Master of Arts (M.A.) Major in Anthropology (Biological Anthropology Concentration)

ANTH 5199B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding. Graded on a credit (CR), progress (PR), no credit (F) basis.

ANTH 5299B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding. Graded on a credit (CR), progress (PR), no credit (F) basis.

ANTH 5301. Advanced Principles of Cultural Anthropology.

This course is an ethnographically-based analysis of major theoretical positions and debates in contemporary anthropology. (Stacked course with ANTH 3301.).

ANTH 5302. Practicum in Teaching Anthropology.

An introduction to key concepts and practices in the teaching of college-level Anthropology. The course provides training in the practical aspects of classroom instruction. Required for first-year teaching and instructional assistants in the Anthropology Department. This course does not earn graduate degree credit.

ANTH 5303. Speech Analysis.

The focus of this course is the analysis of human speech sounds. It includes description of the acoustic properties of speech sounds, transcription of sounds using the International Phonetic Alphabet system, an understanding of the acoustic theories of speech, and practical experience in forensic speakers' identification.

ANTH 5304. Sociolinguistics.

The focus of this course is on the complex interrelationships between language and other aspects of culture. Methods of sociolinguistics, theories of sociolinguistics, and current issues regarding the nature of language variation and change will be emphasized. (MULT).

ANTH 5305. Anthropological Statistics.

In this course students will learn how to statistically analyze anthropological data. Students will gain a firm understanding of basic quantitative statistics, will be able to evaluate quantitative methods presented in anthropological research papers, and will be prepared for classes in more advanced statistical methods.

ANTH 5306. Anthropology and Art.

In this course students will investigate the function of art and symbolism in pre-literate archaeological cultures that existed at the tribal and chiefdom levels of political and social development. A multidisciplinary focus will use anthropology and art historical approaches as research tools.

ANTH 5307. History of Evolutionary Thought.

This course discusses the impact of evolutionary discourse within the context of its history. Students will develop a thorough understanding of evolution and its importance to anthropology, as well as to other scientific disciplines.

ANTH 5308. Cultural Resource Management and Archaeology.

In this course students will examine various topics relevant to cultural resource management including state and federal laws, survey, testing, mitigation, and developing final reports.

ANTH 5309. Culture, Medicine and the Body.

This course explores how the human body, functions of the body, and the practices of medicine and healing are situated and contextualized within cultural frameworks. Case studies cover body and health-related topics over the life course, from birth to death.

ANTH 5310. Theories and Issues in Anthropology.

This course explores major theoretical and historical developments in anthropology, highlighting the discipline’s unique four-field perspective that includes archaeology, biological and cultural anthropology, and anthropological linguistics. Topics stress the importance of anthropological thought in key scientific discoveries and cultural debates.

ANTH 5311. Seminar in Cultural Anthropology.

In this course, students will learn the historical foundations of cultural anthropology, its key theories and methods, and examples of its contemporary practice. Topics will include evolutionism, functionalism, structuralism, ethnoscience, neo-Marxism, postmodernism, and modernity.

ANTH 5312. Seminar in Biological Anthropology.

In this course, students will learn the historical foundations of biological anthropology, its key theories and methods, and examples of its contemporary practice in evolutionary theory, human variation, paleoanthropology, primatology, and skeletal biology.

ANTH 5313. Seminar in Archaeology.

In this course, students will learn the historical foundations of archaeology, its key theories and methods, and examples of its contemporary practice in New World and Old World archaeology.

ANTH 5314. Latin American Cultures.

Comprehensive study of cultures from Latin America. (Stacked course with ANTH 3314.) (MULT).

ANTH 5315. Archaeological Artifact Identification and Analysis.

This course will provide students with the skills, knowledge and ability to describe, characterize, and analyze artifacts commonly recovered from archaeological sites. Current theories covering the production and analysis of chipped and ground stone tools, ceramics, bone and other materials will be presented, and scientific analytical methods discussed.

ANTH 5316. The Origin and Evolution of Human Behavior.

