Jan 15, 2025

2015-2016 CSU East Bay Catalog

2015-2016 CSU East Bay Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Anthropology, M.A.

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Program Description

The university offers the Master of Arts degree in Anthropology. Anthropology is the multifaceted study of humanity from an evolutionary, historical and global perspective. Students in anthropology learn about their own culture as well as those of other peoples as they are shaped by biological evolution, ecological constraints, political history, and sociological conditioning. The Department of Anthropology offers ethnographic, theoretical and methodological courses in five sub-disciplines: biological anthropology, prehistory and archaeology, anthropological linguistics, socio-cultural anthropology, and applied anthropology. The department has faculty with expertise in the heritage cultures of North and South America and Asia. Although there are no separate options in the program, students are expected to focus their interests in any two academic sub-fields of the discipline: socio-cultural, archaeological, biological, or linguistic anthropology. The department fosters a learning experience across applied and academic domains.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with an M.A. in Anthropology from Cal State East Bay will be able to:

summarize the history of anthropology; explain how and why the four fields of anthropology intersect; and characterize and critique current debates in the discipline;
compare and appraise the major theoretical approaches in one or two subfields of anthropology;
identify appropriate uses of anthropological methods and content in real-world problems, and use these to form the basis of intellectual argumentation;
design or develop and implement ethnographic, archaeological or osteological research protocols, and
communicate findings by composing high-quality reports or papers on their own.

Career Opportunities

Community College Teacher
Anthropologist
Archaeologist
Artifacts Conservator
Curator
Ethnologist
Foreign Service Officer
Immigration Service Officer
International Business
Multicultural Education Instructor
Museum Curator
Park Ranger
Park Service Official
Professor/Teacher
Researcher
Social Science Teacher
Travel Consultant
Urban Planner

Research Facilities

The Clarence E. Smith Museum of Anthropology houses a sizable collection of archaeological artifacts recovered in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, as well as collections of culture groups throughout the world. The public museum is administered by the department and is also used as an instructional facility. Students have an opportunity for “hands-on” experience in museum work and gallery exhibits, and through related courses in museology and cross-cultural art. The museum, housed in Meiklejohn Hall, is open to the public. For information, call (510) 885-3168 or (510) 885-3104.

Research Support and Teaching Opportunities

There are a small number of teaching and teaching-related opportunities, in both classroom and online instruction, available within the department for qualified students, including positions as Teaching Assistants, Readers, and Graduate Writing Instructors. Cal State East Bay offers opportunities for practical training and a few paid internships through its Cooperative Education Program. In the past, anthropology graduate students have obtained internships at places in the Bay Area and as far away as the Smithsonian Institution.

Admission to the Program

To be admitted to the program with “Conditionally Classified Graduate” status, the student must: (1) meet all Cal State East Bay requirements for admission to the university as a post-baccalaureate student; (2) have a grade point average of at least 2.50 in his or her last 90 quarter (60 semester) units; (3) file a written application with the department (in addition to the official application filed with the Admissions Office); and (4) submit two letters of recommendation for admission to the program from current or former professors.

Classification in the Program

“Classified Graduate” status implies that the student has demonstrated adequate preparation to pursue graduate work leading to the M.A. degree in Anthropology. Credit can be granted for necessary courses taken with graduate standing at other institutions; deficiencies, if any, can be corrected while registered as a “Conditionally Classified Graduate” student in the program. It should be noted that not more than 15 units of graduate level course work (6000 series) in Anthropology taken as a “Conditionally Classified Graduate” student will be applicable to M.A. degree requirements. To attain “Classified Graduate” status, either at the time of admission or thereafter, a student must: (1) have completed a baccalaureate degree with a major in Anthropology which includes the following anthropology courses or their equivalents: ANTH 3100 or ANTH 3101 , ANTH 3200 , ANTH 3400 , ANTH 3800 or 3810, ANTH 4250 or ANTH 4310 , ANTH 4910 ; (2) satisfy the University Writing Skills requirement.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to Candidacy implies that the student has demonstrated the capacity to complete satisfactorily the program leading to an M.A. degree in Anthropology. To be Advanced to Candidacy, a student must file with the department (normally upon completion of 23 course units) an approved program of study to include relevant courses satisfactorily completed, those in progress, and those yet to be taken; and then be recommended for Advancement to Candidacy by the department.

