UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, anthropology consists of several subfields, including: archaeology—the investigation and analysis of the remains from past cultures, uncovered through excavation; biological anthropology—the study of human evolution and the roots of the biological and genetic diversity found among contemporary peoples; and sociocultural anthropology—the comparative study of society, politics, economy, and culture, whether in historical times or in our contemporary moment.  UW-Madison also offers some classes in anthropological linguistics—the analysis of language and its place in social life.   Comparative and empirical work—and fieldwork in particular—are the hallmarks of anthropology on our campus.

Thus, anthropology is characterized by a comparative point of view, a focus on humans and societies in all their variation and similarity, and the goal of revealing and understanding the complex but organized diversity found in history, language, culture, biology, and our environmental circumstances.

Our undergraduate degree program provides our students with strong comparative perspectives on human diversity and history, and trains them to think critically, conduct research, and to present and communicate anthropological research and knowledge to scholarly and public audiences.  We also offer an archaeology certificate (<link to archaeology certificate materials>).  The B.A./B.S. in Anthropology is an ideal stepping-stone to a scholarly career in the social and biological sciences, to professions with a strong international focus, or to careers in law, medicine, and policy.