Associate of Science - Anthropology - Transfer Degree

The Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer degree at Los Medanos College will provide students with an introduction to the fields of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of the human species throughout time; focusing on a diverse modern culture and cultural adaptations, biological classifications as a species and the inclusion in the Order Primates, and the species past developments, including the historical steps to first civilizations. The goal of Anthropology is to study the similarities and differences in biological and cultural adaptations and features across the globe throughout human history.

Anthropology is a holistic discipline, which means that anthropologists study all aspects of humans and behavior. The field of Anthropology has been broken up into five main sub-fields: Cultural Anthropology, Physical Anthropology, and Archaeology, Linguistics, and Applied anthropology. Cultural Anthropology is concerned with the study of human culture and its variations across time and space. Physical Anthropologists aim to study the human species from a biological perspective- examining DNA, relationship to close animal relatives, the primates and the fossil evidence of earliest human ancestors.

Archaeology is the study of the past, focused specifically on reconstructing past behavior by looking at objects used by past people. Linguistic Anthropologists study human language and communication. Applied anthropology aims to solve global social problems affecting the world.

The Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer degree is designed to meet the needs of a broad spectrum of students. In addition to providing valuable multicultural understanding and cultural literacy life skills, career opportunities for students include jobs in international development/assistance (nonprofit and government), education, museums, international business, zoos, human services, health care, social services occupations and other related fields. The associate degree in Anthropology provides preparation for transfer to Anthropology programs at four year institutions. To earn the Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer degree, a student must complete 60 transferable semester units that include: