Bachelor of Arts Degree (download PDF checklist)

Preparation for the Major

Required: Anthropology 7 or 12, 8, 9, 33. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must maintain an overall 2.0 grade-point average.

Transfer Students

To be admitted as Anthropology B.A. majors, transfer students with 90 or more units must complete as many of the following introductory courses as possible prior to admission to UCLA: one human evolution course, one archaeology course, one sociocultural anthropology course, and one culture and communication course.

The Major

The major is designed for students interested in an anthropological understanding of human behavior. One of the strengths of anthropology is its cross-cultural "holistic" and integrative approach with many fields, such as biology, history, linguistics, the social sciences, and many of the humanities.

To provide a comprehensive understanding of the discipline as a whole, students must take two courses in the sociocultural anthropology field and one course in each of the other three fields (see "Scope and Objectives"). Students may take any upper division course in the given area to fulfill this requirement. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA.

Students must complete 13 courses (52 to 60 units) as follows: (for a complete list of courses download PDF checklist)

1. One upper division course in social anthropology, one upper division course in cultural anthropology and one in each of the other three fields (archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology).

2. One upper division region and society course

3. One upper division history/theory course

4. One upper division methods course

5. Three additional upper division anthropology courses

6. Two related fields courses that demonstrate cohesion, to be selected in consultation with the undergraduate adviser and approved by the department

Concentrations for the Major

Concentrations, although not required, may help define and structure an Anthropology major when students want emphasis in one of the four major fields. Whether or not they opt for a concentration, the requirements for the major must still be satisfied. It is possible to use courses within their specified concentration to fulfill overlapping requirements for the major. Exceptions to the requirements below are by petition only. Concentrations are not noted on transcripts or the diploma, but a student who has completed a concentration and would like a formal memo to this effect may request one from the department (contact the Undergraduate Advisor). 

1. Archaeology: Two courses from Anthropology 110P, 111, 183; two field or laboratory methods courses from 115P, 117, 117P, 117Q; one methods course from C115R or 129Q; one quantitative methods course M186; two area courses from 112, 113P, 113Q, 113R, 114L, 114P, 114Q, 114R,  C114S, 114T, M115A, M115B, 116, M119, 119P; one theory course from 120, 124, 150, 152, 153, 153P, 156, 158, 185A, 185B, 186P.

Archaeological field training may be taken for university credit through the UCLA field programs.

2. Biological Anthropology: Anthropology 120; one quantitative methods course  M186; one methods course from 115P, 117, 117P, 117Q, 143; one human biology and behavioral ecology course from 124, 186P, 185A, 185B; one paleoanthropology course from 121A, 121B, 121C, or both 12 and 129Q; one human genetics course from Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology CM156, or Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 135; one primate behavior course from Anthropology 128A, 128B, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 129

3. Linguistic Anthropology: Anthropology 33, M140, Linguistics 20, Sociology M124A; two methods courses from Anthropology 141, 142A, 143, Linguistics 103; one ethnography course from Anthropology C144, M145, 146, Linguistics 114; one course from Anthropology 133Q, 133R, 135A, 135B, 135C, Communication Studies 100, Linguistics 110, 127; one term of a non-European language

4. Sociocultural Anthropology: Anthropology 130, 150;  two history, theory, and methods courses from 139, 182, M186, Sociology 101; one region and society course from M154Q, 158, 171, 172A, 172B, 172R, M172V, 173Q, 174P, 175Q, 175R, 175S, 175T, 175U, 175V, 176, 177; one primary course from three of the four subconcentration and two additional courses from one of the subconcentrations listed below:

a. Applied and Development Subconcentration: Primary course: Anthropology 161; additional courses: M155Q, 167, M168, M186, International Development Studies 100B

b. Ecological and Evolutionist Subconcentration: Primary course: Anthropology 153; additional courses: 128A, 128B, 158, M186, 186P, Geography 140

c. Social Processes and Practice Subconcentration: Primary courses: Anthropology M151, 152, M154P, M154Q; additional courses: 88A, 128A, 128B, 153, M155, 156, 158

d. Psychocultural and Medical Subconcentration: Primary courses: Anthropology 135A, 135B, 135C, 135T; additional courses: 135S, M168

Bachelor of Science Degree (download PDF checklist)

Preparation for the Major

Required: Anthropology 7 or 12, 8, 9, 33; Chemistry and Biochemistry 14A, 14B, 14BL, 14C, and 14CL, or 20A, 20B, 20L, 30A, and 30AL; Life Sciences 1, 2, 3, 4; Mathematics 3A, 3B, and 3C, or 31A and 31B; Physics 6A, 6B, and 6C; Statistics 12.  All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must maintain an overall 2.0 grade-point average.

Departmental Honors Program

The honors program provides research-oriented students with the opportunity to engage in original research and analysis under the close supervision of faculty members and culminates in an honors thesis. To be admitted students should have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 overall and a 3.5 cumulative GPA in their upper division anthropology courses. The application for admission must be submitted during Fall Quarter. Ideal candidates should have junior or senior standing and have completed at least two upper division anthropology courses. The proposal, research, analysis, and writing of the paper take place over four terms via Anthropology 191HA through 191HD. Course 191HA is taken in Winter Quarter and 191HB in Spring Quarter. Research should be done in summer, and courses 191HC and 191HD are taken in Fall and Winter Quarters of the graduation year. Students should contact the departmental honors adviser early in Fall Quarter for more information.

* [revised 5/17/05] Please visit the registrar's page or contact an Anthropology undergraduate advisor for the most current college degree requirements and requirements for the Anthropology degrees.

General information about undergraduate study at UCLA can also be found on the registrar's page.