush
BA, Anthropology, 2017

“While pursuing my Bachelor of Arts at WVU, I took advantage of the various courses offered through the Sociology and Anthropology program. Some courses I found truly exciting included Biological and Cultural Anthropology, Latin American Cultures and Archaeology of Ancient States. These courses allowed me to further explore my interest in anthropology and find my passion for biological anthropology. Shortly after graduation, I was offered a TA position for the human osteology course. In the last few years, I have continued my academic career to understand how biological stress and socio-cultural environments have impacted human biology. My interests have provided me with great insight into human tissue recovery. Through tissue recovery, I can apply my knowledge of human anatomy and anthropological frameworks from a clinical perspective.”

Amanda Mahany
BA, Anthropology, 2023

“Studying Anthropology at WVU gave me the opportunity to explore my interests and learn about the many applications of research. The chance to develop my own focus and the support of my instructors gave me the confidence to pursue my master's in social work at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice, where I am building on the academic foundation I received at WVU.”

Wesley Nelson
BA, Anthropology, 2022

“The WVU Anthropology Department helped direct me to a career path that I was excited about. As a small-town West Virginian, anthropology was an unknown discipline but within the first introductory class, I was ready to change my major and pursue a degree in anthropology and continue into a graduate program focused in archaeology. I now work as an Archaeologist for the West Virginia Division of Highways helping manage the state’s cultural resources on highway projects.”

Andrés Romero
BA, Anthropology and World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics, 2012

“As a first-gen student hailing from worlds where people never have the opportunity for college, receiving close mentorship as an undergraduate led me to develop an incredible trajectory of research and scholarship. Anthropology transformed my world; it spoke a grammar that resonated with my lived experiences. Genesis Snyder broke open that world for me, and Daniel Renfrew and the McNair Scholar’s program at WVU carried me along that path and are some of the reasons I am an anthropology professor now.”

Christopher Swisher, MA, RPA
BA, Sociology and Anthropology, Anthropology area of emphasis, 2023

“WVU provided me with a well-rounded education that allowed me to explore many potential career options before finding my path in archaeology, which was an easy choice after completing my first field school. To this day, I am still intrigued by the work I get to do, and I am grateful for the faculty who helped guide me here.”

Chelsea Schroeder
BA, Sociology and Anthropology, Anthropology area of emphasis, 2014

“Studying Anthropology at WVU has allowed me to take a human-centered approach in a very technical field. Without this background, I would not have found my current niche of cyber user behavior.”

FAQs

Common questions and answers about Anthropology.

- Admitted students may submit the Change of Major form to request a new major.
- This form is for prospective students only. Currently enrolled students must meet with their academic adviser.
- Please review the admissions requirements to ensure that you are eligible for the requested major. Requests will not be processed if ineligible.
- Archaeologist: Studying past human societies through excavation and analysis of material remains.
- Forensic Anthropologist: Identifying human remains in criminal investigations by analyzing skeletal features.
- Cultural Anthropologist: Studying living cultures to understand their beliefs, practices, and social structures.
- Ethnographer: Conducting fieldwork to document and analyze a specific culture
- Linguistic Anthropologist: Studying language in its cultural context
- College Professor: Teaching anthropology courses at the university level
- Environmental Anthropologist: Studying the relationship between humans and their environment
- Archivist: Managing historical documents and artifacts in a museum or library

Places and Spaces

Learn about all of the places and spaces you'll learn in.

Archaeological Training and Research Lab

The primary aim of the Archaeology Lab is to provide students with practical archaeological experience while also promoting West Virginia archaeology and the research potential of legacy collections. A secondary goal of the lab is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students to share their passion for and experiences in the field of archaeology.

Explore the Archaeological Training and Research Lab

West Virginia Environment and Society Lab

The Environment and Society Lab is a curated virtual space for critical pedagogy, community collaboration and advocacy, and creative digital and media interventions. We are anthropologists based at WVU working in the interface of environment and society, dedicated to examining the urgent environmental issues facing the people of West Virginia and Appalachia.

Explore the West Virginia Environment and Society Lab

Hirshman Research Group - Archaeology Research Lab

Current lab research involves macro and microanalysis of ceramic artifacts from the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, Michoacán and México. The lab staff are WVU undergraduate students, working through WVU RAP, WVU SURE, ANTH 497 or Federal Work-Study. Students are expected to present mini projects in the WVU Undergraduate Symposiums.

Virtual Tour
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Student Life
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Experience WVU in person and start imagining life as a Mountaineer!

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to WVU's Anthropology major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.

Tuition and Aid

How much does Anthropology at WVU cost? And how can you save?

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

View Tuition and Fees

Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

Find Scholarships

Net Price Calculator

Estimate your cost of attendance and eligibility for financial aid and scholarships at any WVU System campus.

Visit the Net Price Calculator

Ways to Save

Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending WVU in addition to university scholarships.

Financial Aid

The most important step toward funding your future with financial aid for the Anthropology major is submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

How to Complete the FAFSA

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Ready to take the next step?

Learn how to join the WVU family.

Anthropology, BA