Anthropology
Associate of Arts (AA) Anthropology · Santa Barbara City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Overview
Anthropology is the study of humans in the broadest sense: biological, socio-cultural, and historical. The Department of Anthropology provides students with a rich curriculum, with courses focusing on the development of humanity through the ages: our cultures, our behaviors, our belief systems and our origin.
Requirements
Associate Degree Graduation Requirements
Complete all of the following:
- All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or “P” in each course (at least 20% of the major requirements must be completed through SBCC).
- One of the following General Education options:
- OPTION 1: SBCC General Education pattern OR
- OPTION 2: Cal-GETC pattern
- A minimum of 60 semester units of degree-applicable college credit (SBCC courses numbered 100 and higher and C1000 and higher).
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in degree-applicable coursework.
- A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| Required Core | ||
| ANTH 101 | Physical Anthropology | 3-4 |
| orANTH 101H | Physical Anthropology, Honors | |
| ANTH 102 | Introduction To Archaeology | 3-4 |
| orANTH 102H | Introduction to Archaeology, Honors | |
| ANTH 103 | Introduction To Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 104 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction To Sociology | 3-4 |
| orSOC 101H | Introduction to Sociology, Honors | |
| List A - Complete one course from the following: | 3 | |
| ANTH 109 | Comparative World Cultures | |
| ANTH 113 | Witchcraft, Magic, Science And Religion | |
| Total Units | 18.00-21.00 | |
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the holistic nature of Anthropology and the concepts of culture and biology as used by contemporary anthropologists.
- Describe the development of Anthropology as a profession, explaining why it can be considered both a science and a humanity and how it became a distinct field of inquiry while retaining a relationship with other academic disciplines.
- Discuss the four-field nature of Anthropology and the relation of its sub-disciplines to one another, particularly in terms of the biological and social construction of such terms as sex, gender and race
- Describe ways in which different aspects of culture—economic, social, political, and religious practices and institutions—relate to one another in a cultural system, and draw comparisons between different cultures, past and present.
- Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity enhanced by a holistic perspective on culture as integrated, dynamic, and embedded in broader processes of intercultural connection and globalization.
- Discuss their own cultural biases, as well as the biases of others, explaining why these biases exist while retaining the ability to put said biases aside in order to evaluate the cultural syntheses of others in ethnographies, films, news and media.
- Articulate the importance of ethics in Anthropology, specifically the fundamental obligations of anthropologists to members of the societies they study, their research sponsors and their profession.
Recommended Sequence
Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.
How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.