College of LAS adds anthropology minor

04/08/2013 2:33 PM

By Margaret Cipriano ’15

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has added a minor in anthropology to the academic programs it will offer during fall 2013. The new minor gives students the chance to develop a global perspective while analyzing subjects such as societies, culture and peoples.

According to Dr. Jill Wightman, assistant professor of anthropology, the minor is structured to teach students a perspective of cultural understanding and relativism that allows them to approach and examine cultural differences without an ethnocentric point of view.

“An understanding of how to deal with cross-cultural experience, intercultural interaction and cultural change is important on Bradley’s campus and so is the desire to recognize this discipline and have a formal presence of it on campus,” Wightman said.

The minor was adopted to reflect the growing globalization and integration of cultures abroad and on campus. “As Bradley becomes increasingly concerned with providing global perspectives to students, anthropology is a significant component of that,” Wightman said.

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. David Glassman acknowledged the importance of offering a degree in anthropology to students, regardless of their major or intended career path.

“An anthropology background is useful for most any career and as such, is supportive of any major across the university,” he said. “An understanding and deep appreciation of cultural diversity is helpful to anyone who will be working with people from diverse backgrounds.”

The requirements for the minor consist of two core courses: ANT 101–The Anthropological Perspective and ANT 402–Ethnographic and Qualitative Methods, and nine elective hours from: ANT 102, SOC 300, ANT 303, ANT 305, SOC 311, ANT 314 and ANT 306. Students can begin declaring their minors now and courses will be available in the fall of 2013.