Anthropology (ANTH) 275
Faces of Culture: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Revision 8 closed February 11, 2005, replaced by current version.

Delivery mode: Individualized study or grouped study. Video component*
*Overseas students, please contact the University Library before registering in a course that has an audio/visual component.
Credits: 3 - Social Science
Prerequisite: None
Precluded Course: ANTH 207. (ANTH 275 may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for ANTH 207.)
Centre: Centre for Work and Community Studies
Challenge for Credit: ANTH 275 has a Challenge for Credit option
Learn more online: Course home page

>> Overview | Outline | Evaluation | Course Materials | Special Course Features
>> Course Fees | Course Availability

Overview

ANTH 275 focuses on the cross-cultural study of human diversity. Study topics include patterns of social organization, religion, the family, marriage, economics, the arts, and linguistics.

Outline

The course consists of the following eight units.

  • Unit 1 The Nature of Anthropology, the Nature of Culture and How Cultures are Studied
  • Unit 2 Marriage, the Family, Kinship and Divorce
  • Unit 3 The Nature of Culture; Culture and Personality
  • Unit 4 Making a Living, Economic Anthropology and Ecological Anthropology
  • Unit 5 Religion and Expressive Culture
  • Unit 6 Stratification and Political Organization
  • Unit 7 Language, Communication, and the Human Body
  • Unit 8 Culture Change, Anthropology and the Future

Evaluation

To receive credit for ANTH 275, students must achieve a grade of at least 50 percent on each examination, a minimum of 60 percent on the course assignments, and a course composite grade of at least "D" (50 percent). The weighting of the course assignments is as follows:

Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Quiz 3 Assignment 1 Assignment 2 Mid-term ExamFinal Exam Total
5% 5% 5%20%30%15% 20% 100%

Course Materials

Textbooks

Miller, Barbara D., Penny Van Esterik, and John Van Esterik. 2001. Cultural Anthropology. Canadian edition. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada.

Spradley, James P., and David W. McCurdy. 2000. Conformity and Conflict: Readings in Cultural Anthropology. 10th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Other Material

The course materials include a study guide for the telecourse.

Special Course Features

The ten videos in the series Millenium: Tribal Wisdom and the Modern World are required viewing for ANTH 275. Videos are available from Athabasca University Library. An alternative assignment is available for students who cannot access video equipment.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice.
Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.

[AU Home Page]
Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
(780) 675-6111, (800) 788-9041
Revision 7 closed Feb. 20, 2001, Revision 8 updated Oct. 24, 2001.
To previous version.
Ask AU
This page was updated by G. Zahara