Anthropology
19 courses · Mt. San Antonio College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Winter 2027
ANTH 1 Biological Anthropology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Advisory
- ANTH 1L
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 110
Evolutionary biology of primates with particular emphasis on hominid evolution and behavior. The genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying evolution, human variation, primate field studies, and the hominid paleontological record are stressed.
ANTH 1H Biological Anthropology - Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Acceptance into the Honors Program
- Advisory
- ANTH 1L
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 110
Evolutionary biology of primates with particular emphasis on hominid evolution and behavior. The genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying evolution, human variation, primate field studies, and the hominid paleontological record are stressed. An honors course designed to provide an enriched experience. Students may not receive credit for both ANTH 1 and ANTH 1H.
ANTH 1L Biological Anthropology Laboratory
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- Lab: 54
- Corequisite
- ANTH 1 or ANTH 1H (May have been taken previously)
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 115 L
Scientific study of human evolution. Students will generate and test hypotheses using the techniques and materials of biological anthropology. Includes genetic observations and calculations, osteological techniques and measurements, and primate behavior observations. One field trip to a zoo for primate observation is required.
ANTH 4 Archaeology
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- Lecture: 54, Lab: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 150
Concepts, theories, data, models, and ethics of anthropological archaeology that contribute to our knowledge of the human past. The nature of scientific inquiry; history and interdisciplinary nature of archaeological research; dating techniques; methods of survey, excavation, analysis, and interpretation; cultural resource management; professional ethics; and selected cultural sequences. Hands-on learning in lab component.
ANTH 4A Archaeology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU
Concepts, theories, data, models, and ethics of anthropological archaeology that contribute to our knowledge of the human past. The nature of scientific inquiry; history and interdisciplinary nature of archaeological research; dating techniques; methods of survey, excavation, analysis, and interpretation; cultural resource management; professional ethics; and selected cultural sequences. Students may not receive credit for both ANTH 4 and ANTH 4A.
ANTH 5 Cultural Anthropology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 120
Anthropological approach to the study of culture and human behavior from a cross-cultural and comparative perspective. Concept of culture and the theories and methods used to study it. Language, subsistence, economics, social and political organization, marriage, kinship systems, religion, world views, the arts, and patterns of change across the world's diverse cultures.
ANTH 5H Cultural Anthropology - Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Acceptance into the Honors Program
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 120
Anthropological approach to the study of culture and human behavior from a cross-cultural and comparative perspective. Concept of culture and the theories and methods used to study it. Language, subsistence, economics, social and political organization, marriage, kinship systems, religion, world views, the arts, and patterns of change across the world's diverse cultures. This is an Honors course. Students may not receive credit for both ANTH 5 and ANTH 5H.
ANTH 6 Language and Culture: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ANTH 130
Surveys three core areas in linguistic anthropology. Structural linguistics examines phonetics, phonology, morphology and syntax, as well as the biocultural basis of language. Historical linguistics examines origins, evolution and change, dialects, language families, and linguistic diversity. Sociocultural linguistics examines language acquisition in cultural context, emphasizing the relationship between language and culture and issues of language conservation and loss.
ANTH 7 Global Archaeology: Uncovering the Ancient World
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU
Global Archaeology is a comprehensive overview of prehistoric human culture from the emergence of our earliest ancestors to the rise of complex societies and the beginning of written records. Through scientific archaeological and anthropological methods, students will investigate the origins of human behavior, the development of tools, the transition to agriculture, the emergence of cities and archaic states, and the interconnectedness of ancient cultures around the globe. This course will emphasize interdisciplinary approaches and the interpretation of material evidence to reconstruct the rich and complex tapestry of human prehistory. Students will develop a critical awareness of the ways archaeological interpretation has been shaped by historical and contemporary contexts of colonialism, nationalism, racism, and other power structures.
ANTH 10 Anthropology of Race and Racism
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU
Using insights from all four subfields of anthropology - physical, cultural, linguistic, archaeological - this course explores the notion of race and the ways it has structured human life in the world since the 15th century. This course addresses the history of the concept of race and ideas about its biological underpinnings, applying the perspectives of evolutionary and population biology and tracing the development of modern notions of racial difference. This course also focuses a critical anthropological lens on various conceptions of otherness associated with race - social categories such as ethnicity, caste, nation, and culture - and considers their contemporary scholarly and political implications. This course interrogates the idea of "identity" and analyzes the way racialized identities arise and change through time. Through ethnographic methods, this course compares systems of ethnoracial classification and social stratification in diverse societies around the world and examines patterns of conflict and social inequality.
ANTH 11 Sacred Realms: Anthropological Approaches to Religion, Magic, Myth, and Ritual
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces students to the comparative, cross-culture approach to religious belief and practice that grounds the anthropology of religion. Although we do not ignore the philosophical and theological elements of "world religions," anthropologists focus on the ways basic categories of religious phenomena are experienced in local settings and how they relate to broader patterns of culture and structures of society. We explore ways that doctrinal traditions vary in meaning "on the ground"; interrogate taken-for-granted concepts like "belief," "religion," and "secularity"; and investigate diverse traditions of myth, magic, witchcraft, spirit possession, ritual, and shamanism. Students will read case studies of religious belief and practice from around the world, learn the ways that anthropologists have theorized about religion, and conduct ethnographic fieldwork of their own.
ANTH 15 Peoples and Cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
A holistic, anthropological approach to the comparison of human populations and their diverse cultural traditions within Latin America and the Caribbean. Special attention is given to the effects of colonialism and global inequality. Students are introduced to the main theories and methods of anthropology through an intensive focus on this vital region.
ANTH 16 Peoples and Cultures of South Asia
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
A holistic, anthropological approach to the comparison of human populations and their diverse cultural traditions within the South Asian region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan). Special attention is given to the effects of colonialism and global inequality. Students are introduced to the main theories and methods of anthropology through an intensive focus on this culture area.
ANTH 17 Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
A holistic, anthropological approach to the comparison of human populations and their diverse cultural traditions within the Middle East, broadly defined to include the nations of North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula, and the Islamic societies of Central Asia. Special attention is given to the effects of colonialism and global inequality. Students are introduced to the main theories and methods of anthropology through an intensive focus on this vital region.
ANTH 30 The Native American
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Advisory
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Prehistory and history of Native Americans. Overview of culture areas and differences related to adaptive strategies.
ANTH 50 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- Eligibility for (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Introduction to the emerging field of Science, Technology, and Society. Multidisciplinary field draws on insights and methods of philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and gender studies, among others. Considers science and technology as culturally and historically specific practices, investigating ways that social, cultural, political, economic, and ecological contexts shape the course of scientific research and technological innovation, as well as the impacts of different sciences and technologies on human life. This Anthropology course addresses all the core components of this field: philosophy of science, history of science and technology, ethics and equity in science, and science and technology policymaking.
ANTH 99 Special Projects in Anthropology
- Units
- 1-2
- Hours
- Lecture: 18-36
- Prerequisite
- Instructor authorization needed prior to enrollment and approved learning contract.
- Advisory
- An introductory course in one of the subfields of anthropology (biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, or linguistic anthropology), or at least one other anthropology course, is recommended prior to undertaking independent research in that area.
- Transfers to
- CSU
To offer selected students recognition for their academic interests and ability and the opportunity to explore their disciplines to greater depth, the various departments from time to time offer Special Projects courses. The content of each course and the methods of study vary from semester to semester and depend on the particular project under consideration. Instructor authorization needed prior to enrollment.
ANTH 314 Forensic Anthropology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A and Admission to the BS in Histotechnology
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides an introduction to the field of forensic anthropology, with a focus on the scientific analysis of human remains in medico-legal contexts. Students will learn about the methods and techniques used in the identification of human remains, including bone analysis, facial reconstruction, and DNA analysis. Topics covered include the history of forensic anthropology, the ethics and legal issues surrounding the discipline, and the role of forensic anthropology in criminal investigations, war crimes, mass fatalities, and unexplained deaths. This is an upper-division course for students who have been accepted into the HTL bachelor's degree program.
ANTH 316 Medical Anthropology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture: 54
- Prerequisite
- (ENGL C1000 or ENGL 1A) or (ENGL C1000H or ENGL 1AH) or AMLA 1A and Admission to the BS in Histotechnology
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides a survey of the field of medical anthropology, which examines the intersections of culture, health, and illness. Through cross-cultural comparison, students will explore how diverse cultural beliefs, practices, and social structures shape health, illness, and medical practices. The course also examines disparities in global health in socioeconomic and political context. Medical anthropology employs a holistic approach that considers health at the intersection of biology and culture, shaped by both physical and social environments. Medical anthropology draws on the subfields of cultural anthropology and biological anthropology to understand the impact of culture on human physiology and well-being, with additional perspectives from linguistics and archaeology. This is an upper-division course for students who have been accepted into a HTL Bachelor's Degree program.