Anthropology BA Cultural and Linguistic
Program Purpose
The Anthropology Department aims to produce students that have a view of the world we call the 'Anthropological perspective,' i.e., seeing the varieties of humanity in holistic, worldwide terms, and appreciating the creativity and diversity of humankind in general. Toward that end, the Anthropology curriculum offers a diversity of classes on the peoples and cultures of the world, past and present. The Cultural Emphasis in the Department instructs students in the current methods and theories of Anthropology in order to provide them with the tools necessary to apply these learned principles in whatever field they might embrace that utilizes the Anthropological approach. We also seek to instill in students the fundamental tenets and ethics of the discipline.
Anthropology seeks to document the nature of the human condition, among all cultures past and present. Anthropologists use theories to orient themselves regarding what they should look at and how to organize what they see. They use field methods to acquire and record data produced by organized life in particular places, both in the past (Archaeology) and present (Cultural Anthropology). From this data, anthropologists produce descriptions of the human condition and of human culture and behavior. They then use these descriptions of life to investigate whether the theories and methods they originally used to orient the description were or are adequate to an assigned professional task. For example, will planned international development programs be appropriate to a specific culture and community? Methodological theories in any discipline often fall short when applied to real life in-the-field problems and programs, and therefore theories and methodologies often have to be tested and improved. Thus, Anthropology deploys theory to organize methods of inspection that produce description. Subsequently, we deploy description to interrogate and improve the adequacy of theory and methods to specific issues. Areas of specific interest to Cultural Anthropology include but are not limited to medical, psychological, linguistic, bio-cultural, applied, and visual snthropology as well as community development both locally and internationally. BYU Cultural Field Schools are active in Morocco, Southeast Asia, South America, and the United States.
Curricular Structure
Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking and Analysis
Students will be prepared to analyze and provide anthropological interpretations of human activities, interactions, sociality and thought through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Students will be able to write clearly and precisely. They will also be able to verbally communicate clearly and in a professional manner.
Students will be able to utilize a range of social theory frameworks and explain how these rationales are mobilized to understand human agency and action, the relationship between actors and social structures and meaning-making processes.
Students will build character as they use ethnographic, qualitative and quantitative methods to gather, process and interpret research data. They will be able to employ relevant methods and analyses to understand and make decisions about particular issues and problems throughout their lives and careers.
Through a 3-course sequence of faculty-mentored research and writing experiences, students will be able to design and conduct an original research project with anthropological questions and appropriate research methods. The research project will culminate in a high quality, theoretically-informed senior thesis.
Students will be able to identify and interpret diverse social and cultural perspectives through empirical research and empathetic, Christlike engagement.
Students will put theoretical and philosophical concepts and arguments directly into conversation with their faith and testimonies of the Restored Gospel. They will both broaden their understanding of the world-including what anthropologists have contributed to understanding human experience-and deepen their understanding of the Gospel as they "study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people." (Doctrine and Covenants 90:15)
Evidence of Learning
Assessment Tools
Student advisement during program
Capstone course including oral presentation and written report
All students take capstone sequence
Alumni Office surveys
Direct Measures
1. Graded course work such as exams, written assignments, projects and field work. (Examples of greaded student products representative of the range of grades are kept on file.)
2. Semi-annual reports on student progress by the faculty advisor.
3. Student accomplishments in obtaining ORCA grants, publications, awards, ets.
4. Graduates' success in obtaining employment of admission to graduate programs.
Indirect Measures
1. Student course and instructor evaluations. (These reports are reviewed by the department chair and addressed in the annual stewardship interview.)
2. Senior exit surveys
3. BYU alumni surveys
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
At faculty meetings at the beginning of the year, we present some of the data from the Senior Surveys in order to help faculty get a sense for things that they are doing well and things that need improvement.
We are steppiing up our attempts to track all graduates in order to monitor employment as well as program satisfaction.
The curriculum is reviewed annually for ways to improve and to assess currency with developments within the profession. Curriculum improvement decisions are made by the entire faculty.