Required Courses

  • Anthropology 191HA: Beginning Seminar (preparation of proposal) – Winter Quarter
  • Anthropology 191HB: Field Methods (preparation for research) – Spring quarter
  • Carry out research primarily over the summer following 191HB; research can  begin earlier
  • Anthropology 191 HC: Data Analysis – Fall Quarter
  • Anthropology 191 HD: Writing for Anthropology – Winter Quarter
  • Anthropology 191HE: Preparing for Publication and Conference Presentation – Spring Quarter

These courses provide a structure and framework for your research throughout the program. Your work with your faculty mentor(s) is of paramount importance as well. You should agree upon a schedule of regular meetings with your mentor(s), the frequency of which may vary from one quarter to the next.

Anthropology 191HA (Winter Quarter) focuses on the preparation of a proposal for independent research, to be written with the input of your individual Honors Committee. Students select and confirm the second advisor early in the quarter. The seminar consists of guest lectures by faculty from each of the four fields of anthropology, a presentation by a representative from the Office for the Protection of Human Subjects, and two sessions in the Young Research Library on materials and technologies for anthropological research. Students present their research proposal in class near the end of the quarter. The proposal identifies a clear research problem and provides a literature review (a history of ideas and previous research on the subject). Because application deadlines for summer funding often arrive in the winter quarter and require writing grant proposals, students need to formulate a research question before the quarter begins and make completion of a research proposal the top priority during this quarter. Check with the Honors Advisor for current funding deadlines.

The 191B seminar (Spring Quarter) prepares the student for independent research. Students may be asked to prepare an extensive literature review on their topic or perform pilot studies to test their field or analytical methods. The seminar also addresses more practical matters such as research clearances (including Human Subjects), research ethics, and health and safety information. Students are exposed to research methods from each of the subfields of anthropology.

The 191HC seminar (Fall Quarter) is directed toward the analysis of data collected during the preceding summer.  The objective of this class is to help students organize, analyze, and present the data for their Honors projects.  Analysis of all data should be completed well before the end of this quarter. Students work individually, with faculty, or in working groups to acquire the skills needed to arrange and process data.  The final product of 191HC is a completed and organized analysis of the findings collected by the student.  The students’ individual Honors committee members should also be provided with the analysis by the end of Fall Quarter.

The 191HD seminar is taken in the Winter Quarter. The course has the specific aim of helping students assemble, organize, and compose all of the components of the Honors paper, but it also is designed to aid in writing generally.  The course stresses skills related to writing clearly and in a formal anthropological style, organizing the major elements of a lengthy research paper (e.g., introduction, literature review, results, analysis, conclusions), and editing effectively.  Students read and provide constructive criticisms of published materials and materials produced by fellow students.  Students prepare several drafts of the Honors paper during the quarter and submit the final version for the department (approximately 25-30 pages of text) at the quarter’s end.  Each student should also be providing documents to his/her Honors thesis committee members during the quarter so that they can provide feedback.

As part of successful completion of the Honors Program, students are also required to give an oral presentation of their work to the department during the annual Honors Conference in Spring quarter. This course prepares for that conference. Students are encouraged to present their Honors research at other appropriate conferences whenever possible. The 191HE seminar helps students transform their honors papers into the format of a publishable article and exposes students to the world of publishing: how to select and approach journals, the ethics of publishing, inter-journal variations in style and attribution, etc.

Honors Thesis

As part of successful completion of the Honors Program, students are required to file an approved, final Honors thesis by the end of Winter Quarter. The paper consists of original research and is approximately 25-30 pages of text. It argues a central thesis of anthropological relevance developed by the student and his/her individual Honors committee (chaired by at least one Anthropology faculty member) and guided by the faculty instructors of Anthropology 191HC and 191HD. When students submit various drafts during 191HD, draft versions should also be circulated to committee members for evaluation. One signed, bound copy of the Honors paper must be submitted to the Departmental Honors Advisor during Winter Quarter exam week.

Requirements for Departmental Honors at Graduation

  • Maintenance of a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in all University course work completed.
  • Maintenance of an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher in all upper division anthropology course work.
  • Completion of the Honors thesis and required courses: Anthropology 191HA, 191HB, 191HC, 191HD, 191HE.
  • Submission of one signed copy of the Honors thesis to the Honors Advisor by the end of Winter quarter.
  • Participation in the Honors Week Conference Spring quarter.
  • Recommendation from the student’s committee chair and the Honors Faculty Committee.