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Anthropology Overview

A Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology will open you to opportunities in government, private business, community organizations, education, health organizations, research institutions and the media. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of anthropologists is projected to grow 19% through 2022, faster than the average for all occupations.

Students can pursue a major or minor in Anthropology in the classroom, online, or using a combination of face-to-face and online classes. Students studying on our Macomb campus benefit from the intimate classroom environment. Online students take advantage of our innovative online teaching techniques, including the use of live-streaming and 3D modeling. We are a student-focused major and our faculty believe that research and teaching are closely intertwined. We work exceptionally hard to provide a high quality of education to our students while meeting their varied needs inside and outside the classroom.

All students regardless of modality can participate in our in-person summer programs including the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Archaeological Field School, where students participate in real archaeological excavation and laboratory analyses to gain skills vital to getting a job in the field of archaeology. Students can join our short-term study abroad trips as well. We also have two bridge programs that allow students to complete a MA in Liberal Arts and Science or Museum Studies in five years.

Contact

• Contact the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and meet our faculty.
• Contact our undergraduate advisor.

View the specific degree requirements and course descriptions in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Careers

Today's anthropologists work in all kinds of environments. They can be found in not-for-profit organizations, all levels of government, higher education, the Peace Corps, research, and publicly traded corporations. The following are just some of the opportunities available for those majoring in anthropology.

Archaeology

Field Archaeology, Museums, Government Agencies, Public and Private Foundations, Consulting

Biological (Physical) Anthropology

Teaching, Research, Forensic Consultation (ex: skeletal identification or DNA fingerprinting), Government Agencies

Cultural Anthropology

Teaching, Government Agencies, Marketing, Industrial Consultant

Linguistic Anthropology

Consulting, Neuroscience, Teaching English as a Second Language, Linguistics Professor, Technology Development

Videos and Articles on Careers in Anthropology

Archaeological Field School Opportunities for Summer 2026

We are pleased to be partnering with the Institute ofÌýFieldÌýResearch (IFR) to provide this summer's archaeologyÌýfieldÌýschool opportunities.

The Noble-Wieting site, a 700-year-old Native American village in east-central Illinois. Interested students should register through the IFR at the following link: . You do not have to be an anthropology major or minor to take theÌýfieldÌýschoolÌý- anyone who has an interest in the scientific method,ÌýfieldÌýresearch, collaborative research, and history or archaeology are encouraged to take this full-time, 6-week course.

This 6-week field school runs from June 1 through July 10, 2026.

Students will receive 8 course credits through Connecticut College, which can be transferred to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. All of these credits will count for the anthropology major and minor "Directed Electives," including the 3 credits needed for the anthropology methods course. Students completiong the field school can receive credit for Anth 424 (Laboratory Analysis of Archeological Materials) and Anth 426 (Archaeological Field Methods), as well as two additional directed elective credits in Anthropology. The IFR fee includes Connecticut College tuition as well as food and board for the 6-week fieldÌýschool.ÌýFeel free to contact Dr. Jacob Skousen atÌýbskousen@illinois.eduÌýwith questions or for more information.Ìý

Ìý

from the IFR website: "Situated in the American Bottom region near St. Louis, Cahokia is aÌý Ìýand was the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico. In this unique archaeology field school, you’ll be part of a larger research project investigating how peripheral neighborhoods contributed to Cahokia’s development, offering a rare opportunity to explore the social and cultural dynamics that shaped this medieval city. This immersive archaeological fieldwork program allows students to delve into excavation, mapping, and lab work, gaining essential skills in archaeological practice while examining Cahokia’s urban landscape and its enduring historical impact. Join us in uncovering Cahokia’s past and contributing to critical research on North America’s ancient urban landscapes."

Interested students should register through the IFR at the following link: . You do not have to be an anthropology major or minor to take theÌýfieldÌýschoolÌý- anyone who has an interest in the scientific method,ÌýfieldÌýresearch, collaborative research, and history or archaeology are encouraged to take this full-time, 6-week course.Ìý

This 6-week field school runs from May 20 through June 24, 2026.

Students will receive 8 course credits through Connecticut College, which can be transferred to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. All of these credits will count for the anthropology major and minor "Directed Electives," including the 3 credits needed for the anthropology methods course. Students completiong the field school can receive credit for Anth 424 (Laboratory Analysis of Archeological Materials) and Anth 426 (Archaeological Field Methods), as well as two additional directed elective credits in Anthropology. The IFR fee includes Connecticut College tuition as well as food and board for the 6-week fieldÌýschool.

Ìý

from the IFR website: "This RPA-certified field school offers the rare opportunity to gain both excavation and curation experience in a single program, giving you a full-circle perspective on archaeological collections. You’ll begin with two weeks of excavations at a late pre-contact Mississippian site near Bloomington-Normal, then transition to the Illinois State Archaeological Survey in Champaign-Urbana, home to one of the largest archaeological collections in the Midwest. Working directly with materials that span the entirety of human occupation in Illinois, you’ll develop excavation skills, learn best practices in curation and preservation, and explore how collections are made accessible for outreach, education, research, and stakeholder communities."

