Bachelor of Arts: Anthropology Major (4-Year)

Number of credits required from Athabasca University: 30 credits.

Maximum credit awarded in this program for prior learning through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) processes: 9 credits.

Program Learning Outcomes

Knowledge Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, students should be able to

• show evidence of a broad understanding of the past and present social, linguistic and cultural diversity of people and their biological diversity and evolution.
• show familiarity with the nature of the four fundamental fields within anthropology (archaeology, biological anthropology, anthropological linguistics and cultural anthropology) and their interrelationship. This familiarity will lead students to adopt a holistic and comparative approach to understanding human differences and similarities across the world and through time.

• demonstrate a familiarity with basic anthropological concepts, terminology and theory. This familiarity will lead students to an appreciation of anthropology's history and context. The application of anthropology to other discussions will become a part of students' general liberal arts and science university degree.

Skills Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, students should be able to

• show evidence of familiarity and experience with anthropological research methods and analytical techniques, and critically analyze their use in the research of other research methods as well as in the design of anthropological research projects.
• demonstrate a facility in critical thinking and reasoning by applying these skills to anthropological problems and issues .
• exhibit university-level skills in academic writing, including research and argumentation, and apply their academic writing skills to anthropological problems and issues.
• employ basic research skills to access and critically evaluate information that bears on anthropological topics from scholarly and popular sources, including electronic (web) sources, video and audio sources, and printed sources.

Value Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, students should be able to demonstrate a fundamental awareness of

• the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination (e.g., racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, anthropocentrism).
• anthropological insights and alternatives that foster tolerance for the diversity of human cultures, ways of life and the value of human diversity.

Possible Career Options

• National/Provincial Park Interpreter
• Parks Canada Service Supervisor
• Researcher
• Probation Officer
• Laboratory Assistant
• Museum Technician
• Volunteer Co-ordinator
• Travel Agent/Guide/Consultant
• Employment Recruiter
• Management Trainee
• Customer Service Agent
• Heritage Assistant
• Preservation/Restoration Assistant
• Immigration Officer
• Foreign Service Officer
• Events Co-ordinator
• Writer
• Field Archeologist
• Customer Service Agent
• Management Trainee
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher

Possible Further Education Options

At Athabasca University

• Master of Arts – Integrated Studies (MAIS)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Education in Distance Education (MEd)
• Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Distance Education Technology
• Master of Counselling (MC)
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Counselling

At Other Educational Institutions*

• graduate studies in anthropology or other related/unrelated disciplines
• counselling
• library science
• public health/medicine
• social work
• community development
• foreign affairs
• journalism
• urban planning
• law
• environmental impact assessment
• education
• teaching English as a second language (TESL)

* Entrance requirements vary among educational institutions. It is the students’ responsibility to research the entrance requirements of other educational institutions.

Updated March 25, 2009