Undergraduate courses

These summaries provide an overall sense of the courses and are not official course outlines. You will receive detailed course outlines for all courses you're registered in on the first day of class.

If you require an old syllabi please contact the Anthropology office.

See the University Calendar for a list of all anthropology courses.

All anthropology courses

Search for classes in Online Tools to confirm dates, days, times and locations. Courses are dependent upon enrollment numbers. 

Contact the Anthropology office if you have any questions.

Summer 2025

Summer 2025
Instructor: Dr. Amy Levine
Delivery: Online

Course description

This course aims to answer the question what makes us human? It is an introductory survey of the sub-fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural and social anthropology and linguistic anthropology. Two broad principles underlie our understanding of human complexity: First, all individuals and groups possess certain commonalities - in particular, genetic and other biological traits, sociality, language and a powerful symbolising capability; and second, human culture is incredibly diverse and ever-changing. We will explore the sub-fields of anthropology through a range of themes including, but not limited to: evolution; early humans; development of agriculture; emergence of cities and states; culture, supernaturalism, ethnicity and race; and families, kinship and gender. 

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to:

explain the sub-fields and specializations of anthropology with examples;
critically discuss a range of key themes and methods relevant to the study of anthropology;
identify and evaluate factors that influence our interpretation and understanding of anthropology;
differentiate between pseudoscience and legitimate scientific practices; and
exhibit research and public writing skills required in anthropology, other disciplines, and employment situations.

Topics may include

Culture
Primate diversity and conservation
Human evolution, adaptation, and diversity
Gender, kinship, and sexuality
Sustainability and climate change
Colonialism and social inequality
Health, people, and the environment

Summer 2025
Instructor: Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood
Delivery: Online

Course description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of anthropology’s role in framing notions of race and how this concept is often intertwined with ideologies of culture and power. We will explore how the discipline has shifted from ideologies around scientific racism to understandings that race is a socially constructed notion produced by people to frame hierarchies of power over other people. We will also examine the scholarly works of anthropologists who are currently encountering, critically examining, and challenging notions of race with respect to their own positionality and ethnographic fieldwork. Through a series of readings, films, and lectures, this course will provide a better understand of how the concepts of race, culture, and power impact the everyday lives of people who are often placed under the “gaze” of anthropologists. The course ends by considering directions for future research on race, culture, and power in anthropology. Students will examine anti-racist praxis in relation to moving anthropology forward as a discipline.

Course outcomes/objectives

critically examine anthropological scholarship and scholars writing about discourses on race, culture, and power
develop critical thinking skills on various themes around race and culture, and how hierarchies of power impact the lives of peoples around the world
explain how the discipline of anthropology contributed to framing discourses on race.
analyze and critique the positionality of anthropologists in terms of fieldwork
reflect on the impact of race as a social construct in relation to acts of racism

Topics may include

history of anthropological thought
Indigenous peoples, cultures, and power
Black feminist anthropology
Asians and racialization
policing
music as storytelling
migration
health inequities
anti-racism

Summer 2025
Instructor: Mr. Mark McIntyre
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course provides students with an overview of social and cultural anthropology – its origins, its distinctive methods and concepts, and its place in the contemporary world. In this course, you will learn how to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective and how to better understand yourself in relation to others. You will also learn to appreciate the diversity of topics that contemporary socio-cultural anthropology explores and the extent to which it can help you better understand a world where peoples and societies are increasingly interconnected. By the end of the course students should:

learn to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective.
apply anthropological theories and concepts to real-world problems.
have a greater degree of familiarity with the field of socio-cultural anthropology, its key concepts, theoretical orientations and methods.
understand the historical developments that have shaped the subfield of socio-cultural anthropology.
learn to challenge their cultural biases and ethnocentric assumptions.
demonstrate greater awareness of the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination.
gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures, and the impact of colonization on individuals, families and communities.
understand the ethical standards that anthropologists uphold.

Course outcomes/objectives

As this is an introductory course, it will offer the opportunity to exercise a wide variety of skills that are crucial in students’ academic and professional careers. These include critical reading and writing, analytical thinking, intercultural communication, and engagements with ethical dilemmas. In addition, the course will provide students with a supportive environment to develop effective communication skills.

Summer 2025
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Gauthier
Delivery: Off campus

Applications now closed.

More about this field school here.

Summer 2025
Instructor: Dr. Erin McGuire
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Raiders and Traders, Pirates and Farmers – The Vikings colour our view of the Middle Ages in a multitude of ways. The course takes a detailed look at the archaeological evidence for the people we call Vikings in the period defined rather broadly from c.800-1300 AD. A key focus of the course will be on materials and objects of the Viking Age, which we will explore through artifact studies and expertiential archaeology. An important aspect of this course is challenging the misrepresentation of the Vikings by nationalist groups.

Note: For summer 2025, we will have an on-going textile project, practicing spinning and then weaving on a functional replica of a Viking warp-weighted loom.

Course outcomes/objectives

The aims of this course are:

To examine the Viking Age using interdisciplinary source material with a focus on the archaeological record;
To outline theoretical and interpretative approaches to the Norse migrations;
To explore material culture through experiential learning;
To challenge the misrepresentation of the Viking Age by nationalist groups; and
To develop communication skills for diverse circumstances and audiences.

By the end of the course students should be able to:

Explain the causes and consequences of the Norse expansion;
Describe the nature the Norse expansion and settlement in various regions;
Critically assess the evidence used in the investigation and interpretation the Viking Age (e.g. archaeological, historical and literary sources);
Develop effective research design, including defining problems, generating research questions and formulating appropriate methodologies to collect and analyze data, and communicate results; and
Write effectively for diverse audiences and in different genres (proposal writing, technical reports, social media, and writing for public).

NOTE: This course will be taught as a hybrid of face to face and online in the Summer 2025 semester. There will be hands-on components, especially in the first weeks of the course. A team-based project is an essential element of this course, so please contact me if you are anticipating any extended absences.

Summer 2025
Instructor: Dr. Gwyn Dahlquist Axe
Delivery: Online

Course description

Analytical methods in bioarchaeology have progressed rapidly over the last several decades as technology has developed, allowing advanced scientific methods of analysis to become more accurate and accessible. Some of these techniques include extraction, sequencing, and analysis of ancient DNA, stable isotope analysis, radiography methods such as x-ray and computer tomography (CT), zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS), and ancient protein analysis.

This course is designed for students who are interested in advancing their knowledge of analytical methods for the purpose of studying human remains and a variety of archaeological materials. This course will be especially helpful for those who plan to continue their study of anthropology at the graduate or post-graduate level and specialise in archaeological science. This course will follow a thematic structure with weekly topics following themes related to theory and method in archaeological science. Themes addressed will include ancient human mobility, diet, subsistence, and health and disease. Throughout the course students will develop and hone skills in critically assessing analytical methods and their applications in bioarchaeology and beyond, as well as knowledge of research design with particular attention to ethical considerations.

Synchronous attendance will be expected regularly, with additional class time devoted to asynchronous activities. All materials used in class will be freely accessible.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students will be able to:

Demonstrate a strong theoretical understanding of the variety of methods presented throughout the course
- from a baseline understanding of the underpinning science behind each method
- and how they can be applied and answer archaeological questions
Understand the ethics surrounding various method of analysis with particular attention to
- Destruction of materials
- Cultural respect
Consider and understand the limitations of methods and critically evaluate the context of their use from an anthropological perspective
Critically evaluate published research using the methods described in this course

Fall 2025 - 100 level

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Amy Levine
Delivery: Hybrid - face-to-face & online

Course description

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to:

explain the sub-fields and specializations of anthropology with examples;
critically discuss a range of key themes and methods relevant to the study of anthropology;
identify and evaluate factors that influence our interpretation and understanding of anthropology;
differentiate between pseudoscience and legitimate scientific practices; and
exhibit research and public writing skills required in anthropology, other disciplines, and employment situations.

