Many schools offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees in anthropology. Undergraduate programs introduce students to all four subfields. Graduate degrees, on the other hand, are designed to allow a student to become an expert in one of the four fields. Undergraduate students have opportunities to work with professors but continual independent research is generally reserved for graduate students.
As with most undergraduate degrees, you will be required to complete a minimum number of courses as stipulated by your university's college or school. Every student in anthropology's umbrella college, likely a liberal arts college, will need to complete the same courses. Courses generally include entry-level classes in writing and composition, communication and foreign language. However, courses vary by university.
Students seeking a degree in anthropology will have to complete a varying number of anthropology courses. Students will generally start with basic, 100-level anthropology courses. These classes will teach students anthropology fundamentals and are designed to prepare students for higher level anthropology courses. Also, admission to upper-level courses, such as those at the 300-level and higher, may require the completion of lower-level courses. Some examples of anthropology courses include "The Human Past," "Ethnographic Methods," and "Human Evolution." Certain universities will require minimum grades for anthropology courses. Generally, a "C" is considered acceptable.
Four-year anthropology programs also require the completion of a number of free electives. Electives allow students to take courses in areas outside of their major and give students an opportunity to explore other fields. Anthropology students can take anything from courses in exercise to physics as free electives. Students should consider that electives are designed for enjoyment. At the same time, anthropology students should occasionally challenge themselves with difficult electives. Employers will be pleased when they see that a student challenged his or herself in college.