Student Learning Outcomes in Anthropology

Anthropology at URI offers a unique combination of social science, natural science, and humanistic inquiry. Students take courses in all major subfields of the study of humankind and why it matters: archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.

By the time of graduation, anthropology majors should be able to:

• Identify ethical principles and/or anti-bias approaches used in anthropology, and explain why they are necessary for both science and social justice;
• Critically evaluate quantitative and/or qualitative anthropological approaches;
• Analyze academic and societal debates about human diversity and human society (for example, genetic determinism, race, ‘human nature,’ and evolution); 
• Integrate and apply concepts and methods from the subfields of anthropology to investigate human issues (for example, sociocultural, environmental, health, evolution) worldwide;
• Construct an effective written argument in support of a thesis.

Our degree programs are designed to produce graduates who can engage the world thoughtfully, critically, and creatively. Our hope is that the coursework we require will not only provide a solid base of anthropological or sociological knowledge and a set of skills to collect and evaluate information, but also that our assignments, readings, and classroom discussions will foster a sense of engagement as citizens committed to making the world more humane and livable.

More specifically, each of our programs has articulated a set of learning outcomes for students. These outcomes are the basis for our ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of our courses and our curricula.