Topics may include

Culture
Primate diversity and conservation
Human evolution, adaptation, and diversity
Gender, kinship, and sexuality
Sustainability and climate change
Colonialism and social inequality
Health, people, and the environment

Fall 2025
Instructor: C. William Campbell
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course’s primary goal is to familiarize students with the discipline of anthropology. Instead of approaching that goal by providing a broad overview of the discipline, we will approach the discipline in an applied way, examining two core concepts as objects of anthropological inquiry: religion and environment. Subsequently, this course is appropriate for students either new to the discipline of anthropology, or to students who have an interest in the diversity of religion, spirituality, and the human/other-than-human relationship.

The concepts religion and environment interact in interesting and often surprising ways. They each inform the other, even though neither concept is quite stable. What we consider religion, what we consider the environment, as well as how we “ought” to interact with each are always being (re)negotiated and asserted. These (re)negotiations and assertions also often reflect and/or are informed by other, broader, societal factors, such as politics, environmental conditions, and economics.

Students should note that this course is not an overview of world religions’ perspectives on the environment – in fact, the course challenges the notion that that would even be possible. While much of the course will indeed discuss the putative “major world religions”, it will not do so systematically, and much of the course content will discuss religious/spiritual practices that do not properly fit into a “major world religion” category, such as state-sponsored yoga, indigenous spirituality, psychedelic mushrooms, livestock slaughtering practices, and more. Nonetheless, these practices illustrate the myriad, overlapping, often contradictory ways that religion and environment interact.

Course outcomes/objectives

In this course, students will learn to:

articulate how anthropology contributes to a philosophy of religion and environment.
identify and articulate diverse forms which the relationship between religion and environment can take.
develop a reflexive perspective towards scholarly literature that examines these relationships.
identify how these forms of relationship create the conditions of possibility for different environmental practices.
search UVic Library resources for journal articles and book chapters.
write using Chicago, author-date style, in-text citations.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood
Delivery: Online - Mondays (synchronous) and Thursdays (asynchronous) 9:30am-10:50am

Course description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of anthropology’s role in framing notions of race and how this concept is often intertwined with ideologies of culture and power. We will explore how the discipline has shifted from ideologies around scientific racism to understandings that race is a socially constructed notion produced by people to frame hierarchies of power over other people. We will also examine the scholarly works of anthropologists who are currently encountering, critically examining, and challenging notions of race with respect to their own positionality and fieldwork. Through a series of readings, films, and lectures, this course will provide a better understand of how the concepts of race, culture, and power impact the everyday lives of people who are often placed under the “gaze” of anthropologists. The course ends by considering directions for future research on race, culture, and power in anthropology. Students will examine anti-racist practice in relation to moving anthropology forward as a discipline.

Course outcomes/objectives

critically examine anthropological scholarship and scholars writing about discourses on race, culture and power
develop critical thinking skills on various themes around race and culture, and how hierarchies of power impact the lives of peoples around the world
explain how the discipline of anthropology contributed to framing discourses on race.
analyze and critique the positionality of anthropologists in terms of fieldwork
reflect on the impact of race as a social construct in relation to acts of racism

Topics may include

history of anthropological thought
Indigenous peoples, cultures, and power
Black feminist anthropology
Asians and racialization
policing
music as storytelling
migration
health inequities
anti-racism

Fall 2025 - 200 level

Fall 2025
Instructor: Ms. Leah Mernaugh Bergman
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course provides students with an overview of social and cultural anthropology – its origins, its distinctive methods and concepts, and its place in the contemporary world.

In this course, you will learn how to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective and how to better understand yourself in relation to others. You will also learn to appreciate the diversity of topics that contemporary socio-cultural anthropology explores and the extent to which it can help you better understand a world where peoples and societies are increasingly interconnected.

By the end of the course students should:

learn to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective
apply anthropological theories and concepts to real-world problems
have a greater degree of familiarity with the field of socio-cultural anthropology, its key concepts, theoretical orientations and methods
understand the historical developments that have shaped the subfield of sociocultural anthropology
learn to challenge their cultural biases and ethnocentric assumptions
demonstrate greater awareness of the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination
gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures, and the impact of colonization on individuals, families and communities
understand the ethical standards that anthropologists uphold

Course outcomes/objectives

Because this is an introductory course, it will offer the opportunity to exercise a wide variety of skills that are crucial in students’ academic and professional careers.

These include critical reading, analytical thinking, intercultural communication and the ability to undertake effective secondary research using online and traditional research sources. In addition, the course will provide students with a supportive environment to develop effective communication skills.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Tommy Happynook
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course will provide students with a foundational understanding of the relationships between Indigenous Peoples, colonization, and Anthropology. The first half of the course will explore the history of colonization in Canada from an Indigenous and anthropological perspective. The second half of the course will explore the relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the anthropological subfields: cultural/social, archaeology, biological/physical, linguistic, visual. The course will also consider the role of historical anthropological and ethnographic literature and research today.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:

develop a foundational understanding of anthropology’s role in colonization within Canada.
develop a foundational understanding of the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and anthropology’s subfields.
develop a foundational understanding of the critiques of historic anthropological and ethnographic literature.
develop a foundational understanding of how to engage with the historic anthropological and ethnographic literature beyond the critiques.
develop and/or apply critical thinking skills.

Topics may include

Colonial laws/legislation
Policies of assimilation
Anthropological/ethnographic literature
Indigenous-Anthropology relationships in subfields (cult/soc, bio/phys, arch, sound /visual)

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Cassandre Campeau-Bouthillier
Delivery: Online

Course description

In this course, students will explore the use of visual media—such as film, photography, and digital media—in the context of various cultures. Students will examine how various cultures around the world use visual media tools to document, interpret, and communicate their experiences on a global scale. Through critical analysis and creative projects, students will examine how visual practices shape our perceptions of culture and identity.

Course outcomes/objectives

In this course, students will:

examine how visual culture has changed over time;
politics of representation;
learn about the theories behind the examination of visual culture(s);
learn how to use these theories to examine visual media in the context of an interdisciplinary project of their own;
examine various media from different cultures and their relevance to different cultural contexts (both historically and geographically);
examine some of the current challenges in the context of visual culture and cultural appropriation of media and images.

Topics may include

Perspective, visuality and “seeing”
Indigenous visual culture
Surveillance and the politics of the visual
The Gaze and the limits of the visual
Visual activism
Visual culture of death, pandemics, and disasters

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces the subdiscipline of archaeology, highlighting a few of the many places, theories, methods, techniques, and people(s) who have illuminated our shared human history. We consider the kind of questions archaeologists ask, how the archaeological record is formed, how archeologists collect data, conduct analyses, and interpret their findings. The course is not a comprehensive review but aims to examine the processes through which human history is encountered, narrated, and mobilized in the present. The laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with techniques discussed in lectures and in the textbook. Please ensure that you have registered for both the lecture and a lab section.

Course outcomes/objectives

Become familiar with common terms and concepts in archaeology
Identify types of archaeological evidence and interpretations
Consider the utility of different archaeological methods and techniques
Describe and categorize commonly recovered archaeological material

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Ammie Kalan
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introduction to the subfields of biological anthropology, emphasizing the past and present evolution and diversity of human and nonhuman primates.

Course topics include evolutionary theory, population genetics, primatology, paleoanthropology and contemporary human diversity and adaptation.

Lab exercises will cover human osteology, fossil identification, comparative skeletal anatomy, human genetic principles and physiological differences in human populations.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Ammie Kalan
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Examines the special relationship that humans share with their closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates, by surveying the myriad of interactions between people and primates throughout history and in contemporary times. The course will provide foundational knowledge regarding primate evolution, behaviour and diversity, upon which historical and cultural interactions with humans will be explored using a global perspective. Emphasis will be on investigating the significance of primates for the following aspects of human societies: religion; mythology; art; medicine; media and trade.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students who complete this course will be able to

Clearly explain the defining features of primates including those found in humans
Confidently describe the major primate taxonomic groups and their associated physical and behavioural characteristics
Comprehensively identify and analyze myths featuring primates from around the world, as well as their influence on cryptoprimatology.
Thoughtfully deconstruct the symbolism present in art featuring primates from around the world.
Clearly describe the historical influence of primate trade and the consequences for biomedicine, research, and entertainment (e.g., media, zoos) today.
Critically evaluate the ethical and moral implications of human-primate relationships from a global perspective.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Gauthier
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to the various methods of enquiry and interpretation used in anthropological research. With examples from across the subfields of anthropology, this course provides an overview of research design, ethical considerations and different quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis.

This includes participant observation, interviewing, ethnographic mapping and participatory visual methods. We will also address key debates about the production and status of anthropological knowledge and the relationship between theory and methodology.

This course is designed to help students improve their ability to:

critically evaluate anthropological research
select and apply appropriate methods of data collection and analysis for addressing specific research questions
assess the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative methods in certain contexts 
critically assess how historical and contemporary factors can shape the power relations between researcher and participants
understand the ethical and political implications of anthropological research

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will gain valuable experience in anthropological research, critical analysis, academic writing and use of referencing.

This will involve synthesizing and evaluating information from scholarly sources and clearly communicating through academic writing and peer-to-peer discussions.

Through practical research exercises, students will develop foundational skills for the collection, recording and analysis of anthropological data.

Fall 2025 - 300 level

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Dzifa Dordunoo
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course, students will continue to develop an understanding of the critical relationship between global social and economic processes, the earth, and the health of humans. The readings and lectures emphasize how local experiences of health are linked with global economic and political processes through the changing environment. An emphasis is placed on the student as a global citizen and advocate within the context of the global society and the changing health of the environment. The course is organized into thirteen weekly sessions. Through discussions, debates, presentations, case studies, guest speakers, teaching sessions and critical reflections, the student will gain experiential knowledge of the course concepts considering real-world, global health challenges.

Course outcomes/objectives

Understand the intersections between the well-being of individuals and the cultural, historical and environmental conditions within which a person lives
Critically examine the role of power, inequality, and structural violence in producing health disparities among marginalized populations.
Evaluate the impact of globalization, migration, and colonial histories on contemporary health practices and access to care.
Develop the ability to observe global health patterns and to analyze global trends
Apply knowledge of trends to real case materials through in-class exercises
Develop skills in the critical analysis of representations about the health of others

Topics may include

Colonialism
Racism
Sustainable Development Goals
Anthropocene
Planetary Health
Epidemiology
Models of health
Concepts of globalization
Historical changes in disease and health
Epigenetics
Economics

Fall 2025
Instructor: Mr. Mark McIntyre
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course aims at sensitizing the students to the often-forgotten presence of sounds in everyday life. More than just a phenomenological account of sound, the course proposes to consider all sound-related dimensions (noise, music, voice, silence, etc.) as significant elements of research and analysis.

It further takes sound as something to seriously reflect upon from an anthropological perspective. Throughout this course, students will have the opportunity (1) to map out and reflect upon ethnographies of sound, theories of sound, sound art works and recent writings in sound studies—a thriving field in the humanities and social sciences—and (2) to experiment directly with sound production.

In being involved in the production of soundscapes and other related sound installations/projects, students will be encouraged to think about how sound can be considered a significant element of research and theory-making.

Course outcomes/objectives

To think creatively about how sound can become an element of research and analysis in anthropology.
To reflect critically on sound in your everyday life and in relation to your own research interests.
To discuss recent and historical research, works and projects constructed on an analysis of sound from various perspectives and approaches: anthropology, sociology, visual and media arts, music, sound studies, communication, etc.
To determine how sound can enhance the visual dimension of films, exhibitions and research.
To produce simple to more complex sound clips and/or soundscapes in order to explore research interests and questions in anthropology and other disciplines.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Helen Kurki
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to quantitative data analysis in Anthropology. It is designed for students with little or no previous experience in this area but who wish to achieve basic statistical literacy, enabling them to perform common statistical analyses and understand statistical results reported in the literature. The course format includes lectures and computer-based labs, with a focus on the theory, application and interpretation of statistical analyses and information. The relationship between research questions and statistical design will also be examined. Data analysis applications will be based in R and RStudio.

Course outcomes/objectives

This course aims to aid students in learning to…

explain statistical concepts such as types of quantitative data, probability, normal distributions, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals
evaluate the appropriate use and interpretation of statistical analyses
interpret statistical results, both numerical coefficients and graphical representations
apply common statistical analyses and create graphical representations using R programming language and the RStudio GUI
explain how virtual (computer-based) approaches are being applied to quantitative data analysis in Biological Anthropology and Archaeology

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This is a reading intense and practice-based course that offers insights into the meanings of and approaches to ethnographic research. We will focus on the main principles, ethics and methods contemporary ethnography employs. This class is organized as a cooperative and collaborative discussion group and think tank with contributions expected from all. Over the course the students will develop a deeper understanding of the methodologies that might fit their future research. Students are expected to be prepared to discuss the readings for each class meeting, contribute to small group (peer-review) and whole class discussions.

Course outcomes/objectives

become familiar with qualitative research methods and approaches
practice conducting independent ethnographic research including conducting interviews and fieldnote analysis
build and strengthen the skills of making public presentation
build and strengthen the skills of writing an ethnography
practice conducting peer evaluation

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course surveys the vast and vibrant human history in British Columbia represented at Indigenous and historic-era archaeological sites. It highlights recent research on the coast, plateau and subarctic, considering the many ways Indigenous peoples thrived in diverse places and communities, from the last glaciation into the current moment.

We will specifically examine how archaeological research has been conducted in the province by investigating foodways, settlement practices, as well as environmental and sea level changes.

Course outcomes/objectives

learn about archaeology in BC; how sites have been investigated, the information they contain and their significance to Indigenous communities
identify types of ancient human places and how archaeological observations can have implications for governance, policy, science and engineering today
learn about the role that archaeological data and theories have had in portraying Indigenous histories in legal settings and in reconciliation efforts
consider how the locations and conditions of archaeological sites are revealed and affected by post-glacial environmental changes and geohazards

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Helen Kurki
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course, the primary objective is to examine the anatomy and functioning of the human musculoskeletal system as a foundation for further studies in areas such as bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology, paleopathology, and paleoanthropology, among others. Students will learn to identify the elements of the human skeleton and major skeletal landmarks, skeletal muscle anatomy, skeletal growth and development, and basic skeletal biology and histology. The ethical considerations of studying human remains will be a consistent theme. The lecture component will focus predominantly on the biological, developmental, and functional components of the musculoskeletal system, while weekly lab sessions will enable students to engage in hands-on activities aimed at identification of the skeletal structures and an appreciation for human skeletal variation.

Course outcomes/objectives

Student will have the opportunity to develop skills relating to the handling and identification of human skeletal remains. Written exams and bell-ringer format tests will be the primary assessment methods.

NOTE: Mandatory lab sessions are part of this course and must be enrolled in separately.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Andrea Walsh
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course we focus on the role of museums in Canada as they address a large question: how are museum and heritage professionals changing their mandates and practices to reflect present day ethical, moral, and legal obligations to Indigenous communities whose belongings were removed and are now in museums? To answer this question, we will use a case study approach that combines readings, audio and visual resources, and experiential learning. During the semester our class will be in conversation (in person and over Zoom) with a minimum of 5 Indigenous heritage professionals working in or through museums in B.C. and Canada. These engagement sessions are designed as open conversations between heritage professionals and students in the course about their work as curators, conservators, directors of repatriation, and public programming.

