Anthropology Track

Track Advisor

John M. Janzen
jjanzen@ku.edu

By means of a cooperative agreement between the Department of Anthropology and the Archaeological Research Collections (ARC), a student pursuing a Master’s in Museum Studies can opt for a study track emphasizing anthropology.  This track provides the necessary background to qualify for positions in anthropology museums, as well as in the broader field of cultural resource management. Courses provide students with an introduction to the breadth and interdisciplinary nature of anthropology, and a familiarization with anthropological approaches to material culture and associated documentation. Study of archaeology, socio-cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology gives students the theoretical and practical training (through an internship) necessary for understanding the nature of anthropology museums and collections. Courses in the anthropology track are offered by the faculty of the Department of Anthropology. The faculty includes members of the four primary subdisciplines (biological anthropology, archaeology, socio-cultural anthropology, and linguistics).

Requirements

Students pursuing the Anthropology track will be required to complete 18 credit hours of course work in Anthropology, 18 hours of required Museum Studies courses, and 6 hours of internship, distributed as follows:

1. Required Museum Studies courses (18 hours)

2. Required Anthropology courses (9 hours)
   
   Two courses selected from the following four courses:
   
   ANTH 701 History of Anthropology (3). Development of the field of anthropology and its relations with intellectual history. Emphasis on method and theory in historical context.
   
   ANTH 702 Current Archaeology (3). An introduction to fundamental theoretical orientations and methodological approaches in world archaeology. Case studies illustrate data acquisition, dating methods, culture history, paleoenvironmental models, and culture processes.
   
   ANTH 703 Current Biological Anthropology (3). The fundamental issues, methods and theories in contemporary biological anthropology.
   
   ANTH 704 Current Cultural Anthropology (3). The fundamental issues, methods and theories in contemporary cultural anthropology and anthropological linguistics.
   
   
   One “collection based” course. Representative courses are listed below:
   
   ANTH 519 Lithic Techology (3) An introduction to the analysis and interpretation of prehistoric stone industries. Topics discussed include origins and development of lithic technology, principles of description and typology, use and function of stone tools; interpretation of flint knapping.
   
   ANTH 520 Archaeological Ceramics (3). Practicum in the method and theory of pottery analysis in archaeology. Topics include manufacturing techniques, classification, and compositional analysis of pottery artifacts as well as strategies for interpreting the role of ceramic vessels in food production, storage, and consumption; social and ritual activities; trade and exchange; and the communication of ideas.
   
   ANTH 521 Zooarchaeology (3). This course is intended to complement faunal identification with practical involvement in analyses and interpretation of archaeological faunal assemblages using a variety of modern methods. Students will participate in the study of specific archaeological faunal remains, development of comparative zooarchaeoloigcal collections, and in middle-range research to document the variety of agents which affect faunal remains.
   
   ANTH 522 Paleoethnobotany (3). This course discusses the relationships between past human groups and their plant environment including the use of plants for food, fuel, shelter, and household articles. Topics include a review of the development of paleoethnobotanical research, methods and techniques of data recovery, basics in plant identification, methods of data quantification and interpretation, and current research topics. In addition to selected readings, students will participate with the development of comparative botanical collections and the interpretation of botanical remains recovered from archaeological contexts.
   
   ANTH 582 Ethnobotany (3). Course will involve lectures and discussion of Ethnobotany – the mutual relationship between plants and traditional people. Research from both the field of anthropology and botany will be incorporated in this course to study the cultural significance of plant materials. The course has 7 main areas of focus: 1) Methods in Ethnobotanical Study; 2) Traditional Botanical Knowledge – knowledge systems, ethnolinguistics; 3) Edible and Medicinal Plants of North America (focus on North American Indians); 4) Traditional Phytochemistry – how traditional people made use of chemical substances; 5) Understanding Traditional Plant use and Management; 6) Applied Ethnobotany; commercialization and conversation (focus on traditional harvest of plant materials); 7) Ethnobotany in Sustainable Devleopment (focus on medicinal plant exploration by pharmaceutical companies in Latin America).
   
   ANTH 648: Human Osteology (4) Techniques in bone identification, sex, race, age determination, stature reconstruction, paleopathology, and bone biology are reviewed.
   
   ANTH 699 The Anthropology Museum (3). The history, philosophy, and function of anthropological museums including a consideration of archaeological, ethnographic, and physical anthropological collections as records, research tools, and as resources for cross-cultural experiences. Special attention will be devoted to the Museum of Anthropology at KU.
   
   ANTH 740 Linguistic Data Processing (3). The tools and techniques necessary to analyze linguistic fieldwork data, including research design, recording and elicitation techniques, computational data processing and analysis, and field ethics. Techniques of research, field recording, and data analysis technology. Methods of phonetic transcription, grammatical annotation, and analysis of language context. Practice of techniques via short studies of at least one language.
   
   ANTH 794 Material Culture (3). The historical and cross-cultural study of artifacts as embodiments of technological, social, organizational, and ideological aspects of culture.

3. Elective Anthropology courses (9 hours)
   
   Three elective courses in anthropology at the 500-level or above selected in consultation with the student’s anthropological advisor.

4. Internship (6 hours)
   
   ANTH 799 Anthropology Museum Apprenticeship. Provides directed, practical experience in research, collection care and management, public education, and exhibition of anthropological collections. Apprenticeships are coordinated to suit the particular requirements and interests of each student.

5. Written or oral master’s examination.
   
   A three-member examining committee will be selected by the student in consultation with the student’s anthropological advisor. The committee must include three members of the graduate faculty, at least two from the Department of Anthropology and at least one with training or substantial experience in museum studies.

For more information on the Department of Anthropology, click here.