Anthropology

Take part in archaeological surveys and excavations in Alaska and around the world

Team up with faculty on groundbreaking anthropological research. Join our summer field school in archaeology and work in our state-of-the-art laboratories. Alaska is one of the most exciting places in the world to study anthropology, and our program is a gateway to opportunities across the globe.

The anthropology degree at UAF offers a flexible program of academic courses and research opportunities in all four fields of anthropology: archaeology, cultural, biological and linguistic. The program provides a synergistic experience connecting lectures, seminars, laboratory and field-based courses.

Classes are taught by faculty members who are internationally recognized in their areas of specialization. We are also widely recognized in the anthropological community as a leading institution in the study of the culture and human diversity in the Arctic and circumpolar North.

Jobs for anthropology majors include positions with the park service and other government agencies, construction and military.

What Is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of people, past and present, and what makes us human. It’s a broad discipline that examines language, culture, societies and biological and material remains. Anthropology is also a dynamic field that is constantly integrating new technologies and ideas.

Anthropology is divided into four sub-fields: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology and linguistic anthropology. While each of these fields are distinct, they all involve applying theories, using research methodologies, formulating hypotheses and developing sets of data.

Why Study Anthropology at UAF?

As an anthropology major at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, you’ll have incredible opportunities to learn from leaders in the field, and take your studies beyond the classroom and into the world. Here are some of the highlights of earning your anthropology degree at UAF.

Gain Specialized Knowledge and Experience in the Far North

  • We offer a unique core of classes that focus on social and historic issues of the far North, encompassing Russia, Alaska, Canadian Arctic and Greenland.
  • Our research and training on these topics ranks with top-tier universities trying to understand and explain the peopling of the Americas, human adaptation to northern conditions, climate change and long-term human-environment interaction in the Arctic and Subarctic.

Take Part in Groundbreaking Research

  • We offer undergraduate students a wide variety of options to conduct original research working with faculty mentors. We also provide opportunities for research assistance to ongoing faculty projects as well as rigorous academic training in archaeology.
  • While our research focuses primarily on Alaska and the circumpolar North, our faculty work in several regions in Africa, Central America, Central and South Asia, Middle East, Oceania, North America and Europe.

Degree Type

  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
  • Offered as a major and minor

Availability

  • UAF’s main campus in Fairbanks, AK
  • Online

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Complete Your Anthropology Degree Online

Online Classes at UAF

At UAF, online courses typically do not have set meeting times but do have weekly deadlines. While there are some standard practices, each course is designed by the instructor to best teach the material. Most courses run the full length of the 16-week semester.