About the Program
Anthropology is the study of human beings and their relationships with one another and with the world around them. W&M offers coursework in four subfields and opportunities for you to develop your own research projects. The Anthropology Department is especially interested in promoting engaged anthropology, scholarship and teaching that works with members of diverse communities – from Virginia Indians to Mexican farmers – to carry out research that addresses their concerns and interests. The department also offers a minor in Native studies that explores the culture, history, language and identities of Native peoples in the Americas and Polynesia.
What Makes Us Different
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Beyond Lectures
Take part in community engagement with Indigenous communities, regional museums and historical societies.
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Special Collections
Learn from the W&M collections including historic and contemporary ethnographic objects, archaeological artifacts and comparative osteological materials.
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Four Elective Subfields
Focus on studies in archaeology, biological anthropology, sociocultural anthropology or linguistic anthropology.
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Student Activities
Join the Anthropology Club, the National Association of Student Anthropologists and the Anthropology Graduate Student Collective.
Rankings
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# 4Best College for Anthropology and Sociology in VirginiaNiche 2025
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# 14Best Science Lab FacilitiesThe Princeton Review 2025
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# 5Best College LibraryThe Princeton Review 2025
Applied Learning
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Altshuler Scholars
Apply for scholarships that are awarded yearly to rising seniors to support promising summer research.
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Courses
Choose from a wide range of courses including Racialized Bodies and Places (ANTH 318) and Biocultural Anthropology (ANTH 492).*
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Sponsored Research Centers
Work with the American Indian Resource Center and the Institute for Historical Biology.
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Other Research
Carry out research for and with the National Park Service and Colonial Williamsburg and participate in faculty research programs from East and West Africa to Tahiti to Ireland and the British Isles.
Outcomes
Paths leading from an undergraduate degree in anthropology branch out in all directions. Many majors proceed directly to graduate or professional schools. Others enter the workforce in areas ranging from law to economics, from business to teaching and from peace-keeping to public health. The graduate program prepares students for careers as university professors, historical archaeologists and professionals in museums, historical societies, government and the private sector.
Talk to Us
Want to learn more? Our current students and faculty want to connect with you.
Department of Anthropology
Contact Us
- Get an inside look: Contact a current anthropology major
- Ask the faculty: Contact the Department of Anthropology
Courses Disclaimer
*Courses listed are examples. Course availability changes each semester.
