Class Schedule | Anthropology

• Description: Survey and investigation of the basic processes of evolution and their application to the development of modern humans. Impact of natural selection and genetics on development of new species. Evolutionary processes behind the physical and behavioral development of primates. History of the human lineage by reconstructing the fossil record, using investigations by paleoanthropologists, geologists, biologists, and archaeologists. Relationship between contemporary biology and behavior, facilitating an understanding of the effect of them upon future humankind.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 1H.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Natural Sciences w/ Lab
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Survey and investigation of the basic processes of evolution and their application to the development of modern humans. Impact of natural selection and genetics on development of new species. Evolutionary processes behind the physical and behavioral development of primates. History of the human lineage by reconstructing the fossil record, using investigations by paleoanthropologists, geologists, biologists, and archaeologists. Relationship between contemporary biology and behavior, facilitating an understanding of the effect of them upon future humankind. As an honors course, it is a full thematic seminar with advanced teaching methods focusing on major writing, reading, and research assignments, student class lectures, group discussions and interactions.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 1.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Natural Sciences w/ Lab
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introductory laboratory course focusing on scientific methodology to explore/experiment with topics from anthropology lecture sections. Topics include Mendelian genetics, population genetics, human variability, forensics, medical anthropology, epidemiology, hominin dietary patterns, non-human primates, primate dental and skeletal anatomy, fossil hominins, chronometric dating, environmental challenges to hominins, environmental impact of hominin behavior, general methodologies utilized in physical anthropological research, and the general study of hominins as bio-culturally adapting animals. As an honors course, it is a full thematic seminar with advanced teaching methods focusing on major writing, reading, and research assignments, student class lectures, group discussions and interactions. Material covered will be enhanced and research techniques and methodologies explored in greater depth than in the non-honors version of this course.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in ANTH 1H.
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 1L.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 3 hours lab per week. 36 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Natural Sciences w/ Lab
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introductory laboratory course focusing on scientific methodology to explore/experiment with topics from anthropology lecture sections. Topics include Mendelian genetics, population genetics, human variability, forensics, medical anthropology, epidemiology, hominin dietary patterns, non-human primates, primate dental and skeletal anatomy, fossil hominins, chronometric dating, environmental challenges to hominins, environmental impact of hominin behavior, general methodologies utilized in physical anthropological research, and the general study of hominins as bio-culturally adapting animals.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in ANTH 1 or 1H.
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 1HL.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 3 hours lab per week. 36 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Natural Sciences w/ Lab
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introduction to the study of human culture and the concepts, theories, and methods used to understand different social and cultural systems, with an emphasis on appreciating human diversity. Topics include a cross-cultural exploration of: subsistence strategies; social, political, and economic organization; language and communication; marriage and kinship; religion; gender; ethnicity and race; social inequality; culture change; and the effects of colonialism and globalization. Focus is made on the application of anthropological perspectives to contemporary social issues.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 2AH.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introduction to the study of human culture and the concepts, theories, and methods used to understand different social and cultural systems, with an emphasis on appreciating human diversity. Topics include a cross-cultural exploration of: subsistence strategies; social, political, and economic organization; language and communication; marriage and kinship; religion; gender; ethnicity and race; social inequality; culture change; and the effects of colonialism and globalization. Focus is made on the application of anthropological perspectives to contemporary social issues. As an honors course, this is a full thematic seminar with advanced teaching methods focusing on major writing, reading, and research assignments, student class lectures, group discussions and interactions.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 2A.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: An introduction to the anthropological study of religion and belief systems. This course is a cross-cultural exploration into the ways humans around the world and through time have conceptualized their relationship between their natural and social worlds and the supernatural, beginning with prehistoric times and concluding with modern day society and the contemporary world. Cross-cultural study of the beliefs about the nature of reality, spirituality, death, magic, science and healing.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 5H.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: An introduction to the anthropological study of religion and belief systems. This course is a cross-cultural exploration into the ways humans around the world and through time have conceptualized their relationship between their natural and social worlds and the supernatural, beginning with prehistoric times and concluding with modern day society and the contemporary world. Cross-cultural study of the beliefs about the nature of reality, spirituality, death, magic, science and healing. As an honors course, it is focused on reading and critically analyzing ethnographies and literature from the anthropology of religion and engaging in ethnographic research.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 5.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introduction to the historical development, theory, and techniques of archaeological research and fieldwork. Development of comparative theoretical approach to the study of ancient cultures with eye to understanding present day social and environmental issues. Focus on cultural resource management, survey and selection of field sites, dating, excavation, artifact classification, interpretation of data, and written analysis.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 8H.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introduction to the historical development, theory, and techniques of archaeological research and fieldwork. Development of comparative theoretical approach to the study of ancient cultures with eye to understanding present day social and environmental issues. Focus on cultural resource management, survey and selection of field sites, dating, excavation, artifact classification, interpretation of data, and written analysis. As an honors course, it is a full thematic seminar with advanced teaching methods focusing on the applicability of archaeology to current society, as well as the integration of scientific methods and theory over time. Students are required to do major writing, reading, and research assignments, conduct student-led lectures, and lead group discussions.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 8.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introduction to the application of anthropology as a science to the medical-legal process and its emphasis on the identification of human skeletal remains. Uses the scientific methodology to cover cell biology, population genetics, natural selection, human variation, evolution, basic human osteology and odontology, assessment of age at time of death, sex, ancestry, trauma analysis, pathology, crime scene analysis, animal scavenging, and identification procedures. Focuses on the varying applications of science in the modern world in which forensic anthropology is utilized ranging from crime scene investigation, missing person identification, human rights, and humanitarian investigations.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Natural Sciences w/ Lab
