Welcome to the Division of Anthropology at Cal State Fullerton! 

The Division of Anthropology at CSUF has a long tradition of excellent undergraduate and graduate education. We offer many opportunities for student engagement through student clubs, research with faculty, and internships in the community. We are a broad department that emphasizes integrative approaches drawing from across the humanities and social and life sciences. Our faculty, students, and staff have received a wide range of honors and awards and some of their achievements are highlighted on this site. We encourage alumni to keep in touch and prospective students to visit. We look forward to hearing from you!

 What is Anthropology? What distinguishes Anthropology from other fields that study human beings?

Anthropologists study humans and their immediate ancestors. Anthropology confronts and ponders major questions about past, present and future human existence. Where did we come from? What are we now and where are we going?Anthropology differs from the other social sciences in its emphasis on understanding human diversity and adaptability across time AND space. 

In the USA, the academic discipline of Anthropology includes four main subdisciplines

  • Cultural anthropology - the study of societies of the present and recent past
  • Archaeological anthropology - the study of ancient and more recent societies through analysis of their material remains
  • Biological anthropology (also known as physical or evolutionary anthropology) - the study of human biological variation through space and time
  • Linguistic anthropology - the study of language in its cultural and social contexts

Why include four subdisciplines in the same academic discipline? Just as anthropologists believe that a solid understanding of human nature cannot come from studying a single nation, society or cultural tradition, anthropologists believe that in order to fully understand our own species, we need knowledge of both human biology and culture, past and present.

The Division of Anthropology at CSUF is proud to offer courses and expertise in all four subdisciplines of Anthropology.

 

NAGPRA

Please direct all NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA inquiries to repatration@fullerton.edu.