Maintenance of “Classified Graduate” Standing

To maintain “Classified Graduate” standing a grade point average of 3.0 or higher must be achieved in all courses taken in the approved program of study, whether at Cal State East Bay or at any other college or university. If a “Classified Graduate” student’s GPA falls below 3.0, s(he) shall be dropped from candidacy, if previously attained, and placed in “Conditionally Classified Graduate” status until all deficiencies have been remedied and the student is recommended by the department for reinstatement to “Classified Graduate” status (and candidacy when applicable). Failure by a student to return to “Classified Graduate” status following completion of 16 additional quarter units shall result in his or her dismissal from the program.

Requirements for the M.A. in Anthropology (45 units)

I. Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy

Acquire a research skill by successfully completing one year of coursework or equivalency (or demonstrating competence) in one of the following: (1) a foreign language relevant to your area of study, (2) computer and/or multimedia skills, (3) statistics. Students should seek departmental approval of the specific research skill.
Complete a minimum of 23 units of anthropological coursework applicable to M. A. requirements, including at least 15 units of graduate-level (6000 series) coursework.

II. Course Requirements

A. Complete 45-46 quarter units of graduate work including the 23 units needed for Advancement to Candidacy.

All must be earned within the five years just preceding the completion of the requirements for the degree.
Not fewer than 32 must be completed in residence.
Not fewer than 26 must be in anthropology courses in the 6000 series.
Not more than 13 may be taken in “Unclassified Post-baccalaureate” status and/or for extension and/or transfer course credit, as approved by the department.

B. Required Courses (25-28 units)

C. Elective courses (graduate or upper division)

Elective courses (graduate or upper division) in Anthropology (or outside of Anthropology in one or more closely related fields) taken as a graduate student. Choice of appropriate coursework will be made with consent of Graduate Advisor. Students in the Comprehensive Exam Track must have completed at least two upper division courses (or their equivalent) in each of the fields in which they take their exams. All units used to fulfill comps requirements must be included as elective units. Students in the Applied Anthropology Track are strongly advised to complete at least one course in statistics. (16 units)

D. Capstone Experience (1-5 units)

Complete one of the following:

1. Comprehensive Exam Track:

ANTH 6905 - Directed Readings in Anthropology Units: 1-5 and pass a comprehensive examination in two sub-fields of anthropology.
Before enrolling in ANTH 6905 students must (a) declare the two sub-fields from socio-cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology in which they intend to take their examination, (b) have taken at least 8 units of upper division coursework within each of the chosen fields, and (c) have the approval of the Department Graduate Coordinator.

The examination may be taken only after Advancement to Candidacy and the completion of the appropriate core seminars

ANTH 6100 - Seminar in Biological Anthropology Units: 4
ANTH 6200 - Seminar in Archaeology/Prehistory Units: 4
ANTH 6400 - Seminar in Socio-Cultural Anthropology Units: 4
ANTH 6800 - Seminar in Linguistic Anthropology Units: 4

2. Applied Anthropology Track:

ANTH 6909 - Departmental Thesis Units: 1-4 in conjunction with
ANTH 6770 - Internship Planning and Analysis Units: 4

3. Thesis Track:

ANTH 6910 - University Thesis Units: 1-5

E. Have a 3.00 or higher GPA in all courses applied to the M.A. degree.

Have a 3.00 or higher GPA in all courses applied to the M.A. degree. See also the Applying for Graduation in the Graduate Degree Information chapter in this catalog.

Comprehensive Exam, Thesis Track, and Applied Anthropology Track

Students may choose to complete ANTH 6905 and pass a comprehensive examination on any two fields from socio-cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology. Normally the exam will be given twice a year, in the Fall and Spring quarters. With the consent of the department faculty and the approval of the Graduate Coordinator, students may elect to enroll in ANTH 6910 , and undertake and satisfactorily complete a University Thesis under the supervision of a committee of at least two faculty members from the department. Students in the Applied Anthropology Track must enroll in ANTH 6909 - Departmental Thesis .

Courses Acceptable for the Master’s Degree

In addition to graduate level (6000 series) courses, all Anthropology courses in the 3000-4000 series (except ANTH 3000 ) are acceptable in the master’s degree program. Only courses with grades of “A,” “B,” and “C” are considered applicable to degree requirements. To apply a course to the degree in which a “D” or “F” is received, the student must repeat the course and earn a grade of “C” or higher. However, both the original grade and the repeat grade are utilized in calculating the student’s graduate grade point average.

Other Degree Requirements

In addition to departmental requirements, every student must also satisfy the university requirements for graduation which are described in the Graduate Degree Information chapter in this catalog. These include the 32-unit residence requirement, the five year rule on currency of subject matter, the minimum number of units of 6000-level courses, the 3.00 grade point average, and the University Writing Skills Requirement. For information on meeting the University Writing Skills Requirement, see the Testing Office website at www.csueastbay.edu/testing or call 510.885.3661.