The case study approach is supported by our learning about provincial, national, and international reports and policies affecting museums and their communities. Importantly, we will be exploring Indigenous–led work of heritage professionals through individual First Nations, Metis, and Inuit organizations, and policy making by provincial and national museums. Our work with these publications will have a focus on repatriation and the creation of exhibitions.

Assessment of student learning will be based on a series of short written reflections following the Indigenous heritage professional sessions, one exam focused on understanding present museum-associated issues including policies, and a curatorial research/exhibition project. Students are expected to attend an off campus exhibition at the University of Victoria’s Legacy Art Gallery located at 630 Yates Street in Victoria as part of the course requirements.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will learn about critical historical events and movements as part of museums practice in Canada.
Students will develop critical skills for looking at the historical construction of cultural representations through museums as well as present day decolonial approaches to museology and work by heritage professionals.
Students will learn from case study implementation of policies and reports including Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls To Action, Canadian Museums Association’s New Partnership Agreement and Moved To Action Report; the Royal BC Museum’s Repatriation Handbook; the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); and B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA); From Stealing to Healing Report on repatriation costs and benefits for First Peoples’ Cultural Council.
Students will have opportunities to converse with and learn from practicing Indigenous heritage professionals.
Students will gain practical skills in archival and curatorial research as well as further develop critical writing skills.

Special to 2025: a focus on the exhibition Doug LaFortune: Salish Lines at the Legacy Art Gallery.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Jessica Schalburg-Clayton
Delivery: Online

Course description

This course invites students to critically explore the deep and diverse entanglements between humans and non-human animals through the lens of archaeology. Moving beyond simplistic narratives of domestication and utility, we will examine animals as co-inhabitants, symbols, labourers, kin, commodities, and drivers of biological change across time and space.

The course emphasizes how archaeological evidence, ranging from faunal remains and isotopic data to iconography and art, can be used to trace changing human-animal relationships and their broader social, political, and ecological implications. Students will have the opportunity to engage with case studies and theoretical perspectives from zooarchaeology and ethnography, and to develop their own critical approaches to interpreting past animal-human interactions. In doing so, students will be encouraged to consider how animals shaped, and were shaped by, the human world.

Course outcomes/objectives

Reflect critically on the diversity and complexity of human-animal relationships in the past
Analyze archaeological data and materials related to animals using multiple interpretive frameworks, including perspectives from archaeological science
Engage with key debates in zooarchaeology, including domestication, animal agency, and ethics
Discuss interdisciplinary perspectives on human-animal relations from archaeology, anthropology, and history

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Helene Demeres
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Water, beyond its purely physical form, has multiple identities and meanings wherever it flows and is tied to many deeply held cultural values. This course explores the ever-changing relationships of communities and nations with water and the rise of water (in)justice. A significant portion of the course consists of independent field assignments critically examining our relationships with water, including “sitting with” a local water source and researching the Indigenous and settler histories of human interaction surrounding it.

Course outcomes/objectives

Collaboratively, we will learn through field visits, contemplative practice, guest speakers, and sharing our own research.

Topics may include

Coming consumption, commodification, ritual uses, gender, water management, water security, water piracy, Indigenous rights, hidden water injustices, technology, the role of the arts in water activism, and water as a tool for peace rather than international conflict.

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Melanie Chang
Delivery: Online

Course description

This undergraduate course, suitable for both majors and non-majors, will outline Neandertal biology, behavior, and current debates over the place of the Neandertals in human evolution. The main goal of the course is an up to date understanding about who the Neandertals were, and how they lived, through the examination of paleontological, archaeological, and molecular data. What did they look like? What did they eat? What sort of tools did they make? Were they our ancestors or not? What’s this I hear about a cave bear cult? As we evaluate the available evidence (and its limitations), we will also investigate the history of scientific and popular thought about Neandertals, and how it has reflected changes in broader societal attitudes over time. The course will include in-class, hands-on laboratory activities and open discussions. The reading list will range from selected journal articles to excerpts from popular literature like Clan of the Cave Bear.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students who have learned successfully in this course will:

be familiar with the available osteological, archaeological, and genetic data regarding Neandertal biology and behavior
understand the phylogenetic significance of the Neandertals and their relationship to more ancient hominins as well as modern humans be able to critically evaluate paleoanthropological data and theories

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Kaela Parker
Delivery: Online

Course description

Many cultures around the world have distinguished between ‘us’ and ‘them’ or ‘other’. The ways of separating these two spheres may incorporate ideas associated with perceived cultural or physical differences.

Ultimately, the concept of human diversity has had enormous repercussions from the level of individual identity through to the far extremes of racial segregation and genocide throughout human history. However, can this diversity be categorized? How can it be discussed and understood and what is its basis?

This course will engage in a critical examination of the concepts surrounding human diversity. It will then proceed with a consideration of the biological and genetic basis for human variation. Through this, types of diversity and their biological basis will be explored.

Interacting roles of heredity, culture and environmental diversity will be presented, and the modern implications of race concepts, of human diversity and health will be discussed. Finally, the changing nature of human diversity will be explored.

Course outcomes/objectives

understanding human diversity and the complexities surrounding our understanding
discussing the fundamental concepts surrounding genetics and evolution
honing critical thinking
writing, discussing and leading a group talk

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Timothy Knowlton
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Mythology has been a core concept of anthropology since the beginnings of the academic discipline. What is the relationship between myths and the societies and cultures in which they circulate? Throughout anthropology’s history, widely influential theoretical and methodological approaches to this question have been developed. This course engages students both in employing and in critiquing different anthropological methods and theories for analyzing myth and storytelling practices. Case studies consist of traditional stories from peoples across the globe paired with ethnographies of the corresponding people groups. This course places emphasis on the global diversity in how myth is performed and how meanings are embodied beyond the narrative arts.

Course outcomes/objectives

In this course, students will cultivate skills involved in the analysis and interpretation of primary sources for anthropological method and theory regarding myth, society and culture. Students will undertake effective secondary research and will gain experience mediating discussions of their own and others’ works based on respectful dialogue.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

summarize the major theoretical and methodological approaches to myth in anthropology over its history
discuss and interpret primary sources (in translation) of myths as well as ethnographic accounts of their corresponding societies and cultures
evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical and methodological approaches to myth as well as the concept’s applicability within contemporary anthropology

Fall 2025 - 400 level

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The goal of this course is to enhance understanding of contemporary anthropological thought and practice by drawing attention to historical concepts, ideas, events, and individuals that have shaped disciplinary knowledge. We will track key developments in the history of anthropological thought from the late 18th century to the 1970s. We will seek to understand what makes anthropological thought distinctive in the social sciences and in the university at large. Readings, lectures, and discussion will focus on changing definitions of anthropology’s subjects, objects, and methods across several prominent schools of thought, including but not limited to British social anthropology, French structuralism, and American symbolic anthropology. How have these and other trends in anthropological theory conceived of the notions of culture, society, and the subject? How have they helped us think about meaning, practice, and power? Students will obtain an understanding of the foundations of anthropological thought and the ability to identify the problems and innovations in its development.

Course outcomes/objectives

Working knowledge of key vocabulary, ideas, assumptions and individuals in the history of anthropology through to the 1970s
Comprehension of how knowledge production is shaped by social, political, and economic contexts
Understanding the relationship between contemporary anthropology and earlier approaches
Describing and analyzing anthropological theories, concepts and their implications
Initiating and engaging in productive discussions of topical material
The ability to analyze texts through both expository writing and oral presentation

Fall 2025
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Arctic is home to unique ecosystems with fragile biological diversity as well as rich cultures celebrated by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

The goal of this course is to offer an introduction into the broad array of the contemporary issues of the Circumpolar North with primary focus on Arctic Indigenous Peoples, Arctic knowledge systems, environmental stewardship and policies.

The core questions that will be addressed during this course are:

What is Arctic today?
What is the place of humans in Arctic’s past, present and future?

Course discussions, readings and assignments are aimed to enhance the understanding of interconnections between Arctic climate, environment and societies at the local and global scales.

