Online Degrees & Certificates

AA in Anthropology

Program Description

Literally meaning "the study of humankind," anthropology sits on the boundaries between the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, and ponders basic questions about what it means to be human. Anthropology focuses on the diverse ways people around the world and through time have interacted with their environments, communicated with each other, organized their social lives, made sense of their world, and responded to emerging conflicts and challenges. In this program we introduce students to the importance of cultural awareness in our globally-interconnected lives, and we challenge colonial frameworks in academia and beyond. Our program prioritizes experiential learning and research both locally and internationally, through archaeological and ethnographic field programs run by our faculty. Our broad course offerings give students the opportunity to study in all fields of anthropology, including archaeology, biological and medical anthropology, forensics, cultural anthropology, linguistics, religion and belief systems, social constructs of race and ethnicity; and the capacity to build narratives of understanding and connection among people.

Learn more about the program on the Anthropology website.

Program Learning Outcomes

 

Students will be able to understand and apply cultural relativism; they will be able to convey an understanding of multiple cultural perspectives.

Students will demonstrate a core knowledge base in anthropology, appreciating and reflecting on human diversity in the past and present.

Students will integrate their knowledge and understanding of anthropological concepts and methods to creatively and ethically solve real-world human problems at the local, regional, and global scales.

Students will be able to articulate key concepts and events in the process of human evolution and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities toward that end.

Students will be able to critically assess the important role that the past plays on the present, and, conversely, the important role that the present has on the past from both local, regional, national, and worldwide perspectives.

Career Opportunities

Anthropology serves as a basic springboard for understanding and working within the global arena. Anthropology graduates find opportunities in colleges, universities, and museums as teachers and researchers, and in federal and state governments as community planners, social science and public health analysts, archaeologists, and education officers. There are also employment possibilities with the United Nations, UNESCO, and World Health organizations. International corporations with offices and plants overseas need anthropologists, as do consulting firms that deal with both private corporations and governments. With the basic anthropology courses, the student can transfer to most of the universities in the country. The student may want to add statistics and business principles to enhance employment possibilities.

Please visit the Anthropology website for further information.

Award Type(s)

AA = Associate in Arts Degree

Units Required

Major: 36

Additional Information

Note: Students having difficulty attaining an associate degree because of timing or availability of classes should consult with a counselor to submit a petition for course substitution.

Online Courses for Anthropology

The courses listed BELOW are offered as online courses at least once every two years. Please see the Class Schedule for verification.

• For a complete listing of online courses offered during the current quarter, visit Online Course Information.
• If you need any additional degree information or confirmation, please contact the Counseling Division.

NOTE: Students having difficulty attaining an associate degree because of timing or availability of classes should consult with a counselor to submit a petition for course substitution.

Associate Degree Requirements

A minimum of 90 units is required* to include:

Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC).

Core courses (12 units)

Support courses (24 units)

*Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate.

Core and Support Courses

Core Courses

 Support Courses

 * Students may also use courses listed in the first section of support courses to fulfill the requirement for the second section of support courses.

For a list of on-campus courses that satisfy degree requirements, please visit Anthropology 2024-2025 Degrees & Certificates.

Based on the 2024 - 2025 degree program.