Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a holistic view of human cultures. They are to appreciate that the global species is a social and cultural as well as a biological organism, with a past that is both historic and prehistoric. A student who wishes to emphasize socio-cultural anthropology will demonstrate a fundamental appreciation of diverse human and institutional behavior.
2. Appreciate and demonstrate how anthropologists investigate the past using the methods of the social sciences and the natural sciences, particularly geography and geology. They demonstrate comprehension of anthropology’s special role in making archaeology(particularly the study of prehistoric Ohio, woodland North America and Mesoamerica) come to life and become relevant for them. In addition, they gain a special appreciation of archaeology’s other mandate — the need to conserve the precious heritage of the archaeological record, not only Ohio’s but that of the Americas and the Old World as well.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of biological anthropology as the most relevant evolution science, the one which gives them an appreciation of their own place in nature. They see the two dimensions of human evolution and adaptation: a global one (modern human variation) and a deep temporal one (human origins). Both dimensions require an appreciation of the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution, which includes both the process of natural selection and also the roles which genetics and developmental biology play in adaptation and evolution. They appreciate the urgency of primate and rainforest conservation.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• GRE scores
• Goal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
  • Minimum 50 PTE score
  • Minimum 100 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Application Deadlines

Fall Semester

• Priority deadline: February 1
  Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students are encouraged to select at least one course in either linguistics or statistics in consultation with their advisors. Students may be permitted to present a maximum 6 credit hours of coursework from outside of anthropology. The 6 credit hours, however, are expected to relate to the course of study being pursued (all cases will be considered on an individual basis, and outside courses must be selected in consultation with the advisor and the coordinator of graduate studies). Students wishing to take statistics or linguistics courses from outside of anthropology may be permitted to do so without those credit hours counting against their allotted 6 credit hours, in the event that the courses are not available within the department when they are needed.

²

By the end of the first semester of graduate work, students should select two members of the graduate anthropology faculty, in addition to their principal advisor, to constitute a thesis committee. This committee must approve the thesis before it is submitted to the College of Arts and Sciences. Students should arrange for the appointment of this committee with the graduate coordinator for anthropology. A completed written thesis must be unanimously approved as a work of professional caliber as to content and form by a thesis committee of three graduate faculty. This thesis will be defended orally by the student. The defense is not to be considered a mere formality. The committee may range beyond the actual content of the thesis to questions about concepts, methods, theories upon which the thesis is based and about the content of relevant studies included in the bibliography of the thesis. In cases in which the faculty believe that a student’s career would be better served by additional coursework rather than a thesis, 6 credit hours of additional coursework may be substituted for the thesis. The additional courses should compose an intensive investigation within the student’s specialty. Permission for using the non-thesis option must be arranged through the graduate coordinator. In the very rare cases where a student is granted permission to use the non-thesis option, special written comprehensive examinations will be required.

Graduation Requirements

• No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
• Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.

Formal final examinations are administered in ANTH 68230, ANTH 68430 and ANTH 68630. Students who do not pass these examinations (earning "Unsatisfactory") may be dismissed from the program. Students who do not earn a minimum B grade in these courses will be required to pass an appropriate additional examination. Students who earn less than a C grade in any of the courses cannot subsequently qualify for an M.A. degree in Anthropology.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Gain an understanding of basic forensic anthropological techniques and biological processes relevant to death investigations, including a working knowledge of bone biology and body decomposition. 
2. Learn the workflow of forensic DNA laboratories, beginning with evidence examination, continuing through the benchwork steps of DNA analysis and ending with statistical evaluation. 
3. Become familiar with courtroom procedures, specifically those relevant to criminal cases that include biological evidence, and deliver related testimony as they develop an understanding of the responsibilities and privileges of an expert witness.

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology is for students who wish to acquire in-depth training in archaeology and biological anthropology. The program is more structured in terms of course requirements than the B.A. degree in Anthropology and provides students with methods and theory that will prepare them for graduate school and future careers in the discipline.