Interested students should register through the IFR at the following link: . You do not have to be an anthropology major or minor to take the fieldÌýschoolÌý- anyone who has an interest in the scientific method,ÌýfieldÌýresearch, collaborative research, and history or archaeology are encouraged to take this full-time, 6-week course.Ìý

This 6-week field school runs from June 1 through July 11, 2026.

Students will receive 8 course credits through Connecticut College, which can be transferred to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. All of these credits will count for the anthropology major and minor "Directed Electives," including the 3 credits needed for the anthropology methods course. Students completiong the field school can receive credit for Anth 424 (Laboratory Analysis of Archeological Materials) as well as additional directed elective credits in Anthropology. The IFR fee includes Connecticut College tuition as well as food and board for the 6-week fieldÌýschool.

Contact

Dr. Heather McIlvaine-Newsad

Office: Morgan Hall 408
Phone: (309)298-1056
Email: H-McIlvaine-Newsad@wiu.edu

Minor in Anthropology

Because Anthropology courses teach students about human diversity and difference, an Anthropology minor is an excellent companion to many majors. Anthropology courses particularly complement majors in Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, and Foreign Languages and Literatures.

You can pursue your Anthropology minor online, in the classroom, or in a combination of both formats. You also have the opportunity to earn credit toward the minor by participating in short-term study abroad programs and the Archaeological Field school.

Honors in Anthropology

Anthropology Honors Requirements

The requirements for honors in Anthropology are:

1. 3.4 cumulative ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ GPA
2. 3.4 GPA in the Anthropology Major
3. 9 sh total of honors work. Students may choose from the following options:
   • 3-6 sh in in-course honors projects in Anthropology in 300-400 level Anthropology courses
   • 3-6 sh Anth 497 (Senior Honors Thesis): Honors thesis written under faculty supervision and approved by the Anthropology Program Coordinator

The thesis represents between 3 and 6 credit hours of work devoted to an original research project in any subfield of anthropology. It may be completed as a substantial addition to a normal classroom course or courses, or by the appropriate use of directed readings, independent study, or study abroad/archeological fieldwork courses. Thesis research is usually conducted during the summer following the junior year or during the senior year.

Students interested in pursuing honors in Anthropology may express this intent as soon as they have eligible cumulative ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and Anthropology GPAs, but must express this intent no later than the second week of the senior year (or the second week of spring semester for December graduates). The student is responsible for obtaining the consent of a department faculty member to guide the work. The final thesis product must be approved by both the faculty supervisor and the Anthropology Program Coordinator.

Study Abroad

Many of our students supplement their classroom experiences by participating on short study abroad programs to Puerto Rico, Germany, and India. We also offer an archaeological field school that focuses on excavations at the Mississippian Orendorf village site and the adjacent, multi-component Rice Lake Terrace site. ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ also has special relationships with the Field Museum of Natural History, the Dickson Mounds Museum, and the Hensen and Niabi Zoos.

The Hills are Alive: Austrian Culture in Today's World - Fall 2023

All humans face the same problems - how to feed ourselves, how to heal ourselves, how to form families, and how to find meaning in life. This Study Abroad Course gives you the opportunity to learn how Austrians deal with these issues. You will also get a better understanding of Austria's unique role in the history and culture of the Alps. The course is available for Fall 2023 credit for both undergraduate and graduate credit.

Puerto Rico

This course is a once in a lifetime experience. Learning about disasters is often best done in a hands-on way. As a result of the devastation caused by hurricane Maria, students have the opportunity to participate in a field school in Ponce, Puerto Rico where they will gain on-the-ground experience learning about the complicated work of disaster recovery while helping affected communities in a meaningful way.

Germany

This course is a two-week long exploration of contemporary German culture. This program focuses on the use of anthropological field methods to provide students with a perspective of Germany that is unavailable to them in the classroom. We spend a week in two cities: Berlin, the modern capital of reunified Germany, and Celle, a medieval walled city located in a rural setting.

India

India is your classroom! This short-term study abroad course is located in the city of Dharamsala - a Tibetan enclave in northern India. We explore what it means to be an exile forced to live in a culture that is not your own. From an anthropological perspective, it will be difficult to separate your in-class experience from your day-to-day living during the course, as you too are living in a culture that is not your own. But so is the life of an anthropologist in the field!

Visit the Office of Study Abroad and Outreach for additional information.

Faculty

Our faculty have extensive field research experience in North, Central, and Latin America; Europe, South Asia, southern Africa, and the Middle East. We work hand-on with students inside and outside the classroom. We offer several short-term study abroad trips (Puerto Rico, Germany, India, Ecuador, and Peru) and a summer archaeological field school. Students also have the opportunity to collaborate with us on our research or to pursue their own original research projects.

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Alveshere, Andrea, Associate Professor of Anthropology
Currens Hall 508 • (309) 298-1199 • A-Alveshere@wiu.edu

Davis, Christina, Professor of Anthropology
Morgan Hall 409 • (734) 649-6992 • C-Davis@wiu.edu

Gblerkpor, William, Assistant Professor
Morgan Hall 404 • (309) 298-1056 • WN-Gblerkpor@wiu.edu

McIlvaine-Newsad, Heather, Professor of Anthropology
Morgan Hall 408 • (309) 298-1056 • H-Mcilvaine-Newsad@wiu.edu