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Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humankind. It is an extremely broad discipline that is divided into four fields:
- Archaeology
- Biological anthropology
- Cultural anthropology
- Linguistic anthropology
Within each of the above fields, there are subfields such forensic anthropology, applied anthropology, primatology, for example. Therefore, this discipline stretches wide and far. In addition, anthropologists study humans across all of time and space.
At Normandale College, our classes explore the full scope of the discipline - from the biological evolution of our species and the social worlds of our ancestors, to the cultural diversity of our modern world and the challenges.
Anthropology courses teach students to appreciate the cultural diversity of their world and to critically assess their place in it. Our classes give students insight into a wide variety of human experiences, including their own. associated with understanding race, gender, and religious differences in a globalized world.
Our students learn by thinking, doing, and exploring anthropology. Along with our wide curriculum, we take pride in offering service 
learning options in many of our courses. This allows students to gain hands-on experience working in our community, and this learning experience becomes a part of each student's college transcript. In addition, nearly all of our courses are offered both online and on campus.
Think/Do/Explore
Learn what it means to be human by thinking and doing Anthropology at Normandale Community College.
Think
Study the diverse perspectives of human beings, past and present, from around the world within the following courses:
- Anthropology 1100: Intro to Anthropology
4 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8
Features guest speakers and spends 4 weeks in each area for the semester: Human Evolution, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistics, and Archaeology - Anthropology 1101 - Cultural Diversity
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8.
Examines sociocultural diversity and multiculturalism, the challenges and opportunities they present and their importance in our dynamic contemporary world. - Anthropology 1120: Women's Studies
- Anthropology 1127 Cultural Anthropology: The Global Human Experience
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8.
Examines the human way of life and cultural adaptations to various natural and social environments. - Anthropology 1130: Linguistic Anthropology
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8
This class looks at languages throughout the world form an anthropoligical perspective (socially, historically, and structurally.) - Anthropology 1210 Human Evolution: An Introduction to Bio-Anthropology
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 10.
Introduces humans as biological organisms, descended from animal ancestors and closely related to other primates.
Students may add an optional one-credit lab:
Anthropology 1211 Human Evolution Methods, 1 credit
Anthropology 1212 Primatology Observations and Applications, 1 credit - Anthropology 1230 Archaeology: Prehistory and Humanity's Cultural Origins
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 10.
Examines how the physical remains of past cultures are used to reconstruct vanished societies, explain their origins, and understand the factors that contributed to their ultimate collapse. It focuses on the universal cultural, economic and ecological factors that affected ancient peoples and how these staged the modern world.
Students may add an optional one-credit lab:
Anthropology 1231 Experimental Archaeology: Ancient Technologies, 1 credit.
Do
Explore human diversity with hands-on projects and fieldwork experiences with the following courses:
- Anthropology 1145 Human Variation: Bio-Anthropology and Forensic Analysis
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 7.
Explores the physical diversity of human populations. Students will examine actual human bones and learn to apply physical evidence to subjects ranging from archaeology to judicial proceedings. - Anthropology 1148 Seeing Culture Through Film and Fieldwork
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8.
Explores anthropological tools such as film, photography, music and fieldwork interviews to understand culture. Students will develop and present visual essays and evaluate the production of ethnographic materials. - Anthropology 1235 Field Archaeology: Methods of Exploring the Past
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 9.
Introduces field and lab methods used to locate, excavate, analyze and interpret the material evidence of vanished prehistoric cultures. Includes an intensive 2-day excavation of a Native American site in southwestern Minnesota.
Explore
Expand your understanding of human culture with these regularly offered courses:
- Anthropology 1101 - Cultural Diversity
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8.
Examines sociocultural diversity and multiculturalism, the challenges and opportunities they present and their importance in our dynamic contemporary world. - Anthropology 1121 - Women Across Cultures
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8.
Focuses on the major institutions of family, religion, education and economic & political systems as they define, provide for and frequently limit women around the world. - Anthropology 1150 - Native American Voices
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 7
Introduces students to anthropological concepts and issues important in understanding the place of Native American people in our nation's history and in contemporary society. Surveys selected cultures and looks at the problems and triumphs of Native Americans today. - Anthropology 1188 - Magic, Witchcraft and Religion - The Anthropology of Religion
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 8.
Compares the many religions in human cultures from simple to complex. Topics include myth, ritual, sacred space, symbols and religious personnel. Students explore how religion relates to other aspects of culture. - Anthropology 1236 - Archaeology of Minnesota: Prehistoric Native Cultures
3 credits. MnTC Goals 5 and 10.
Evaluates the prehistory and cultures in Minnesota from the earliest prehistoric human presence to the time of contact with European settlements. - Anthropology 1899 - Medical Anthropology - Health, Illness and Healing Across Cultures
3 credits. MnTC Goals 7 and 8.
Explores how culture shapes our experience, understanding and treatments of illness and health. Covers the evolution of diseases and contemporary disease trends and compares different kinds of healers and healing.