Course outcomes/objectives

understand the unique place of the Arctic at the global scale
navigate across the challenges and solutions in relation to life in the Arctic
practice creative presentation design
situate anthropological discourses in relation to the Peoples of the Arctic 
practice written and oral communication

Spring 2026 - 100 level

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Erin McGuire
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introductory survey of the sub-fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Two broad principles underlie our understanding of human complexity: First, all individuals and groups possess certain commonalities - in particular, genetic and other biological traits, sociality, language, and a powerful symbolising capability; and second, human culture is incredibly diverse and ever-changing. We will explore the sub-fields of anthropology through a range of themes, identify the roles anthropology plays today, and explore how anthropologists contribute to tackling global issues like sustainability and social inequality.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to:

explain the sub-fields and specializations of anthropology with examples
critically discuss a range of key themes and methods relevant to the study of anthropology
identify and evaluate factors that influence our interpretation and understanding of anthropology
differentiate between pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology and legitimate scientific and archaeological practices
exhibit research and public writing skills required in anthropology, other disciplines and employment situations

Topics may include

culture
primate diversity and conservation
human evolution, adaptation and diversity
environmental archaeology
public archaeology
sustainability and climate change
colonialism and social inequality
health, people and the environment

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Karoline Guelke
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

All cultures draw distinctions based on gender, but the specific characteristics associated with women, men and other genders vary significantly. This course examines gender roles and relations using ethnographic examples from a range of different cultures. Drawing on feminist and gender theories we approach gender as something that is actively enacted and explore how it intersects with factors like class, age, and ethnicity. More specifically we will apply a gendered perspective to analyzing issues such as childhood socialization, division of labour, kinship, sexuality and the body, religion, globalization and international development. While the emphasis is on cultural aspects, biological factors and human evolution will also be addressed.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will:

critically evaluate how gender roles are constructed, performed, and challenged in different cultures
develop an understanding of anthropological and Feminist theory as pertaining to gender issues
apply key concepts such as intersectionality, performativity, and social constructionism
use cultural relativism in analyzing cross-cultural practices like veiling, seclusion, and gendered division of labour
identify and assess the impact of gender roles in their own cultural surroundings
synthesize and evaluate information from academic sources

Spring 2026
Instructor: Ms. Leah Mernaugh Bergman
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

World travel has never been easier, faster, or more accessible than it is today. Social media images of idyllic destinations tell us that happiness may be just a plane ticket away. At the same time, we are confronted with the fact that travel is mediated by the power-laden realities of economics, passports, and global pandemics. This course explores many forms of travel, from tourism to migration to pilgrimage, through the lens of anthropology. By exploring various theoretical writings, case studies, and ethnographic accounts, we will consider social and cultural meanings of travel, interrogate the “Eat Pray Love” narrative around finding yourself in a foreign country, and think about how power influences how people move across space. Students will emerge from this course with a deeper understanding of how travel shapes and is shaped by larger trends in our contemporary world.

Course outcomes/objectives

Explore contemporary issues related to travel and globalization
Understand what distinguishes an anthropological approach and examine key anthropological contributions to this topic
Critically analyze travel narratives and media representations, assessing how they construct and reinforce stereotypes and power dynamics
Develop and practice academic writing skills

Topics may include

Globalization, “Disneyfication,” and global tourism
Ex-pats, influencers, and digital nomads
Passports, borders, and power differentials
Pilgrimage and religious travel
Diasporas, heritage, and “roots tourism”
COVID-19 and global travel

Spring 2026 - 200 level

Spring 2026
Instructor: Mr. Mark McIntyre
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should:

learn to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective
apply anthropological theories and concepts to real-world problems
have a greater degree of familiarity with the field of socio-cultural anthropology, its key concepts, theoretical orientations and methods
understand the historical developments that have shaped the subfield of socio-cultural anthropology.
learn to challenge their cultural biases and ethnocentric assumptions
demonstrate greater awareness of the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination
gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures, and the impact of colonization on individuals, families and communities
understand the ethical standards that anthropologists uphold

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

We use money so frequently that life without it seems almost unimaginable. Many of the daily relationships we have with other people (bus drivers, baristas, cashiers, and even friends and family) and certainly almost any work we do, involves paying or receiving money. Yet, we almost never stop to think about what money is or how it works. But how does it work? How is it possible that one can walk into the Bibliocafé and exchange some shiny, stamped metal objects, brightly coloured pieces of paper (or nowadays small, ornately designed polymer sheets) for a cup of coffee, or better yet, food? What gives this metal, paper, and plastic such power?

This is an introductory lecture course that presumes no prior knowledge of anthropology. It explores the history and culture of money. It seeks to show how the monetary system we use today and take to be universal is in fact the specific outcome of a series of random events that began in ancient times. We will critically reflect on the use of money in contemporary Canada by contrasting it with examples of money and money-like systems that have existed in other times and cultures. We will further seek to understand how money is changing today and what the implications of these changes are for economic development, addressing poverty and inequality, and political power. In so doing, we will critically evaluate money in the many forms it has taken historically, from gold, grain, beads, and shells to paper, plastic, computer code, and bitcoin.

Course outcomes/objectives

understand how anthropological approaches are useful in uncovering the assumptions embedded in everyday economic activities and the use of money
develop skills to critically analyze how the role money plays in society, culture and politics
develop the ability to understand ideas and behaviours in specific cultural and social contexts
learn to recognize that social creations, such as money, are not natural outcomes of some pre-given order but are instead deeply shaped by history and culture
develop critical thinking and reading skills

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Yin-Man Lam
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces the sub discipline of archaeology, highlighting a few of the many places, theories, methods, techniques, and people(s) who have illuminated our shared human history. We consider the kind of questions archaeologists ask, how the archaeological record is formed, how archeologists collect data, conduct analyses, and interpret their findings. The course is not a comprehensive review but aims to examine the processes through which human history is encountered, narrated, and mobilized in the present. The laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with techniques discussed in lectures and/or the readings. Please ensure that you have registered for both the lecture and a lab section.

Course outcomes/objectives

Become familiar with common terms and concepts in archaeology
Identify types of archaeological evidence and interpretations
Consider the utility of different archaeological methods and techniques
Describe and categorize commonly recovered archaeological material

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores the wild and domesticated worlds of human relationships to animals in the past and present using archaeological case studies which reveal how humans and animals have transformed culture, landscapes, environments, and food ways across the globe. We delve into anthropological theories of animal domestication, religious beliefs, spiritual connections, and explore the zooarchaeological records for the occurrences of a wide range of animals. Classes and assignments will involve discussions, labs, lectures and occasional videos. Prepare to explore the world of animals from th perspective of an archaeologist!

Course outcomes/objectives

Elemental knowledge of archaeological and anthropological terms relating to animal domestication, zooarchaeology, ethnobiology, foodways, and cultural relativism.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Ammie Kalan
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introduction to the subfields of biological anthropology, emphasizing the past and present evolution and diversity of human and nonhuman primates. Course topics include evolutionary theory, population genetics, primatology, paleoanthropology, and contemporary human diversity and adaptation. Lab exercises will cover human osteology, fossil identification, comparative skeletal anatomy, human genetic principles, and physiological differences in human populations.

Course outcomes/objectives

The major objective of this course is to introduce students to the range of theoretical and methodological techniques within biological anthropology that help us to understand human biological variation and evolution. Lab sessions will develop essential skills in the collection and analysis of morphological and quantitative data.

Note

Mandatory lab sessions are part of this course and must be enrolled in separately.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Gauthier
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to the various methods of enquiry and interpretation used in anthropological research.

With examples from across the subfields of anthropology, this course provides an overview of research design, ethical considerations and different quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. This includes participant observation, interviewing, ethnographic mapping and participatory visual methods. We will also address key debates about the production and status of anthropological knowledge and the relationship between theory and methodology.

