Anthropology is the most interdisciplinary field in the social sciences. We are scientists when we conduct radiocarbon dating, analyze microscopic plant remains and engage in evolutionary arguments regarding the origins of modern humans. Analyses of ancient rock art, language and culture, and art and architecture are more aligned with the humanities.

To embrace our human diversity in both past and present, we remain the only field of study that examines social change from our earliest origins in Africa to the present through the study of our rich social, linguistic, biological, historical and archaeological heritage. Our department is unique in the Washington metro area for its long-standing commitment to the anthropology and archaeology of Native Americans and our close collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution.

Anthropologists and archaeologists respect the dignity of all human beings, probing complex philosophical and ethical questions about the nature of humanity, and whether there is a moral order underlying our diverse life ways.

Our department offers an Anthropology major and minor.