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OF OVERVIEWCultural Anthropology and Sociology are presented in a single program at Ursinus because they are such closely allied disciplines. The two fields use much the same research methods. Historically, sociology has focused on understanding social processes and groups in modern, complex societies, and while cultural anthropologists are concerned with the entire range of human cultures, much of their research was done in small-scale, traditional societies. Today, however, one might find either a sociologist or an anthropologist working as a consultant to analyze workplace problems in a large corporation, school, hospital or other institution in the United States, or to assess the social impact of a proposed road or irrigation project in a remote area of Africa, Asia, or South America.
We have retained the US vs. Global distinction as a way of sorting departmental courses: those with a SOC heading concentrate on analysis of United States social patterns; those with an ANTH heading take a cross-cultural approach; those with an ANSO heading combine these approaches.
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Students elect a major with an emphasis either in sociocultural anthropology or in sociology. At this time there is no emphasis in physical anthropology or archeology at Ursinus.
Majors in either anthropology or sociology must take 32 credit hours within the department and MATH 241/Statistics (which also fulfills a college general education requirement). Courses within the department must include either SOC 100 or ANTH 100, as well as Methods; History and Theory; and a Capstone Seminar. Majors with an emphasis in sociology select their remaining courses mainly from those with SOC and ANSO headings; majors in anthropology select from courses with ANTH or ANSO headings.
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Areas of primary interest: symbolic anthropology, the sociology of religion, the Old Order Amish, Pacific Island societies.
Areas of primary interest: gender and women's studies, family studies, Sub-Saharan Africa, American ethnic groups, social inequality.
Author of Women, Power, and Economic Change: The Nandi of Kenya, and numerous articles on African social organization and gender.
Current project: a book on fatherhood in cross-cultural perspective.
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Areas of primary interest: political economy, political sociology, philosophy of the social sciences, social inequality.
Author of The Structure of Portuguese Society, The Failure of Fascism, and several articles on Portuguese social structure and theories of the state.
Current project: a book on the political economy of the US from World War I to the present.
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Employment opportunities for those with Bachelor's degrees in anthropology and sociology include entry-level positions in the helping professions; social services; the criminal justice system; geriatric services; human resources and personnel; community development and group work; urban and regional planning; advocacy on a variety of social issues; public opinion, program evaluation, and market research; and many other areas.
A major in anthropology and sociology can be combined with certification for secondary school social studies teaching. Anthropology/sociology is an excellent background for law school; the MSW (Master's of Social Work, which leads to higher-level positions in social services, counseling, advocacy, etc.); and graduate degrees in public administration, criminal justice, personnel administration, child and family services, gerontology, health care administration, international development, teaching English as a second language, and many other specialized fields.
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Among recent (the past two years) graduates of Ursinus who majored in anthropology and sociology, one is attending law school, one is attending graduate school in anthropology. Two are studying for the MSW, one is a social worker, and another is a geriatric specialist. Current students are planning for careers in social work, human resources, international development, and veterinary medicine.
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An undergraduate background in anthropology and sociology:
* Provides good preparation for graduate programs in law, social work, public administration, criminal justice, personnel administration, child and family services, gerontology, health care administration, international development, and more.
* Provides good preparation for a variety of interesting entry-level job opportunities.
* Develops cross-cultural awareness, and thus is a good preparation for Study Abroad experiences.
* Enhances ability to function effectively in international business situations through increased cross-cultural awareness.
* Promotes appreciation of cultural diversity, and thus provides preparation for the diverse workforce and marketplaces of tomorrow.
* Promotes good citizenship by broadening our understanding of the world issues and social problems at the roots of today's headlines.
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Small size and intimacy: The department is small, making it possible for students to have close, intimate working relationships with faculty.
Flexibility: The program is very flexible due to small size and intimate contact; faculty members tailor course offerings and requirements to fit student needs.
Internships: Faculty help students find internship opportunities of particular interest to them, and work with them to prepare them to make the most of such opportunities as working at a battered women's shelter or assisting in a research project and mounting an exhibit at the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.
Secondary Education Certification: Because the number of specific credits required for the ANSO major is smaller than for most other social science majors at Ursinus, a student has more elective credits available for taking the extensive list of non-major social studies courses required for secondary social studies certification.
Pennsylvania German Studies: A member of our faculty is a well-known scholar in the study of Pennsylvania German culture, particularly in the Old Order Amish. Students have an opportunity for close-up study in this area, including field experiences with the Amish.
Opportunities for hands-on field research:: ANSO students have opportunities to participate in a variety of hands-on research projects lead by ANSO faculty members or developed as part of their personal major programs. Recent research projects include a cultural anthropological participant observation study living with Amish families, a large scale sociological study of social support needs for the North Penn Community Fund, an anthropological study of Amish quilters, and cultural anthropological participant observation in bi-lingual classrooms in Reading.
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