This course is designed to help students improve their ability to:

critically evaluate anthropological research
select and apply appropriate methods of data collection and analysis for addressing specific research questions
assess the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative methods in certain contexts 
critically assess how historical and contemporary factors can shape the power relations between researcher and participants
understand the ethical and political implications of anthropological research

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will gain valuable experience in anthropological research, critical analysis, academic writing and use of referencing.

This will involve synthesizing and evaluating information from scholarly sources and clearly communicating through academic writing and peer-to-peer discussions.

Through practical research exercises, students will develop foundational skills for the collection, recording and analysis of anthropological data.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Stephanie Calce
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of crime scene investigation techniques and their intersection with forensic anthropology. Students will learn the fundamental principles of forensic anthropology and how they apply to crime scene recovery, documentation, analysis of human remains, and personal identification. Emphasis will be placed on the ethical treatment of human remains in a medicolegal context, evidence handling, scene mapping, and legal considerations in forensic contexts.

Course outcomes/objectives

A core objective is to expose students to real-world forensic applications through guest lectures from professionals in forensic investigation. These lectures will help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical forensic casework, demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of forensic anthropology. Students will cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving, and deductive reasoning skills working independently to enhance their analytical and interpretive abilities, developing the competence to assess challenges and formulate solutions in forensic investigations.

Spring 2026 - 300 level

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Stella Spak
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introduction to anthropologically-informed approaches to research engaged with finding solutions to practical problems of contemporary significance. We will survey applications of anthropological research to various fields such as public policy, environment, education, law, medicine, and heritage resource management. Through these case studies we will discusses the burgeoning professional practice of anthropology outside academic institutions.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will gain an understanding of the practice of anthropology outside of university settings, including related ethical concerns, historical and contemporary approaches, and practical experience carrying out applied research methods.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Amy Levine
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

From amulets to antibiotics, medical anthropology examines ideas of what it means to be sick, to be a healer and to be healed from a cross-cultural perspective.

Medical anthropology looks at traditions of diagnosis and healing across the globe, exploring sickness and health as shaped by wider cultural values, political conditions, ideas about knowledge, the role of medical technologies and notions of rights and responsibilities.

This course encourages students to examine concepts of disease, suffering, health, identity and well-being in their immediate experience and beyond. In the process, students will gain a working knowledge of ecological, feminist, critical, science and technology studies and applied approaches used by medical anthropologists.

The universality of biomedicine will not be taken for granted. Rather, we will examine the plurality of skills and expertise generated by the various political, economic, social and ethical demands under which biomedicine has developed in different places and at different times. The course will also begin to critically assess some recent efforts to decolonize medical anthropology.

Course content will include studies from at least three continents, which includes recently published research on Indigenous Canadians, Kashmiris and others.

Course outcomes/objectives

define some key concepts in the field of medical anthropology
understand some key assumptions and values embedded in biomedicine
critically assess the ethics and effectiveness of global health research, policy and program initiatives aimed at reducing health inequities
apply concepts derived from medical anthropology to the analysis of everyday problems

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Yin-Man Lam
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course will introduce the basic tenets of research, highlighting how research projects are created and undertaken by archaeologists and biological anthropologists. This course will immerse students in the research process from beginning to end, including research design, development of the research proposal, hypotheses and research objectives/questions data collection, basic data analysis, interpretation, and knowledge mobilization. Students will also engage in discussions of best practices and ethics in research, as well as of the biases inherent to all research that reflect our social, economic, and academic environment. While there will be some lectures, wherever possible classes will feature an experiential approach so that students gain hands-on, practical experience. Classes will largely take the format of a “research group” setting: we will spend the time talking about research, designing group research projects, working through problems, and collaborating. This course will also include some components related to professionalization, such as grant writing, elevator pitches, and the CV.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the completion of this course, you will be able to:

Understand the major components of research design.
Develop effective skills in the implementation of different aspects of the research process.
Prepare a research grant/fellowship/scholarship application.
Disseminate research results.
Critically assess and evaluate research publications.
Engage in professionalization.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is aimed to help students develop a broader understanding of the diverse Indigenous views on sustainability and issues arising with current environmental and socio-political changes. Community materials, legal documents, guest speakers and various research assignments during the course are offered for gaining a deeper understanding of the notions of sustainable livelihoods in the Indigenous communities. We will look into case studies from various regions and Indigenous nations to understand epistemologies that inform Indigenous understandings of sustainability.  We will also explore how these holistic systems of knowledge face environmental change and foster community well-being.  By the end of this course students will expand their knowledge about Indigenous sciences, unique technologies,  and knowledge systems, as well as the challenges Indigenous communities face within the current environmental change and new geo-political agendas. Course assignments are directed towards the final original case-study paper. 

Course outcomes/objectives

Understand the current trends in sustainability discussions;
Develop deeper understanding of Indigenous visions on sustainability;
Develop critical, analytical and creative thinking around the sustainability discussions at the local and global scales
Practice written and oral communication

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Tommy Happynook
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The course provides opportunities to build on fundamental understandings of contemporary Indigenous social, political, legal, and cultural issues at the core of Indigenous experiences in Canada. Weekly topics will discuss the links between historic and contemporary impacts of colonization, as well as how Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations, and nations are overcoming the impacts of colonization through acts of reclamation, revitalization, and resurgence.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:

develop and/or deepen their understanding of the relationship(s) between the historical and contemporary impacts of colonization.
develop and/or deepen their understanding of the broader context of contemporary Indigenous experiences within Canada.
develop and/or deepen their understanding of the many ways Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations, and nations continue to overcome the impacts of colonization.
develop and/or deepen their understanding of basic skills for interacting/engaging respectfully with Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations, and nations.
develop and/or deepen their understanding of where we belong in conversations related to colonization and contemporary Indigenous Issues in Canada.
develop and/or apply critical thinking skills.

Topics may include

Land-sovereignty-territorial acknowledgements
Rights
Courts
Treaty’s
Economic Development
Repatriation
Research, resistance, revitalization

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. April Nowell
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Drawing on lectures, slides, films, assigned readings, hands-on lab experiments and class discussions, this course explores cave art and portable art (including figurines) made from 40,000 – 10,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic.  Specifically, we will look at techniques of manufacture, analysis, interpretation, dating and conservation.  We will consider questions such as who made this art, can we infer its meaning(s), what does it tell us about the cognitive capacities of our ancestors, can we use art to study the individual in the past and should we even use the term “art” to describe these images?  The second half of the course will focus on regional developments within Paleolithic art (e.g., Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Siberia, South Africa and Australia). Students are expected to become cognizant of key issues in Paleolithic art and the history of research in this discipline and to be able to recognize images, artifacts and artistic styles from sites in different regions of the Old World.

Course outcomes/objectives

Research, critical reading, and academic writing (clear, focused, data supported writing); public speaking/academic presentation.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Ammie Kalan
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces the discipline of primate behaviour and its many contributions to evolutionary anthropology. Students will learn the natural history, behaviour, and ecology of various primate groups as well as primate taxonomy and evolutionary patterns. Various issues in primate conservation will be presented and discussed, especially in relation to wild populations living increasingly in human-modified environments. Multi-species comparative approaches will be used to illustrate concepts and theories throughout the course.

Assessments include a midterm, quizzes, and a project (to be conducted in pairs) which will help to develop your own research skills, promote creativity, and encourage you to explore your own interests in primate behaviour and/or conservation.

Course outcomes/objectives

Succinctly summarize the historical and colonial roots of primatology.
Accurately explain major theories relevant to primate behavioural ecology.
Clearly describe a variety of behaviours and cultural traditions unique to primates.
Comprehensively list the ways in which humans are special from all other primates using the comparative method.
Critically analyze topical issues in primate conservation considering the needs of both people and nonhuman primates.

