Explore UAB

Colleges & Schools

Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences

Why Study Anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of humankind, past and present. There are many reasons to pursue studies in anthropology, including the following:

  • Anthropology provides a broad understanding of humanity through its four subdisciplines: Cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology.
  • Employment opportunities for anthropologists and archaeologists are projected to grow over the next 10 years, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Anthropology’s focus on cultural diversity provides tools for imagining solutions to complex social and environmental problems.
  • Our undergraduate and master’s programs prepare students with professional and critical thinking skills.
Undergraduate

Undergraduate

Our major and minor in anthropology provide the opportunity to explore anthropology’s four subfields in cultural, linguistic, and biological anthropology and in archaeology.

Learn More
Graduate

Graduate

The Master of Arts (MA) program applies an anthropological focus on peace as behavioral process at multiple levels including at the level of individuals, families, groups, communities, cultures and nations. Students will critically analyze how factors such as ecological sustainability, human security, democracy, justice, non-violence, conflict resolution, and human rights are interconnected constructs related to the unifying construct of peace.

Learn More
Faculty

Faculty

The Anthropology Department is home to professors who have received teaching awards and numerous research grants. They are dedicated to facilitating student learning and providing our students with excellent mentoring and quality course instruction. The department also benefits from experienced adjunct instructors who have expertise in peace education, human rights, medical and health disparities, global satellite imagery, Egyptology, paleo-archaeology, and more.

Learn More

Latest News

  • 2023 recipient of the Ireland Award for Scholarly Distinction is Sarah Parcak
    Sarah H. Parcak, Ph.D., Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Anthropology, has been awarded the 2023 Caroline P. and Charles W. Ireland Award for Scholarly Distinction.
  • UAB students awarded prestigious Gilman International and Freeman-ASIA scholarships to study abroad
    Six students have been named Gilman Scholars and two students received Freeman-Asia scholarships to study in Europe and Asia.
  • Anthropology student earns internship with Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
    This summer, UAB Student Nick Long will complete an internship with the center’s archaeological laboratory, which hosts one the largest archaeological databases in the United States.
More News