The Anthropology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Archaeology concentration provides students with in-depth training in analysis and field opportunities, as well as coursework in archeological theory and cultural ecology. The program emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of archaeology. Students take courses in geography, geology and mathematics; and have the option of chemistry or physics courses, depending on interests and aspirations. The program features hands-on training using the latest technologies, including morphometric analysis, material properties testing, artifact replication, digital recording and mapping equipment. Areas of specialization include experimental archaeology, Old World Paleolithic archaeology and North American archaeology.
• The Biological Anthropology concentration trains students in aspects of evolutionary theory, human evolution and human variation. Coursework includes studies of living primates, their anatomy, behavior, ecology and conservation. Laboratory work for genetics, endocrinology, bone biology and neurobiology are available for undergraduate training. Additionally, the freshmen human evolution laboratory enhances the learning process in the biological aspects of human nature.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Acquire a foundational view of human cultures and an extensive knowledge base of diverse human behavior.
2. Demonstrate broad skills in social, physical and biological sciences.
3. Understand how social scientists think and apply their findings.

Graduates of the Archaeology concentration will be able to:

1. Learn how anthropologists investigate the past combining the methods of social and natural scientists.
2. Demonstrate comprehension of anthropology’s special role in making archaeology (particularly the study of the ancient Americas) come to life and become relevant for them.
3. Gain a special appreciation of archaeology’s other mandate—the need to conserve the precious heritage of the archaeological record, both in the New World and the Old World.
4. Demonstrate thorough knowledge of general chemistry and/or physics,  fundamental mathematics, as well as specific areas of geology and geography.

Graduates of the Biological Anthropology concentration will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of biological anthropology as the most relevant evolution science, the one which gives them an appreciation of their place in nature.
2. See the two dimensions of human evolution and adaptation: a global one (modern human variation) and a deep temporal one (human origins). Both dimensions require an appreciation of the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution, which includes both the process of natural selection and the roles which genetics and developmental biology play.
3. Demonstrate thorough knowledge of general chemistry and fundamental mathematics, as well as specific areas in the biological sciences.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Archaeology Concentration Requirements

¹

Students take the lectures and associated labs in either chemistry or physics.

Biological Anthropology Concentration Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Graduation Requirements

• To fulfill the diversity requirement, students must take a domestic diversity course that is not an ANTH course.

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.S.

• Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 8 credit hours of foreign language.¹ 
• The following programs are exempt from this requirement: The Bachelor of Science in Cybercriminology and the Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science.²
• Minimum Elementary I and II of the same language

¹

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University; or (3) demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 8 credit hours and two courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

²

The Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science exemption exists under another college policy (Three-Plus-One Programs). The Bachelor of Science in Cybercriminology exemption is due to its extensive collaboration with and contribution from the Information Technology program in the College of Applied and Technical Studies, which does not have a foreign language requirement.

Roadmaps

Archaeology Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Biological Anthropology Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology focuses on human cultural and biological diversity and the impact on past and present environments. Anthropology’s relevance to other areas of study — including sociology, social-psychology, biology and pre-medicine — links it to culture area studies, community planning and public health.

The Anthropology major provides in-depth area studies in cultural anthropology, archaeology and biological anthropology. Students who focus on the biological aspect of human evolution benefit from the freshman-level human evolution laboratory.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Learn how anthropologists investigate the past using the methods of social scientists.
2. Demonstrate comprehension of anthropology’s special role in making archaeology, particularly the study of prehistoric Ohio, come to life and become relevant for them.
3. Gain a special appreciation of archaeology’s other mandate — the need to conserve the precious heritage of the archaeological record — not only in Ohio, but also that of all the eastern woodlands and the Americas.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of biological anthropology as the most relevant evolution science, the one that gives them an appreciation of their place in nature.
5. See the two dimensions of human evolution and adaptation: a global one (modern human variation) and a temporal one (human origins). Both dimensions require an appreciation of the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution, which includes both the process of natural selection and the roles which genetics and developmental biology play.
6. Achieve a holistic view of human cultures and an extensive knowledge base of diverse human behavior.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Graduation Requirements

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus