Associate of Arts in Anthropology for Transfer (AA-T) Merritt College

Anthropology is the comparative study of human diversity. Throughout thousands of years of human civilization in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe, we have evolved and developed diverse cultural strategies to adapt to our environments. In Anthropology, we value the incredible complexity of the human species and study every aspect of what it means to be human.

In anthropology, students develop a critical analysis necessary to become world citizens, through studying a multitude of interrelated elements of what makes humans unique among all creatures on Earth. Unlike other social sciences, which often focus narrowly on only a few aspects of humanity, anthropology offers an integrated study of human culture, society, biology, and communication, from the time of our earliest evolution until the present moment.

Courses in anthropology can support students in pursuing various academic and professional career fields, including ethnic studies, medicine, nursing, sociology, business, communications, biology, education, foreign languages, and even athletics.

A study of anthropology at Merritt College is intended to provide students with knowledge and appreciation of the diversity of cultural and biological contributions to human adaptations, in the past and in the present.

Intended to meet the lower division requirements for anthropology majors or majors that have been deemed similar in the California State University (CSU) system.

Successful completion of the degree affords students specific guarantees for transfer to the CSU system such as admission to a CSU with junior status, priority admission to their local CSU campus, and to a program or major in anthropology or similar major. Students transferring to a CSU campus will be required to complete no more than 60 semester or 90 quarter units after transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree.

To qualify for the Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer (AA-T) degree, students are required to complete 60 semester units that are eligible for transfer to a California State University, including both of the following:

• The California State University General Education – Breadth Requirements (CSU GE-Breadth) or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) and
• 19-22 semester units with a grade of “C” or better, or “P” if the course is taken on a “Pass/No-Pass” basis, in the major and an overall minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU transferable coursework.

Peralta Colleges/Faiza Ali

• Analyze human biological and cultural adaptations, including the different factors that have affected and continue to affect humans biologically and culturally.
• Analyze the factors that cause modern human biological and cultural diversity and demonstrate an appreciation for, and sensitivity to, human biological and cultural diversity.
• Understand and apply the scientific and methodological approaches necessary for conducting research in the interdisciplinary fields of anthropology.

Program Requirements:

Major Core Courses

• Introduction to Physical Anthropology 3
• Introduction to Archeology and Prehistory 3
• Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology 3

Group A

• Introduction to Statistics 4

Major Elective Courses

Group B

Select one course for 3-5 units from the following:

• Human Anatomy 5
• Introduction to Physical Geology 4
• Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology 3 or Introduction to Research Methods 3

Group C

Select one course for 3 units from any Group B course not already used or the following:

• American Indian History and Culture 3
• Magic, Religion and Witchcraft 3
• Sex and Society 3

Total Units for the Major 19-22

Total Degree Units (maximum) 60

Anthropology is valuable for people seeking careers in business, private and non-profit sectors, education, community service, criminal justice (and with further study, forensics and law), and government.

With added academic study and degrees, an anthropology degree is useful for the study of healthcare and medicine (epidemiology, public health, nursing, pre-medicine for a career as a doctor), museology, international development, city planning, linguistics, psychology, ecology, and archaeology and cultural resource management.