The Department of Anthropology & Ethnic Studies offers programs leading to the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees. Unlike many other departments with Ph.D. programs, the department continues its commitment to a strong M.A. program. As the department has expanded, it has identified three themes that represent departmental strengths: biocultural evolution, arid lands, and ethnicity and identity. The themes take advantage of the holistic philosophy and four field structure of anthropology itself, and they respond to the educational opportunities afforded by Las Vegas, a city of impressive ethnic diversity situated in the arid Southwest. The department engages these coordinating themes by selective recruitment of faculty and graduate students.

The highest priority departmental theme is biocultural evolution, which draws on faculty members who specialize in physical, medical, cultural, and linguistic anthropology and in archaeology. The theme of arid lands draws primarily on faculty from archaeology and physical anthropology. The theme of ethnicity and identity draws on faculty from the sub fields of ethnic studies and cultural anthropology. In addition to these targeted themes, the department has focal interests in Native North America, Latin America, China, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

To meet the needs of undergraduate majors, the department offers introductory and upper division courses in all four of anthropology's traditional sub disciplines: archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropologyy, and physical anthropology. Majors take introductory courses in at least three of these. Majors also take fieldwork or laboratory courses, upper division area and topic courses, and a course in the history of anthropology. In the capstone course, they write a research paper under the supervision of a faculty member (See the Undergraduate Program).

Graduate work begins with a two semester sequence of theory courses that cover the four sub disciplines. A course on the design and writing of grant proposals is required. Students normally pursue a thesis topic that falls within one of the departmental themes. The department takes pride in providing graduate students with extensive personal guidance in their thesis research and writing. The laboratories for archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology are new and well equipped. The department has approximately ten graduate assistantships, which provide financial support and experience in teaching and research (See the Graduate Program).

The department attempts to provide all its majors with the best possible training for professions in anthropology and ethnic studies. In recent years faculty members have offered field schools in Nevada and opportunities to participate on archaeological excavations in Arizona, New Mexico, Cyprus, and Jordan. Both undergraduates and graduate students are encouraged to participate in faculty research projects, which often lead to co-authorship of professional papers and presentations of papers at professional meetings. Anthropology graduate students with specializations in archaeology, physical anthropology, and medical/cultural anthropology have garnered the President's Graduate Fellowship (2003, 2004), the Barrick Graduate Fellowship (2003, 2004), and the Regent's Fellowship (2002). Our students have also been successful at winning graduate fellowships that support summer research and study.

The department's B.A. and M.A. graduates have gone on to obtain advanced degrees at many of the nations foremost universities. Many work on historic preservation for government agencies, such as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Air Force. Others work in private archaeological contracting agencies or operate their own businesses. Several work as curators in museums.

The department is also very proud of the success achieved by its first Ph.D. graduates. One recent graduate directs a cultural resource management firm, and two others are tenure-track professors at American universities.