Topics may include

Primate cognition
Foraging ecology
Primate cultures
Animal communication
Wildlife conservation

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Helen Kurki
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course examines the processes and patterns of human evolutionary history, and the data and methods used by paleoanthropologists. The focus will be on an examination of the hominin fossil record from the Miocene through the Pleistocene, with the goal of understanding what the fossils, archaeology, genetic data, and other lines of evidence can tell us about evolutionary relationships, biology, and behaviour of hominin species and the processes involved in hominin evolution. The evolutionary development of human anatomy and biology, such a locomotion, diet, and tool use will be explored. The course will also incorporate discussions on popular science of human evolution, encouraging students to make use of course content to better evaluate media representations of human evolution, adaptation and variation.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to: 

Describe the major events in hominin evolutionary history
Explain the environmental and ecological factors that shaped hominin diversity and evolution
Discuss and evaluate the evidence (data and interpretations) for reconstructions of past hominin species biology and behaviour
Critically assess the reliability, appropriateness and difficulties inherent in popular accounts of human evolution science

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is designed to introduce the students to the disciplines of linguistic anthropology and sociolinguistics. We will explore the links between languages, cultures, and diverse ecosystems, analyze the histories and experiences of language shift in different language communities, discuss language ideologies, and refer to historical and political trends in language revitalization. The core questions of this course is to understand why language and culture diversity is important, what processes lay behind Indigenous languages, how sustainability of the languages can be achieved, and what role anthropology plays or can play in these processes.

This course is a combination of discussions of the readings, language immersion activities, language revitalization activities, response papers, group work, and student presentations.

Course outcomes/objectives

Knowledge building around relationships between languages and cultures;
Critical analysis of the processes that lay behind language vitality;
Practice collaborative group work
Situate anthropological practices in language revitalization;
Become familiar with the methods of linguistic anthropology

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Timothy Knowlton
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The Mayan-speaking peoples of Mexico and Central America are among the most recognized Indigenous peoples of the Americas. This course explores links between the languages, cultures and social systems of Mayan-speaking peoples over the last two millennia, from precolonial times to the present. Students examine issues of worldview, identity, religion and power in Maya societies through engagement with a variety of primary and secondary written sources. These sources include works on the decipherment of pre-Hispanic Maya texts, primary Colonial Period narratives by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors, as well as contemporary ethnographic works having a focus on language and identity. No prior familiarity with Maya languages or cultures is assumed.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

summarize the major features of Maya hieroglyphic, alphabetic, and oral communication and their sociocultural uses over time.
evaluate and interpret primary ethnohistorical sources (in translation) concerning Maya peoples by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors.
discuss the impact of colonialism on important elements of Maya cultures and societies, especially Mayan languages and their contemporary prospects for continued vitality.

Course outcomes/objectives

In this course, students will cultivate skills involved in the critical analysis and interpretation of primary ethnohistorical sources and secondary academic works. Students will undertake effective secondary research and will gain experience mediating discussions of their own and others’ works based on respectful dialogue.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Rachel Brown
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

First, we will unpack the question of identity negotiation. Identity becomes a particularly important subject when the migrant encounters other identities that are different than their own. This is especially the case when moving from being a part of a majority identity to a minority identity. For many transnational migrants, their home land and host land identities therefore come into question and they must negotiate not only how they view themselves but how they present these identities in their transnational contexts. We will use food to show how these important negotiations take place. Within this topic, questions of authenticity and hybridity will be addressed.

Second, most transnational migrants engage in processes of crossing and dwelling. That is, they attempt to cross borders, both physically and psychologically, between the home and host land; they cross. They also make efforts to create some aspect of the homeland in the host land, and to take on some of the host land practices/identities; they dwell. In this section of the course we will explore the ways that food aides in the crossing and dwelling of transnational migrants. We will investigate how food is a powerful means of maintaining connection to the homeland, to helping migrants create home in the host land, and to engaging the people and practices of the host land.

Next, we will address the question of integration and whether it is possible to be integrated and transnational at the same time. Again, food will be the way we examine migrants’ integration efforts, showing how food can be a tool for integration and not necessarily a barrier to it. We will also address how food can be a means to push back at problematic integration rhetoric. Once we have addressed these key themes we will put our knowledge to work seeing how the topics we have been discussing throughout class show up in film, cookbooks and in the stories of migrants themselves.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

Identify and explain key themes in the study of transnational migration;
Use food and food studies as a tool to express broader trends in the study of migration and transnationalism;
Learn, and implement qualitative research methods by conducting fieldwork;
Apply course materials/knowledge to multiple forms of data: academic sources, film, cookbooks, interviews, and stories

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Dzifa Dordunoo
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores the intersection of human diversity and healthcare, focusing on how biological, social, and cultural differences influence health outcomes. Through a problem-based learning approach, students investigate contemporary issues related to race, gender, and other social categories, with an emphasis on understanding when and how diversity should be integrated into healthcare delivery and policy. Students will critically analyze how healthcare systems either accommodate or marginalize diverse populations and will develop evidence-based strategies to promote inclusive, equitable care.

Course outcomes/objectives

Develop understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion in healthcare
Critically assess clinical data related to diversity and inclusion in healthcare systems
Reflect on personal and societal biases and their influence on healthcare delivery and policy
Utilizing problem-based learning to design an intervention or proposal that addresses a specific issue of diversity in healthcare.

Topics may include

Implicit biases
Health disparities
Cardiovascular health
Cultural diversity
Anthropometric measurement
Nutrition
Risk stratification
Immune responses
Blood donation
Malaria
Clinical monitoring (vital signs and laboratory assessments)

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Ames
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Humans have a dynamic relationship with their physical landscape. The distribution of landscape features and resources can constrain our behaviour in many ways, whereas how we interact with the landscape imbues it with meaning and can both directly and indirectly shape its future (and our own, in turn). Clues about past human-environment relationships can be extracted from the dirt within which archaeological material is buried and further examined through the distribution of archaeological remains across the landscape. Drawing on case studies from across the world and a suite of practical exercises, this course introduces students to the breadth of techniques for studying past human-environment dynamics, with a focus on the fundamentals of geoarchaeology and geospatial analysis.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

Define key stratigraphic, sediments, and soil nomenclature used in geoarchaeology
Describe the components of a Geographic Information System and the primary GIS data formats
Understand the range of earth science and geospatial applications in archaeology
Manipulate GIS data and execute basic geospatial analyses common in archaeology
Apply cartographic principles to create effective maps and figures

Topics may include

Landscape archaeology
Environmental reconstruction
Geochronology
Site formation processes
Mobility and trade
Mobile GIS

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Erin McGuire
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The dead are all around us. Yet they are not silent. They built the house I am sitting in now; they founded the university at which we study. The dead are constantly invoked and recycled in daily life, this much is true. And yet, what can the actual treatment of the dead tell us about the living? Some societies do not bury their dead: can an absence of evidence tell us anything about a society’s beliefs? The first burials in the history of humanity are often said to herald the “origins of symbolism, ritual and religion” (Parker Pearson, 1999, p.147). But is burial any more than a practical means of getting rid of a body? This course explores themes and issues in the study of mortuary practices. Topics and case studies will include ethical issues, gender and identity, social organisation and structure, spirituality etc… The time range that we cover spans from the Neolithic to the 21st century, and numerous cultures from all parts of the globe will be our subject matter.

Course outcomes/objectives

The aims of this course are:

To investigate funerary practices through the use of cross-cultural case studies;
To outline theoretical and interpretative approaches to mortuary archaeology; and
To explore issues of ethics and respect in relation to the study of funerary remains.

By the end of the course students should be able to:

Identify and discuss various types of funerary rituals and their archaeological expression;
Assess the contribution archaeology makes to interpreting the ways that societies respond to death;
Recognise, describe, apply, and analyze a range of different interpretative stances used in the archaeological study of funerary remains;
Apply anthropological terminology and methods to the written expression of an argument analysing archaeological approaches to the study of funerary remains;
Discuss the ethical considerations that apply to the archaeological study of funerary remains;
Critically evaluate a case study as a tool for analysing theoretical perspectives; and
Effectively utilise technological resources for presenting archaeological materials, including research, article reviews, mapping, and cemetery survey.

