Undergraduate Overview | Department of Anthropology

Undergraduate Overview

Cultural anthropology reveals the complexity of life; questioning how humans have interacted with each other, their environments, and material objects across space and time in order to understand how cultural forms and processes are produced, practiced, and circulated.

Welcome to Anthropology at the University of North Texas! Our department focuses on the subfield of anthropology known as "cultural anthropology." Culture shapes every aspect of human life, from how we understand "identity," who we think of as family, the foods that we eat, and the religious or spiritual practices that we engage in. However, rather than teaching a collection of "facts" about different cultures, cultural anthropology at UNT teaches students how to think like an anthropologist--how to ask questions, look beyond the surface, and make sense of the world in a different way.

UNT Anthropology is one of the leading departments in the nation centered around the practice of applied anthropology, or the application of anthropological methods, theories, and insights to address real world problems. Students in our undergraduate curriculum will be exposed to an applied cultural perspective that addresses issues facing our communities today through courses like Environmental Anthropology; Social Justice, Inequality, and the City; and Design Anthropology.

Anthropology majors have the option to tailor their degree plan with certificates in Applied Anthropology, Social Justice Studies, and Urban Studies. We also invite majors from other disciplines to bring an anthropological perspective to their course of study through a minor in Anthropology or Medical Anthropology.

A bachelor's degree in Anthropology will provide students with the knowledge necessary to address the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly diverse and globalizing world. In addition, students will learn skills that can be used flexibly in a wide variety of career paths. Anthropology majors at UNT receive training in anthropological theory and learn a range of research methodologies such as ethnography, in-depth interviewing, survey research, and qualitative analysis. Courses teach intensive written and oral communication skills, and all students are encouraged to become proficient in a second language. Students in the Anthropology department will encounter opportunities to travel abroad and can get hands-on experience while working in a department-led international field school.

Graduates of UNT's Department of Anthropology have secured employment in a variety of sectors, including but not limited to the following fields:
-Environmental justice
-Medicine and Public Health
-Business
-Technology and Design
-Law
-Public Administration
-Domestic & International NGOs
-Education
-Start-ups and independent consulting

Check out our undergraduate alumni page to see the diverse (and sometimes surprising!) professional and educational paths our students have taken after graduation!

How to Apply to UNT

On-line Application to UNT (via the Texas Common Application)
On-line Financial Aid Form (via FAFSA on the Web)