This course presents our current understanding of Old World Paleolithic Archaeology. The origin and evolution of hominid behavior, the initial colonization of the Old World, and the development of modern human behavior will be discussed for each continent. (Stacked course with ANTH 3316).

ANTH 5317. Rock Art Field Methods.

This course will train students in rock art field methods. They will gain first-hand experience recording rock art sites through photography, field sketches, mapping, and written inventories. Students will generate a visual and written description of the art, which they will use to infer and explain past human behavior. (Stacked course with ANTH 3317).

ANTH 5318. Texas Archaeology.

This course will present our current understanding of Texas archaeology. The environmental and social contexts of prehistoric, protohistoric, and historic records of Native American and Spanish occupations in Texas are discussed. (Stacked course with ANTH 3318.) (MULT).

ANTH 5320. Rise of Civilization.

This course examines the components that led to the dynamic state societies in Egypt, Sumeria, the Indus Valley, and China in the Old World and that of the Olmecin Mexico and Chavin in Peru. (Stacked course with ANTH 4320.).

ANTH 5322. Peoples and Cultures of Africa.

This course is a general introduction to the contemporary peoples and cultures of Africa. Students will examine the social structure, economy, political systems, and religions of African cultures in the context of the radical economic and social transformations affecting the area. (MULT).

ANTH 5324. Mexican American Culture.

This class is an exploration of Mexican American culture with an emphasis on the US-Mexico transborder region. The course integrates history, anthropology, and ethnic studies to capture the broad diversity of Mexican American experiences. Some of the topics covered include identity, social movements, Chicana feminism, transnational migration, spirituality, and cultural expressions such as visual art, film, music, and performance. (Stacked course with ANTH 3324.) (MULT).

ANTH 5325. Medical Anthropology.

This course focuses on how illness identities are culturally constructed, how adaptations or maladaptations to local environments affect health, how political and economic forces influence health and health behaviors, and how the practice of medical anthropology can contribute to solving urgent health issues around the world.

ANTH 5326. Field Methods in Forensic Anthropology.

In this course students will learn how to locate, excavate and recover human remains, associated personal effects, and other materials in order to ensure legal credibility for all recoveries.

ANTH 5330. Curation of Archaeological Materials.

This course provides students with the skills to prepare archaeological materials for curation, which includes the processes and techniques used to stabilize and preserve organic and inorganic materials. This training can be used to gain certification in the field of archaeological curation.

ANTH 5332. Myths and Mound Builders.

This course presents an anthropological approach to the iconography of the Native Americans of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. (Stacked course with ANTH 3332.) (MULT).

ANTH 5333. Research Design in Biological Anthropology.

This course provides students with an introduction to the principles and processes by which research projects in biological anthropology are devised and executed. It focuses on the issues of finding a topic to research, defining its scope and limitations, developing a research bibliography, and elaborating a research design.

ANTH 5335. The Anthropology of Native American Belief Systems.

In this course students use anthropological approaches to investigate past and present Native American belief systems in order to determine the temporal range and evolving complexity of Native American religious and ritual expression.

ANTH 5336. Community Research Project.

This course gives students the opportunity to conduct hands-on anthropological research on a variety of topics in local communities.

ANTH 5337. Theory in Linguistics Anthropology.

In this course students will be introduced to the major theories of linguistics through reading and discussing classic and contemporary literatures. Particular attention will be given to how the various theories have influenced linguistic anthropology.

ANTH 5338. Geoarchaeology.

This course will provide students with the knowledge and ability to interpret sediments and the nature of sediment accumulation at archaeological sites. The course will provide students with a foundation in sedimentology, natural depositional environments, weathering processes and soil development, stratigraphic analysis, archaeological site formation processes. (Stacked course with ANTH 3338).

ANTH 5339. Theoretical Concepts in Archaeology.

This course provides a broad survey of theory in archaeology as it is practiced throughout the world. It includes both historical perspectives and contemporary usage.

ANTH 5340. Paleoanthropology.

Critical review of the human fossil record from the appearance of the earliest hominins to the appearance of modern human forms. (Stacked course with ANTH 3340.).

