Undergraduate

Anthropology Undergraduate Degree Program

Anthropology is the study of humans in the broadest sense: biological, sociocultural, and historical.

The aim of the anthropology major at UCSB is threefold:

Prepare for graduate school those students who wish to work professionally in anthropology;
Prepare students for careers in secondary education or in social work;
Provide a background in behavioral studies for students who desire a broad education in either the biological or the social sciences.

Majors

UCSB’s Anthropology Department features four paths to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.):

An overall 2.0 grade-point average is required.
All major courses must be completed on a letter-graded basis.

If you are interested in pursuing a degree, review the Anthropology Undergrad FAQs.

Minor

UCSB’s Anthropology Department offers a minor in Anthropology.

Interested in adding a minor? Contact the Undergrad Program Coordinator.
Finished your minor? Complete the Minor Clearance Form and email it to anth-undergradadvise@ucsb.edu.

Advising

Current and prospective students should contact our advising office for any questions you may have about the following:

General Academic Advising
Petitions (Transfer Courses, Related Fields Courses, Major Change, etc.)
APF Approvals for EAP
Major Progress Checks and Graduation Checks
Minor Questions, Progress Checks, and Minor Clearance Form Approvals
GOLD Enrollment Questions
Department Room Requests
Research and Opportunities Questions
Departmental Honors Program (Senior Honors Thesis) Questions
Disabled Student Program (DSP) Proxy
Other Pertinent Matters

Meet Our Advisors

Undergraduate Program Coordinator

Abby Brindle
undergradadvise@anth.ucsb.edu

Meet With an Advisor

Email Advising
Schedule an Appointment
Visit During Drop in Hours

Undergraduate Faculty Advisor

Professor Amber VanDerwarker
vanderwarker@anth.ucsb.edu

GE and University Requirement Advising

Have questions about your GE, unit, GPA, or residency requirements?

You can reach out to the College of Letters and Science Advisors or the Transfer Center Advisors for help. It is crucial to remember that you have requirements to fulfill outside of your major, and that you should be regularly checking in with both your major and college advisors to stay on track!

Resources for Current Students

Resources for Students Majoring in Anthropology

Undergraduate Forms

Resources for Transfer Students

UCSB Funding

UCSB Financial Aid office

National/International Anthropology Organizations

General Sites for Anthropology Funding

General Science Funding

Other Funding Opportunities

Internships & Opportunities

Senior Honors Program

The Anthropology Honors Program is designed to facilitate individual research on topics chosen by the student and pursued in particular depth. Qualified majors will be invited to participate in the Anthropology Honors Program.

Minimum qualifications are junior standing (completion of at least 105 units), completion of at least 20 upper-division units in anthropology, and a grade-point average of at least 3.4.

Students must enroll in ANTH 195A during Spring Quarter of their Junior Year. Each candidate for honors then enrolls in Anthropology 195 B & C taken in consecutive quarters, under the instruction of a thesis advisor chosen by the student and approved by the department. In 195A, the student will formulate a research problem that they will pursue for the duration of the program and begin to conduct background research that will frame their research project. In 195B, the student will concentrate on reading and gathering material for the thesis. Lastly in 195C, the student will write the thesis. The Anthropology Honors thesis will be retained permanently in the department office for faculty and students to read.

Anthropology students who complete the honors program, maintain grades of B or better in Anthropology 195A, B & C and graduate with a minimum 3.4 grade-point average in the major will be awarded Distinction in the Major on university records and on their diploma.

College of Letters and Science Honors Program

Students enrolled in the College of Letters and Science Honors Program will be eligible to enroll in special honors discussion sections in some lower-division anthropology courses. Email the Undergraduate Advis ing Email for more information.

Gradudate School Application

If you are interested in furthering your education in our Graduate School Program, review the Graduate School Application Information.

Internship Opportunities

Click here for current internship opportunities. Please see the Undergraduate Program Coordinator for more information.

Anthropology Club at UCSB

The Anthropology Club at UCSB is a body of undergraduates interested in enriching their experience with the Department of Anthropology at UCSB. Our goal is to connect our fellow students with each other and to create and participate in social and academic events throughout the year.

Anthropology Club plans a number of great activities throughout the year. We welcome all interested students, regardless of major. This is a great opportunity to get a feel for the program, major, meet the people in it, and network for opportunities such as internships and volunteer work. Check out their Instagram page for more info or join the GroupMe!

AGSA Mentorship Program

The AGSA Mentorship Program (AMP) is led by graduate students and provides academic and professional support for undergraduate students in Anthropology and other departments. Check out the AMP Mentee Interest Form for more details.