Anthropology and UVM have roots going back to the early days of the discipline. One of the first, if not the first, undergraduate course in anthropology in the United States was taught here in 1886 by a geologist, and subsequent Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, George Henry Perkins. Anthropology at UVM became a separate department in 1971 and moved to its present location on the top floor of Williams Hall with its striking views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Although the faculty of the department is deeply committed to research and other scholarly activities, we see our primary mission as providing a first-rate undergraduate education. Many of our majors have gone on to graduate work in anthropology and have told us they appreciate the firm grounding in all four areas of the discipline they have received. We strive to prepare students in the areas of archaeology, biological anthropology, sociocultural anthropology and linguistic anthropology. In addition to the major, we also have a minor in anthropology. The minor emphasizes developing an understanding of at least two of the four subfields. We also feel a strong obligation to provide students who are not concentrating in anthropology with a sense of the discipline and especially some idea of the diversity of human kind. We are especially committed to providing students with a comprehension of the variations in human populations and a sensitivity to cultural differences. In order to implement these concerns, we offer a variety of courses in all four subfields. Our advising program, including the Teacher Advisor Program (TAP) of first-year seminars, emphasizes individual attention and a mentoring relationship between faculty and students.  

Over the past ten years, the department offerings have become increasingly popular with UVM students. The department has added many new faculty who are contributing new perspectives and research initiatives. All of our faculty are actively engaged in scholarship, guaranteeing that our course offerings reflect developments and trends in contemporary Anthropology.

The department offers a broad range of courses reflecting the breadth of the discipline as well as the diversity of our faculty's experiences and research interests. Our program begins with four basic courses designed to introduce anthropology's four major subfields - Human Cultures, Prehistoric Archaeology, Biological Anthropology and Linguistic Anthropology. Students can gain practical field experience in courses such as Field Work in Archaeology and Methods of Ethnographic Field Work. Course offerings emphasize both cultures of different areas of the world, such as Middle East Ethnography, Chinese Culture, Anthropology of Eastern Europe, Cultures of Africa, Latinos in the U.S. and Peoples of South Asia. Faculty also regularly teach topical classes related to their ongoing research. Recent offerings include Law, War and Disorder; Anthropology of Media; Culture, Health and Healing; Primates and Anthropology; HIV/AIDS in Cross-Cultural Context; Street Children; Tourism and Heritage; Language, Gender and Sexuality; Archaeology of the American Southwest; Language and Mind; and Archaeology of Frauds, Myths and Mysteries. The UVM on-line catalogue contains more specific information on all these and other offerings. Internships or field work practicums are also available on a course or semester basis, typically for upper-level students.

We also have lab facilities where students interested in archaeology, human osteology, and forensic anthropology can find training and experience, including in class such as Human Osteology and Archaeology, Stone Tool Technologies and a yearly summer field school in archaeology. Students may pursue their own interests by enrolling in Readings and Research in which they may work with an appropriate faculty member on their own individually-designed research. Highly motivated students may elect to do College Honors in which they prepare a major research project under the supervision of a faculty member.

How to reach us:

The Anthropology Department is located on the fifth floor of Williams Hall. The department office is located in room 509 and is open from 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00 during the academic year. Office hours and during scheduled academic breaks will vary.

Please direct mail to University of Vermont, Anthropology Department, 509 Williams Hall, 72 University Place, Burlington, Vermont 05405. You may reach us by telephone at 802-656-3884 or by FAX at (802) 656-4406.

Questions? Contact Cindy Longwell at 656-3884 or Cameron Wesson, Chair, at 656-2987.

Last modified March 12 2008 01:33 PM