Anthropology is the study of human behavior. This major provides a broad range of understanding of human beings and human society with respect to both biology and culture from prehistoric to modern times. The exploration of what it means to be human ranges from the study of culture and social relations, to human biology and evolution, to languages, to music, art and architecture, and to vestiges of human habitation. It considers such fascinating questions as how peoples' behavior changes over time, how people move about the world, why and how people from distant parts of the world and dissimilar cultures are different and the same, how the human species has evolved over millions of years, and how individuals understand and operate successfully in distinct cultural settings. Students of Anthropology learn how to study people and how communities and organizations work. With a variety of classes to choose from, students are able to apply this understanding to problems faced by different groups of people in an ever-changing society.
UMM offers courses in several branches of field: including cultural or social anthropology, physical anthropology, ethnology, archaeology, linguistics, and applied anthropology. The Anthropology and Sociology departments are closely tied together at UMM.
Anthropology prepares students for excellent jobs and opens doors to various career paths: the course of study provides global information and thinking skills critical to succeeding in the 21st century in business, research, teaching, advocacy, and public service. Private corporations, government agencies, international organizations, and non-profit agencies are quickly emerging as new employers of Anthropologists.
