About Us

Anthropology seeks to understand the human experience. Anthropology studies human beings and human societies, reviewing the full span of human history, societies, and cultures.

Anthropology includes the study of human origins, physical characteristics, artifacts, languages, customs, adaptations, beliefs, and practices. Foothill's Anthropology classes cover subjects such as biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, environmental anthropology, archaeology and linguistics. 

Essential to an understanding of the global arena and sensitivity to the people who have inhabited it, anthropology, the science of humankind, views humans from the broadest possible perspective. Because of its study of culture and human behavior, anthropology is a social science; in its study of human physical traits, anthropology is a biological science. To investigate human behavior, anthropologists collect and analyze data from non-literate societies as well as communities in industrial nations of the world. From this wide perspective, anthropology helps us understand other peoples and thereby enables us to better understand ourselves. It is an informative, exciting, and challenging science that should be part of every informed citizen's education. 

Why Study Anthropology?

Anthropology serves as a basic springboard for understanding and working within the global arena. Anthropology graduates find opportunities in colleges, universities, and museums as teachers and researchers, in federal and state governments as community planners, social science and public health analysts, archaeologists and education officers. There are also employment possibilities with the United Nations, UNESCO and World Health organizations. International corporations with offices and plants overseas need anthropologists, as do consulting firms that deal with both private corporations and governments. With the basic anthropology courses, the student can transfer to most of the universities in the country. The student may want to add statistics and business principles to enhance employment possibilities. 

A degree in anthropology is a foundation for a wide range of careers. Anthropology majors work in laboratories, archaeology companies, tech companies and museums. They also use their skills to work in areas such as: