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Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humans-past and present-and our physical and cultural world.

In anthropology classes, you will develop an appreciation for the rich cultural diversity exhibited by humans around the globe in both the past and present. You will also learn how to use cross-cultural analysis to compare different cultures to one another and to evaluate your own life and society.  

Traditionally, the field is divided into four sub-disciplines:

  • Cultural Anthropology:  the study of contemporary human cultures from a comparative perspective.
  • Biological Anthropology: the study of humans as biological organisms within an evolutionary framework.
  • Archeology: the study of the human past, combining the themes of time and change, using the material remains that have survived.
  • Linguistic Anthropology: the study of how language reflects and influences culture.

Careers in Anthropology

The study of humans in both biological and cultural frameworks can lay a foundation for a variety of career opportunities in the fields of education, research, health care, parks, museum curation, social work, international development, government relations, organizational psychology, non-profit management, publishing, and forensics. Anthropologists are employed by state and local governments to manage cultural resources, by health organizations, and other global bodies, like NGO’s, to design programs for different communities and cultures, and even in the business world for skills in marketing and human resources.  

Transfer ASB and ASM Credits

Some students enroll in anthropology classes because they are planning to major in Anthropology, but many other students take classes to fulfill transfer and General Education requirements for the AAS and AGS degree programs.  Additionally, anthropology classes fulfill Arizona State University's General Studies requirements in multiple areas, including ASU's B.A programs in Anthropology and ASU's B.S programs in Anthropology. Credits earned in anthropology at GCC are transferable to each of Arizona’s three state Universities.

Interested in transferring? Learn how on our Transfer web page.

Anthropology Courses at GCC

Anthropology classes fulfill various General Education requirements: Humanities (HU), Social-Behavioral Sciences (SB), Global Awareness (G), Historical Awareness (H), and Natural Sciences (SG).