Department of Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of human cultural and biological diversity and complexity across time and space. It explores human evolution, global cultures, material remains of past civilizations, and societies that shape our contemporary world.
Our sociocultural anthropology faculty are internationally recognized for research on a variety of human questions around the world, including those related to the study of contemporary religion, politics, and society; youth culture, gender, and sexuality; food and film; illness, suffering, and inequality; mental health and psychological development, care, and ethics over the life course; and migration, human rights, and democratic transitions.
Our biological anthropology faculty conduct cutting-edge research in paleoanthropology, primate and mammalian evolution, and the evolutionary biology of human and primate health, diet, reproduction, genetics, behavioral ecology, and social systems. They run both field projects in a number of countries and on-campus laboratories.
Our archaeology faculty drive innovative research in uncovering the past, using advanced field and laboratory methods to explore early urbanization, human-environment interactions, long-term change in environments, agricultural systems, heritage preservation, and cultural transformations that have shaped societies over time.
For undergraduates, we offer three specializations:
- Our Specialization in Sociocultural Anthropology prepares students for careers in education, law, business, international relations, development, and related fields.
- Our Specialization in Biological Anthropology prepares students for careers in medicine and public health, laboratory research, evolutionary and wildlife biology, environmental management, and conservation.
- Our Specialization in Anthropology, Health & Medicine prepares students for careers in medicine and public health, international relations, development, and related fields, offering students a more biosocial course of study within Anthropology.
Each specialization prepares students for the strongest graduate programs in the field. We also offer a joint major in Anthropology & Religion, as well as minors in Anthropology and in Medical Anthropology.
The opportunity to pursue honors in the major is available to academically qualified students.
Study abroad is strongly encouraged and many programs within and outside of BU can count for units in anthropology.
Instructional & Research Facilities
Department resources include teaching and research laboratories, skeletal collections, a world-class collection of fossil hominin casts, hormonal and nutritional laboratory analyses, genetic analyses, and computational labs dedicated to primate databases, video, GIS, camera traps, bioacoustics, and morphometric analysis. Many of our labs can be found in the Stone Science Building, including: the Hormone & Nutrition Laboratory, Sensory Morphology and Anthropological Genomics Lab (SMAGL), Biochemical Anthropology Laboratory, Bioarchaeology and Heritage Laboratory, Environmental Archaeology Laboratory, Zooarchaeology Laboratory, and Geospatial Laboratory. Through research-for-units courses and directed studies, students can work with faculty, graduate students, and postdocs in these labs; they may also be invited to participate in fieldwork around the world. For a full list of our state-of-the-art laboratories, please visit the department Laboratories page.
Organizations
Anthropology in the Works is a student-run club that offers undergraduate majors the opportunity to socialize; meet and network with faculty and graduate students; participate in anthropological events; visit local museums and zoos; and learn about grant, intern, and fieldwork opportunities. The club is open to majors as well as nonmajors and maintains an active social media presence.