Spring 2026 - 400 level

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Helen Kurki
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains from archaeological contexts, with the goal of reconstructing the life histories of past populations and individuals. As the only direct biological evidence of past humans, skeletal remains provide a unique opportunity to understand past lifeways and human experiences. In this course, we will examine the methodological, theoretical, and ethical issues at the centre of this growing field, with a particular emphasis on the reconstruction of health, diet, disease, activity, and demographic characteristics of past populations. Practical skills development will focus on the application of osteological methods, reading and synthesizing academic research articles, and evolving skills related to the design of research projects. The examination of current literature will help foster critical reading and writing skills.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students who have learned successfully in the course will be able to…

Explain the biological and cultural factors that shape human skeletal variation.
Apply, describe and evaluate methods of skeletal analysis used to build a biological profile and to reconstruct life histories of past populations and individuals.
Evaluate hypotheses of methodological, theoretical, and interpretive models for past populations.
Design research projects to address bioarchaeological questions.

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This combined undergraduate and graduate seminar explores formative theories in the of biological anthropology and archaeology as part of the Department of Anthropology’s cross-cutting research theme of Evolution & Ecology. The course traces the conceptual foundations established during the Victorian era which continue to animate debates, paradigm shifts, and analytical categories and frameworks. Topics include anthropological scholarship on adaptation, racism, gender, coloniality, biological plasticity, cultural evolution, cultural ecology, historical ecology, niche construction, cognition, global environmental change, and conservation biology among others.

During our 3- hour weekly class, we will read and discuss influential contributions, disciplinary personalities, and the institutional settings propelling research in evolution and ecology. We will focus on identifying the powerful and often problematic influence that evolution continues to have in contemporary society (e.g., race, gender, and class). Rather than detailing a specific method or subdiscipline, our readings aim to cover conceptual influence as well as a few select case studies. Through regular group exercises, we will trace out disciplinary themes and academic genealogies, highlighting the integrative themes of evolution and ecology in contemporary Anthropology.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood
Delivery: Online - Wednesdays (synchronous) 9:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

Course description

Anthropology has a long and contradictory history regarding discussions of race and racism. The discipline is well-known for contributing to the notion of “scientific racism” and eugenics, yet it is also the same field that has made contributions to promoting anti-racism in recent years.

In this course, students will engage in critical analysis and discussions of the discourses on race and racism within the field of anthropology.

We will begin by taking a historical lens to examine how early anthropologists approached the study of race. Next, we will examine the work of anthropologists who have challenged racist viewpoints in the discipline.

A key part of the course also involves students learning about contemporary anthropological research and fieldwork involving notions of race and racism by scholars from diverse backgrounds.

Most importantly, the aim of the course is for students to learn how they themselves can actively engage in anti-racist thought and practice when it comes to advancing anthropological research and fieldwork practices.

Course outcomes/objectives

This course will be a small seminar format and involve graduate students. Participants will be asked to attend each weekly class and participate in discussions. Our assigned readings will be diverse and primarily conceptual but focus on how ‘old ideas’ still influence current practice. Together, we will deepen our knowledge of evolution and ecology in Anthropology.

Students will develop critical reading, thinking, and positive peer-group feedback and communication. Technical writing (i.e., academically oriented, data-supported, evaluative). Publicly engaged scholarship (explaining ideas to a non-academic audiences).

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Andrea Walsh
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores creativity as a way of producing knowledge in the discipline of anthropology and beyond. To do this we will spend time reading and looking at historical and contemporary graphic novels, visual stories/narratives and comics that build our understanding of multi-modal and graphic anthropology.

While we learn through these published works, students will participate in workshop/field trip classes focused on developing applied skills in visual communication and arts-based research methods. Specifically, we will take up drawing as an ethnographic research method.

Students will learn how to develop their own style of drawing as a research method and way to communicate research results. Weekly exercises/visual labs will help students develop their skillsets to use in their coursework. Any level of drawing experience is welcome (this includes no drawing experience!).

A principal focus of the course is students’ creation of creative research-based graphic stories. (Students’ topics to be chosen in consultation with Dr. Walsh can be anchored in anthropology or elsewhere, i.e. art studies, biology, computer science, music, healthcare, gender studies, etc.).

Each student’s research project will produce a 6–8-page graphic story. Students are free to explore digital programs for this project or create using media of their choice. The class will have 2-3 guest lectures by graphic anthropologists and comic artists who will share their practices and experiences with students.

Assessment for this course will focus on class participation, writing/journal reflections on published materials, and their creative research-based graphic story portfolio.

Course outcomes/objectives

acquire visual and creative research skills that may be applied in social science-based research and other professional contexts
understand the role creativity can play in problem solving and innovation
develop skillsets for listening, observing, and productively creating a project/product that visually communicates information to diverse audiences
understand the relationship between creativity, personal expression/experience and ethics in research

Spring 2026
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Gauthier
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The honours seminar is a capstone class that provides students with a collaborative intellectual community.

The honours seminar functions very much like a graduate seminar, providing mentorship in scholarly professional development, along with rich peer learning focused on bridging sub-field knowledge and integrative anthropological thinking to contribute to understanding current issues, ideas and debates.

Key milestones for the honours seminar will be working through fundamental elements of the research, writing and presentation of the honours essay.

Course outcomes/objectives

critical and integrative thinking, evaluating arguments, synthesizing information, comprehending the context of academic debate and argument
development and application of research skills including defining a research problem, creating a manageable research question, developing a research plan, identifying relevant sources, composing a literature review, generating relevant data and analysing data
verbal and written communication skills including summarizing information, synthesizing data, structuring an argument, offering constructive peer review, and revising work in progress
presentation skills including summarizing and communicating research results in conference-style presentations.

Course format

This class will be a 3-hour weekly seminar in the spring term. Students will be expected to come prepared and to participate actively in the conversations.

To facilitate the successful scoping, logistics and approvals of the honours essay, we will also be holding several shorter sessions together at a mutually agreeable time during the fall term.

In addition to these scheduled group seminar times, students will identify an honours supervisor – an anthropology professor intimately knowledgeable with the honours thesis topic – and organize individual meetings with them at key points throughout the term.

Undergraduate courses

Summer 2025

ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology

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ANTH 150 - Race, Culture, and Power

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ANTH 200 - Cultural and Social Anthropology (Lecture & Tutorial)

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ANTH 381 & 382 - Mexico Field School

ANTH 398 - Life and Death in the Viking World

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ANTH 485 - Advanced Methods in Bioarchaeology

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Fall 2025 - 100 level

ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology

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ANTH 150 A01 - Spirituality, Religion, Eco-ethics, and the Other-Than-Human World

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ANTH 150 A02 - Race, Culture, and Power

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Fall 2025 - 200 level

ANTH 200 - Cultural and Social Anthropology (Lecture & Tutorial)

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ANTH 201 - Indigenous Peoples, Colonization and Anthropology

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ANTH 210 - Visual Anthropology: A Global Perspective

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ANTH 240 - Archaeology (lecture & lab)

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ANTH 250 - Biological Anthropology (lecture & lab)

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ANTH 252 - Primates, People and Society

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ANTH 260 - Introduction to Anthropological Research

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Fall 2025 - 300 level

ANTH 302 - Globalization, Health and Environment

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ANTH 303 - Anthropology of Sound

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ANTH 317 - Quantitative Methods in Anthropological Research

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ANTH 318 - Ethnographic Research Methods

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ANTH 340 - Archaeology of British Columbia

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ANTH 352 - Human Osteology (Lecture & lab)

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ANTH 373 - Museums and Anthropology

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ANTH 392 - Archaeology of Animal-Human Relationships

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