ANTH 5341. Gross Anatomy.

Students in this course examine the macroscopic structure of organs and soft and hard tissues in the human body. The course is divided into these units: back and thorax, neck and head, and upper and lower limb. Cadaver-based dissection labs accompany lecture topics.

ANTH 5342. Primate Behavior.

An organized course that examines current research in nonhuman primate studies from an anthropological perspective. (Stacked course with ANTH 3342.).

ANTH 5343. Human Variation and Adaptation.

An organized course that examines human physical variation and adaptation from an evolutionary perspective.

ANTH 5345. Archaeology of Mexico.

This course examines the development of early huntergatherers through the appearance of agriculture to the rise of civilization in Mesoamerica. (Stacked course with ANTH 3345.) (MULT).

ANTH 5346. Bioarchaeology.

Bioarchaeology is the study of human skeletal remains in relation to the archaeological record. In this course students study theories and methods used in the analysis of archaeologically derived human skeletal remains to reconstruct patterns of subsistence, diet, disease, demography, biological relatedness, and the funerary activities of past populations. Prerequisite: ANTH 3381 with a grade of "C" or better or instructor approval.

ANTH 5347. Archaeology of North America.

This course examines human settlement of North America from the end of the Pleistocene to European discovery. (Stacked course with ANTH 3347.).

ANTH 5349. The Incas.

The Incas were the largest Pre-Columbian empire in the Americas. This course will explore the origins of this civilization and how they conquered such a large area of South America. Using archaeological and historic information the class will examine various aspects of Inca society including religion, economics, and kingship. (Stacked course with ANTH 3349). (MULT).

ANTH 5350. Gender and Sexuality in Cross Cultural Perspective.

This course examines the relationships between women and men in societies around the world. (Stacked course with ANTH 3350.) (MULT).

ANTH 5351. Anthropology of Peace and Violence.

This class explores anthropological perspectives on peace and violence. It focuses on understanding violent practices within both traditional and current day societies including everyday violence and warfare. It explores the contributions of social structure, gender, religion, race, and ethnicity to violence. It examines efforts to build peace and reconciliation.

ANTH 5353. Applied Cultural Anthropology.

This class focuses on how anthropology can solve practical problems in various disciplines, including behavioral health, education, human rights, community development, and business. Students will learn about client development, contract negotiations, project design, proposal writing, preparing deliverables, communicating results to a variety of stakeholders, teamwork, networking, and navigating ethical issues.

ANTH 5355. Seminar in Culture Theory.

An intensive examination of the principal theoretical positions in cultural anthropology, with an emphasis on the preparation of students with ethnographic analysis and fieldwork. (MULT).

ANTH 5356. Andean Civilizations.

This course is a survey of civilizations in the Andean region of South America. Using archaeological data the class will examine cultural developments in the region from the earliest hunters and gatherers to the Inca Empire, the largest state in the Americas at the time of European contact. (MULT).

ANTH 5357. Historical Archaeology.

This course is an advanced survey of historical archaeology methods and theories that will intensively examine current trends in historical archaeology. Students will also be exposed to the material culture from historic period archaeological sites in Texas and North America.

ANTH 5361. Qualitative Methods.

This course provides instruction on qualitative methods and analysis. Students will learn through a combination of lecture and hands-on activities how to design qualitative research projects; collect qualitative data through methods such as interviews, focus groups and observations; analyze this data; and present qualitative results.

ANTH 5363. The Art and Archaeology of the Olmec.

This course will present our current understanding of the art and archaeology of the Olmec culture, the earliest known civilization in North America. The Olmec culture is considered the influential foundation for later Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztec. (Stacked course with ANTH 3363.) (MULT).

ANTH 5373G. Research Design and Proposal Writing in Cultural Anthropology.

This course will familiarize students with the basic principles and practices of effective research design and proposal writing in cultural anthropology. Students will acquire a practical experience in formulating a feasible and creative research project, performing a rigorous literature review, planning to protect human research subjects, and giving/receiving constructive peer reviews.