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introductory laboratory course focusing on scientific methodology to reinforce topics from Forensic Anthropology lecture sections using hands-on technical training. Focuses on the relationship between biology and forensic anthropology, general anthropological method and theory, and specifically in this case on the medico-legal process utilized in forensics with an emphasis on the identification of human skeletal remains and evidence description. Contains exercises in identifying basic human osteology/odontology elements and morphological features. Includes standardized procedures for the assessment of age at time of death, sex, ancestry, trauma analysis, pathology, physical characteristics including height and weight, crime scene analysis, animal scavenging, and identification procedures. Focuses on how laboratory conclusions are utilized in courtroom proceedings during expert witness testimony.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in ANTH 13.
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 3 hours lab per week. 36 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Natural Sciences w/ Lab
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: An introduction to basic laboratory methods and techniques of archaeology using the scientific method, including cataloging, care and analysis of artifacts, bone recognition, and archaeological excavation. This course introduces concepts within an anthropological research framework. In addition to gaining expertise in laboratory research, students will examine, discuss, critique, and write about the techniques, tools, laboratory terminology, and processes of laboratory research at a basic level. Students will use archaeology vocabulary in verbal and written class reports.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: UC transferability is limited to 3 units maximum for ANTH 16L, 17L & 18L; not open to students with credit in ANTH 8L.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 3 hours lab per week. 36 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Survey of the origin, spread, and decline of pre-Columbian civilizations in Central and South America with a focus on the Maya, Inca, and Aztec. Applies understandings of archaeology and cultural anthropology to examine the dynamic economic, social, political, cultural, and religious systems of Mesoamerica and South America over time. Covers the colonization process by the Spanish and current day indigenous issues in Mesoamerica and South America.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 4 hours lecture per week. 48 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area: Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Transferability: Both
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Introduction to field survey in archaeology. Emphasis on site identification, survey techniques, and recording skills. All work is conducted at field sites.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ANTH 11B.
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 6 hours lab per week. 72 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: CSU
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Applied anthropology focuses on the use of anthropological theories, perspectives, and data-gathering methods in real-world contexts of practice or problem-solving. This 1-unit course provides students with the opportunity to learn and apply field methods from the sub-discipline of applied archaeology to problems found in their own communities. Students will learn how to identify a research topic, write a proposal and project plan with specific milestones and deliverables, carry out research with the most appropriate field methodologies of applied research, and produce a "product" at the end of the course. Projects for this course will be in one of the major arenas of applied archaeology, including: cultural resource management (CRM), historic preservation, museum studies, preservation law and ethics. Students will utilize field methodologies unique to applied archaeology.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 1 hours lecture per week. 12 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: CSU
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Provides an opportunity for the student to expand their studies in Anthropology beyond the classroom by completing a project or an assignment arranged by agreement between the student and instructor. The student is required to contract with the instructor to determine the scope of assignment and the unit value assigned for successful completion. Students may take a maximum of 6 units of Independent Study per department.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 3 hours lab per week. 36 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: CSU
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Provides an opportunity for the student to expand their studies in Anthropology beyond the classroom by completing a project or an assignment arranged by agreement between the student and instructor. The student is required to contract with the instructor to determine the scope of assignment and the unit value assigned for successful completion. Students may take a maximum of 6 units of Independent Study per department.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 6 hours lab per week. 72 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: CSU
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Provides an opportunity for the student to expand their studies in Anthropology beyond the classroom by completing a project or an assignment arranged by agreement between the student and instructor. The student is required to contract with the instructor to determine the scope of assignment and the unit value assigned for successful completion. Students may take a maximum of 6 units of Independent Study per department.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 9 hours lab per week. 108 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: CSU
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note:

• Description: Provides an opportunity for the student to expand their studies in Anthropology beyond the classroom by completing a project or an assignment arranged by agreement between the student and instructor. The student is required to contract with the instructor to determine the scope of assignment and the unit value assigned for successful completion. Students may take a maximum of 6 units of Independent Study per department.
• Prerequisite:
• Corequisite:
• Advisory:
• Repeatability: Not Repeatable.
• Hours: 12 hours lab per week. 144 hours total per quarter.
• Foothill GE Area:
• Transferability: CSU
• Transfer GE: Information regarding how this course is applied toward CSU GE/Breadth or IGETC certification is available at:
• Foothill Transfer GE Guide

Department Note: