Best Anthropology Programs in Pennsylvania for 2027

Penn State’s Anthropology BA requires 37 credits in the major. The prescribed courses are World Archaeology, Introductory Biological Anthropology and Cultural Diversity: A Global Perspective, each with a grade of C or better. You then take 6 credits of methods courses, with choices such as Anthropology Museum Studies and Skeletal Forensic Anthropology, and 12 credits spread over archaeology, biological anthropology and human ecology or cultural anthropology, at least 3 credits in each range. The major adds hands-on laboratory and field training to class work. Penn State awarded 34 anthropology bachelor’s degrees in 2023–24, which makes it one of the larger programs on the Pennsylvania page.

Prescribed Courses

World Archaeology, Introductory Biological Anthropology and Cultural Diversity: A Global Perspective

Methods Credits

6 credits chosen from a list that includes museum studies and skeletal forensic anthropology

Subfield Distribution

12 credits with at least 3 each in archaeology, biological anthropology and human ecology or cultural anthropology

Program Sources: Anthropology, B.A. | Penn StateAnthropology, B.A. | Requirements for the Major

Pitt’s Anthropology BA is 33 credits in anthropology, divided into clear layers. Nine credits are introductions to archaeology, biological anthropology and cultural anthropology. Nine more are core courses: a methods course, an undergraduate seminar and a writing-intensive course. After that come four 1000-level electives, 12 credits, and two more electives for 6 credits. Independent study and directed readings are capped at three credits toward the major, and no more than six credits from University External Studies Programs courses can count. With 56 degrees awarded in 2023–24, this is one of the larger anthropology programs on the Pennsylvania page.

Core Courses

One methods course, one undergraduate seminar and one writing-intensive course

Upper-Level Electives

Four 1000-level anthropology courses, 12 credits

Independent Study Cap

No more than three credits of independent study or directed readings

Program Sources: Major Requirements | Department of AnthropologyMajor Requirements | Upper-level Electives

Penn’s anthropology major is a 14-credit program with six paths: General Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology, Medical Anthropology and Global Health, and Environmental Anthropology. The General path opens with three introductory courses, including Anthropology, Race, and the Making of the Modern World and Human Origins, Evolution and Diversity. A second block asks for one archaeology course, one biological anthropology course and one cultural and linguistic anthropology course, plus four more units of anthropology. Because the major touches programs across the university, it pairs easily with other fields. Penn awarded 18 anthropology bachelor’s degrees in 2023–24.

Concentrations

General, Biological, Archaeology, Cultural and Linguistic, Medical and Global Health, and Environmental

Introductory Block

Three courses covering race and the modern world, great transformations and human origins

Distribution Block

One course each in archaeology, biological anthropology and cultural and linguistic anthropology, plus four anthropology units

Program Sources: Anthropology, BA: General Anthropology | University of Pennsylvania Catalog

Bryn Mawr is one of only a handful of small liberal arts colleges that teach all four fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological, cultural and linguistic. The major is 10 units. Becoming Human, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology and History of Anthropological Theory are required, as are two semesters of Senior Conference that produce the senior thesis, plus five 200- or 300-level electives, one of them an ethnographic area course. At least three of those five electives must come from the Bryn Mawr department, and the writing requirement is met through two writing-attentive courses. Courses abroad are reviewed for major credit case by case. Bryn Mawr awarded 15 degrees in 2023–24.

Required Courses

Becoming Human, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology and History of Anthropological Theory

Senior Conference

Two semesters that form the senior thesis, with honors based on that thesis

Electives

Five 200- and 300-level courses, one an ethnographic area course

Program Sources: Anthropology | Bryn Mawr College Academic Catalog

West Chester’s Anthropology BA starts with three introductions, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology and archaeology, then adds Professionalization in Anthropology and History of Ethnological Theory. You choose one methods course from a list that includes Archaeological Field Techniques, Ethnographic Research Methods, Archaeological Lab Methods, an Archaeological Field School and an Ethnographic Field School. Twenty-one credits of anthropology electives follow, with Introduction to Linguistics as the related requirement and Senior Seminar in Anthropology as the capstone. Majors also take Introduction to Sociology and show language proficiency through the intermediate level, or elementary II plus a cultural foundation. West Chester awarded 11 degrees in 2023–24.

Methods Course

One of archaeological field techniques, ethnographic methods, lab methods or an archaeological or ethnographic field school

Capstone

ANT 495 Senior Seminar in Anthropology

Related Requirement

LIN 230 Introduction to Linguistics

Program Sources: B.A. in Anthropology | West Chester University CatalogB.A. in Anthropology | Capstone Requirement

Haverford teaches socio-cultural anthropology, which means comparison, holism and participant-observation fieldwork. The major is 11 courses, six of them in the department: Introduction to Anthropology, History and Theory of Anthropology, an area course, one more at the 200 level, one at the 300 level, and a two-semester Senior Thesis Seminar. The thesis is original research on ethnographic, archival or material sources, and in the fall seminar you write a prospectus, practice ethnographic exercises, study professional ethics and learn about IRBs. No more than one biological anthropology or archaeology course counts toward the Haverford major. Haverford awarded 7 degrees in 2023–24.

Required Courses

Introduction to Anthropology, History and Theory of Anthropology, and an area course

Senior Thesis Seminar

ANTH H450 and H451, a two-credit, year-long research project

Subfield Limit

No more than one biological anthropology or archaeology course counts for the major

Program Sources: Academic Programs | Department of Anthropology | Haverford College

Temple’s anthropology major is organized around two themes, Evolution and Human Environments and Mobility and Global Inequality, and you meet both in the gateway courses that open the 33-credit major. From there you choose a methods course in archaeological science, fieldwork and ethnographic methods, research methods in culture and communication, or the study of evolution. That course is writing intensive, and so is the capstone, which is built around mobility and global inequality. The department points to laboratory facilities, internships and fieldwork as the hands-on side. Ten students finished the degree in 2023–24, and Temple sits seventh on the Pennsylvania page.

Gateway Courses

Evolution and Human Environments and Mobility and Global Inequality

Methods Course

One of four: archaeological science, ethnographic fieldwork, culture and communication, or evolution

Capstone

ANTH 4097, a writing-intensive capstone in mobility and global inequality

Program Sources: Anthropology BA | Temple University Bulletin

Gettysburg’s anthropology major is ten courses, five required and five electives. The required five are Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Introduction to Archaeology and Physical Anthropology, History of Anthropological Theory, a field methods course, and a Capstone Experience in Anthropology that is offered only in the spring. For methods you choose Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology or Field Methods in Archaeology. Electives come from 200- and 300-level courses with at least one at the 300 level, and up to two study-abroad courses can count with department approval. Eleven students graduated in 2023–24.

Field Methods

Cultural Anthropology or Archaeology

Capstone

Capstone Experience in Anthropology, offered in the spring semester

Electives

Five courses at the 200 and 300 level, at least one at the 300 level

Program Sources: Major & Minor - Anthropology - Gettysburg College

Penn's Anthropology PhD trains students for independent research in archaeological, biological, cultural, or linguistic anthropology while retaining a department-wide grounding. Applicants identify the area in which they want to work, and the degree also requires reading knowledge of a foreign language relevant to their scholarly sources or research. That combination makes the choice of subfield and language preparation part of an applicant's planning from the outset. The department's four-field scope is especially relevant for research questions that cross material culture, human biology, social life, and language.

Research Fields

Archaeological, biological, cultural, linguistic

Language Requirement

Relevant foreign-language reading knowledge

Program Sources: Penn Anthropology PhD ProgramPenn Anthropology How to Apply

Pitt’s anthropology PhD normally takes about five years and 72 credits, at least 42 of them in formal courses. Core courses in cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology and linguistic anthropology fill the role of a preliminary exam, and you pass at least three of the four with a B or better. First-year students take Navigating the Discipline and Anthropological Research together, and comprehensive exams usually come in the third year. Before candidacy you show competence in a language relevant to your research. The dissertation can follow the standard format or a three-article format. Three doctorates were awarded in 2023–24, and Pitt ranks second on the Pennsylvania page.

Credit Requirement

72 credits, with at least 42 in formal courses

Core Courses

Pass at least three of four subfield core courses with a B or better

Dissertation Format

Standard dissertation or three-article format

Program Sources: PhD in Anthropology | Department of Anthropology | University of PittsburghPhD in Anthropology | Department of Anthropology | University of Pittsburgh