Anthropology Anthropology is a science that deals with both the biological and cultural aspects of humanity. Its basic concerns include the organic evolution of the human species; the origin, development, and integration of customs, techniques, and beliefs which define a way of life (or culture) of human social groups; and the interrelations between these biological and cultural factors in human behavior. The subject matter of anthropology is divided into two major areas of study: Biological Anthropology (Division 318) and Cultural Anthropology (Division 319). The latter, in turn, includes archaeology, ethnology, and linguistic anthropology. Biological Anthropology considers human evolutionary history, the causes of present genetic diversity, and the biological basis of human behavior. It uses the evidence and concepts of paleontology, population genetics, and ecology. Archaeology seeks to understand human behavior through the longest possible time span by examining the remains of human activity (e.g., settlements, tools, pottery) which have survived from antiquity. Ethnology describes, analyzes, and compares the widest possible range of human cultures and social institutions. Some ethnologists concentrate on societies dissimilar from our own, e.g., hunters and gatherers, tribal peoples, and preindustrial societies; others examine contemporary European and American societies with the wider perspective gained from looking at other cultures and societies. Linguistic Anthropology views language as one of the most distinctive characteristics of human beings and makes language a special field of study. The Mischa Titiev Library. The Mischa Titiev Library, established in 1976, has an extensive collection of materials in all the subdisciplines for both reference and circulation. In addition, the Library has audio-visual equipment for anthropological research. The Museum of Anthropology. This museum is a separate university unit administered by the Director of Museums. All members of the curatorial staff of the museum offer instruction and hold academic titles in the Anthropology Department. The collections and laboratory facilities of the museum are made available to qualified students in the Department of Anthropology for instruction and research. The Museum has extensive collections of material on the ethnology and archaeology of the Great Lakes region and of the eastern United States. Other major collections include ethnological materials from the American Southwest; materials from Japan, China, and Tibet; and considerable archaeological, ethnological, and skeletal materials from the Philippines. There are smaller, representative collections from Africa, Oceania, Latin America, and Europe. While no formal program in museology is offered, two courses in Museum Techniques (Anthropology 496 and 497, Division 319) provide an opportunity to learn museum research methodology and administration through individually supervised work. Half-Term Information. Courses are offered normally in half terms for 2 credits. Concentration Programs. The department offers undergraduate concentration programs for a bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Anthropology-Zoology. The department also participates in the interdepartmental concentration program in Social Anthropology. University of Michigan | College of LS&A | Student Academic Affairs | LS&A Bulletin Index This page maintained by LS&A Academic Information and Publications, 1228 Angell Hall Copyright © 2000 The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA +1 734 764-1817 Trademarks of the University of Michigan may not be electronically or otherwise altered or separated from this document or used for any non-University purpose.