Welcome to the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology!

We are a close-knit department with dedicated faculty who have been awarded recognition for their teaching at the university and national level as well as an active alumni community. Small class sizes enable us to successfully help our students (who have joined us from 40 states including Alaska and Hawaii and from as far away as Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Oman, Japan, Nepal and the United Kingdom) to pursue their educational passions and achieve their career goals.

Archeology

• We are one of only a few standalone Archaeology departments in the nation and are unusual in that we grant a BA in Archaeology, rather than Classical Studies or History. The Archaeology major concentrates on the ancient Mediterranean, Near East, and Western Europe.

• Our majors have the unusual opportunity to learn excavation and lab techniques at the only ongoing on-campus excavation in the nation, led by Dr. Alan Kaiser. The Tin City excavation project, begun in 2003, offers students a chance to practice archaeological field methods as well as the possibility for independent research.

• We provide our majors and minors with an exceptional opportunity to learn about historic preservation and modern architecture by working as a tour guide/docent at the campus' own historical home designed by Evansville native William Wesley Peters, who was Frank Lloyd Wright's favorite apprentice and, later, son-in-law.

• In the past, our Archaeology faculty have brought students with them to work on their projects in Greece and Israel. Should conditions allow, we are hoping to continue that tradition during the coming summers.

Anthropology

• Anthropology and Archaeology pair well as a double major, giving our students a unique option not often available at other universities.

• Our Anthropology major consists of classes in broad topics such as World Prehistory, Human Evolution, Physical Anthropology and Linguistics.

• With our program focusing on the Anthropology of religion, exploring the how and why of worship and belief around the globe and close to home, we offer specialized classes such as the Anthropology of Religion and the Anthropology of Southeast Asia.

• In order to give Anthropology majors hands-on field experience our anthropologist is working on a grant that would allow him to bring students to Indonesia to help him with his research.

Both Majors

• The interdisciplinary nature of both the Archaeology and Anthropology majors provides the necessary preparation to attend graduate school or enter the workforce directly.

• Our department faculty work with each student individually to help them find internship, study abroad, and excavation opportunities.

• We are fortunate to have a selection of awards and travel funds that are available only to our Archaeology and Anthropology majors.

• Our students also seek out and have been awarded competitive undergraduate scholarships from the National Science Foundation, National Park Service, and UExplore Undergraduate Research.

• The academic profile of Archaeology and Anthropology majors is high and many of our students participate in the university Honors Program. Every semester, approximately 20 students make the Dean's List.

• With a pool of motivated students like these, the department has produced many successful alumni who work in an array of fields.