ANTH 5373I. Anthropology in Practice.

This course introduces students to the application of anthropological ideas, methods, and skills in multiple employment sectors. Students will develop key job skills in communication, team work, networking, professional development, and project management.

ANTH 5373J. Dental Anthropology and Oral Biology.

The biological development of the cranio-facial structures will be presented with emphasis on hard tissue anatomy and diseases. Dental traits will be discussed in relation to human evolutionary concepts. Forensic methods that support identification of human remains are emphasized. This course is appropriate for anthropology students and pre-professional dentistry.

ANTH 5373K. Nonverbal Communication-Gestures.

Communication involves the use of ‘invisible’ words and gestures, or ‘visible actions.’ This course focuses on gestures, what they are, how they are used, what role they play in communication and in thinking, and their cultural underpinning. Students will learn the theoretical and methodological issues involved in studying different gestures across societies.

ANTH 5373L. Cultural Heritage Management.

This course introduces students to current problems and methods in the stewardship of cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, national and international. We will explore topics including ethics and law, development, tourism, public outreach and opinion, and ongoing threats to cultural heritage.

ANTH 5373M. Design + Anthropology.

This course will begin by exploring the anthropology of design, including the practices, implications, and expansion of design under contemporary capitalism. Students will then use this knowledge to examine the growing field of design anthropology and learn how anthropologists provide actionable insights and research for design work today.

ANTH 5373O. Seminar on Race in Biological Anthropology.

In this course students will learn where race concepts originated, examining the worldview and scientific mindsets that guided us into the 21st century. Students will explore how social race has become biological, drawing on literature from biological anthropology. Most importantly, students will explore pragmatic solutions in the context of anthropology research. Students will leave the course with an in-depth understanding of the role anthropology has played in current concepts of race and develop an informed scientific practice that they can apply.

ANTH 5374Y. Human Evolutionary Anatomy.

This course is designed to give students an anatomical background to the study of human evolution with a focus on the comparative anatomy of apes, living humans, and fossil hominins.

ANTH 5374Z. Curation of Archaeological Materials.

This course will examine the phenomenon or fundamentalism in a variety of religious traditions, both present and historical. Students will explore the political and social ramifications of fundamentalism in a world characterized by multiculturalism and globalization.

ANTH 5375. Advanced Methods in Skeletal Biology, Part I.

This course focuses on laboratory analytical techniques and data collection methods used to estimate the biological profile of modern, historic, or prehistoric human skeletal remains.

ANTH 5376. Advanced Methods in Skeletal Biology, Part II.

This course focuses on technical case report writing and evidentiary best practices in forensic anthropological analysis of human skeletal remains. In addition to biological profile estimation techniques, research methods and theoretical foundations used for trauma analysis and taphonomic interpretation will be reviewed. Prerequisite: ANTH 5375 with a grade of "C" or better.

ANTH 5381. Paleopathology.

Paleopathology is the study of ancient diseases and is an important tool for understanding of past populations. In this course we will survey the range of pathology on human skeletons such as trauma, infection, syphilis, tuberculosis, leprosy, anemia, metabolic disturbances, arthritis, and tumors.

ANTH 5382. Archaeology of the Earliest Americans.

This course focuses on the scientific story of the first Americans: where they came from, when they arrived, and how they met the challenges of moving across the vast, unknown landscapes of North America. Topics include exploring the hemisphere's oldest sites and how people coped with changing global climates.

ANTH 5390. Directed Study.

Course of independent study open to individual students at the invitation of the faculty member with the approval of the department chair and the graduate advisor. Repeatable for credit.

ANTH 5395. Internship.

Under the direction of the thesis advisor and/or the internship coordinator, a student will conduct supervised work or research, related to a student’s professional development, at a public or private organization. This course may be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

ANTH 5399A. Thesis.

This course represents a student's initial thesis enrollment. No thesis credit is awarded until the student has completed their thesis proposal.

ANTH 5399B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

ANTH 5599B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

ANTH 5999B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.