Graduate Course Descriptions

600 - Level Courses - Click Here 700 - Level Courses ANTH 701 - Directed Reading in Anthropological Literature (May be repeated to a maximum of six credits.) 3 credits ANTH 703 - Core Seminar I: Ethnology and Linguistics Advanced treatment of the major concepts and theories in ethnology and linguistics. Research methods and standards of scholarly presentation emphasized.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 704 - Core Seminar II: Archaeology and Physical Anthropology Advanced treatment of the data, concepts, and theories in archaeology and physical anthropology.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 730 - Seminar in Linguistic Anthropology Holistic approach to linguistic anthropology to examine how language reflects the culturally relative structure of experience, determines ethnic identities and social structures, tells about prehistoric connections between cultures, and influences the evolution of the human brain.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 735 - Seminar on Classic Ethnographies Classic ethnographies read in the original, selected to represent a wide range of culture types, culture areas, and theoretical perspectives. Broadens and deepens students’ control of the professional database, while exploring how data support theoretical constructs and how theory in turn informs ethnographic methods and descriptions. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 736 - Problems in North American Ethnology Selected cases from Native North America used to learn logic and methods for resolving conflicts in ethnographic data and data interpretation. Impact of those arguments and decisions on significant current theoretical constructs pursued. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 741 - Seminar in Cultural Processes Theories of culture change on selected topics. Topics to be announced. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 credits. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 742 - Seminar on Material and Cognitive Approaches to Culture Change Survey of complementary theoretical approaches to culture change, with a stress on materialist (Marxist, New Functionalist, classical economic, and ecological) and cognitive (structuralist, psychological) theoretical systems. Integration of approaches in analyzing culture change in a particular ethnographic situation. 3 credits ANTH 743 - Seminar in Method and Theory in Cultural Anthropology Research and discussion of selected topics relating to data gathering, interpretation, or theoretical explanation in sociocultural anthropology. Specific topics and instructor vary.  May be repeated to a maximum of six credits. 3 credits ANTH 744 - Identity, Culture and Power Examines how transnational migration and globalization affect our understanding of identity, culture, and power relations. What is identity? Why isn’t identity fixed? What is the relationship between the local and the global? Seminar explores these questions focusing on themes of identity, culture, and power. 3 credits ANTH 745 - Seminar on Native American Ethnohistory Controversial issues in the ethnohistory of Native North America used to explore the relationship between data and interpretation. Student research projects develop specific skills in accessing public and rare documents to aid solution of ethnographic problems.  Prerequisites: ANTH 432 and ANTH 301/ETS 301, or HIST 438 and HIST 439, or written consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 746 - Gender, Sexuality, Race and Flexible Citizenship Analyzes how gender and sexuality converge with race and class, and how people negotiate gender, sexual and racial differences. Explores the concept of cultural citizenship among different ethnic groups in relation to sex/gender and race.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 747 - Seminar in Western North America (May be repeated to a maximum of six credits.) 3 credits ANTH 748 - Seminar on Current Research in the Great Basin State of current research on several problems currently being raised by Great Basin data in all subdisciplines of anthropology explored in order to investigate the relationship between data, generalization, abstraction, and theoretical interpretation. Attendance at the Great Basin Anthropological Conference required.  Prerequisite: ANTH 423 or ANTH 623. 3 credits ANTH 751 - Seminar on Current Problems in Archaeology May be repeated to a maximum of six credits. 3 credits ANTH 752 - Seminar in Historic Archaeology: Current Trends Examines current developments in historical and anthropological method and theory as applicable to the field. 3 credits ANTH 753 - Seminar in Cultural Adaptations to Arid Environments Addresses the problems of human cultural adaptations to arid environments, with special attention given to technological and social responses to these environments.  Prerequisites: ANTH 703 or ANTH 704. 3 credits ANTH 754 - Archaeology and Paleoecology of the Great Basin Examines paleoenvironments and prehistory of the Great Basin and intermountain west, including Nevada and surrounding states. Issues include Pleistocene and Holocene paleoenvironmental reconstruction, Paleoindian and Archaic adaptations, Fremont culture, and spread of Numic-speaking populations.  Field trip.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 755 - Seminar in Archaeological and Historic Preservation Management of archaeological resources; laws and policies protecting archaeological sites, methods of identification, and evaluation of archaeological resources; the interface of archaeological preservation and archaeology as a scientific discipline. 3 credits ANTH 756 - Archaeology of Hunter-Gatherers Course examines hunter-gatherers throughout the world, focusing on paleoenvironment, land use, subsistence, and social interaction.  Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 757 - Seminar in Southwestern Archaeology Examines the prehistoric societies of the American Southwest, including the Hohokam, Mogollon, and Anasazi; issues include origins, social organization, subsistence, production, distribution and exchange, and the dynamics of change in the region.  Prerequisite: ANTH 418 or consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 758 - Seminar in Agricultural Origins Examines the circumstances surrounding the transition from hunting and gathering to food production throughout the world. Evaluates both the theoretical framework and empirical database for understanding this transition and the consequences of the shift to agricultural production. 3 credits ANTH 759 - Peopling of the Americas Reviews current debates surrounding human colonization of North and South America during the Pleistocene, drawing upon archaeological, biological, and linguistic evidence.  Field trip.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 761 - Seminar on Current Thought in Physical Anthropology Topics to be announced. May be repeated to a maximum of six credits.  Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 762 - Laboratory Seminar on Osteology “Hands-on” class relevant to research and analysis in human osteology and palaeopathology. Laboratory analysis of osteological and palaeopathology materials available in the Physical Anthropology Laboratory. Methods of age, sex, ethnic determinations, discrete morphological, anthropometric, and palaeopathological research and analysis.  Prerequisite: ANTH 462. 3 credits ANTH 763 - Paleoanthropology Current issues in and evidence for human biocultural evolution. Include finding, dating, and naming fossil hominids, the effect of climate on hominid evolution, as well as issues in paleobiology, functional anatomy, prehistoric archaeology, and geomorphology.  Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 764 - Seminar: Medical Anthropology Explores the evolution and cross-cultural understanding of human health, healing and disease. Includes extensive examination and critical evaluation of evolutionary, biocultural and culturally-centered approaches in medical anthropology.  Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 770 - Seminar on Computing for Anthropologists Provides practical introduction to the uses of computers for statistical analysis, data gathering and storage, computer modeling and computer-assisted instruction as applies in anthropology. Every student carries out one or more projects requiring the use of computers.  Prerequisite: MIS 101 or CSC 115 or equivalent or consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 775 - Native Americans and the Law (Same as LAW 625.) Anthropological, historical, and legal study of the position of Native American tribes and persons, including federal policy, jurisdictional disputes, and current issues.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. 3 credits ANTH 790 - Research Design, Professional Ethics, and Grant Writing for Anthropologists Class components include ethics relating to data acquisition and sharing, formulating cohesive and compelling research questions, and the mechanics of proposal preparation required in professional practice. All students will be required to prepare and present a research proposal.  Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. 3 credits ANTH 796 - Cultural Resource Management Internship Students work with an archaeologist both in field and office situations, focusing on identification and evaluation of sites; writing technical reports and examining the development of correspondence between federal agencies and contracting archaeologists.  Prerequisites: One field class (ANTH 453, 485, 486) and one lab class (ANTH 452, 458) or one summer field school (ANTH  487, 488), senior or graduate standing and recommendation of UNLV faculty coordinator. 3 credits ANTH 797 - Thesis May be repeated but only six credits will be applied to the student’s program. S/F grading only. 3-6 credits ANTH 798 - Dissertation May be repeated but only 12 credits will be applied to the student’s program. S/F grading only. 3-12 credits ANTH 799 - Independent Research May be repeated to a maximum of six credits. 1-3 credits The following undergraduate courses, which are listed and described at the 400-level in the Undergraduate Catalog, may be used in the program of study with the approval of the student’s advisor: ANTH 600B Indians of the Great Basin ANTH 600D American Indian Mythology and Religion ANTH 602 Comparative Social Structure ANTH 606 Comparative Political Organization ANTH 608 Issues of Political Economy in Anthropology ANTH 609 Economic Anthropology ANTH 620 Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion ANTH 622 Psychological Anthropology ANTH 623 The Anthropology of Aging ANTH 625 Applied Anthropology ANTH 626 Medical Anthropology ANTH 630 Anthropology and Ecology ANTH 638 Ethnographic Field Methods ANTH 633 Theories of Culture Change ANTH 634 Ethnohistory ANTH 636 History of Anthropology ANTH 637 Ethnological Method and Theory ANTH 640B Archaeology of the Great Basin ANTH 640C Archaeology of the Southwest ANTH 640E Archaeology of Mexico and Central America ANTH 641B Near Eastern and Mediterranean Prehistory ANTH 643 Environmental Archaeology ANTH 644 Anthropology of Power ANTH 648 American Indian Languages and Cultures ANTH 649A Ceramic Analysis in Archaeology ANTH 649B Lithic Artifact Analysis ANTH 650 Museum Methods ANTH 651 Museums and Their Public Roles ANTH 655 Archaeological Theory ANTH 661 Human Genetics Variations ANTH 662 Human Osteology ANTH 663 Advanced Human Osteology ANTH 664 Dental Anthropology ANTH 665 Human Growth and Aging ANTH 667 Diseases and Human Evolution ANTH 668 Forensic Anthropology ANTH 669 Evolution and Biology of Human Behavior ANTH 671 Evolution of Human Sexuality ANTH 679 Selected Topics in Physical Anthropology ANTH 673 Bioarchaeology ANTH 685 Language and Culture ANTH 686 Language and Gender ANTH 688 Archaeology Field Practicum ANTH 689 Selected Topics in Linguistics ANTH 691 Linguistic Colloquium ANTH 693 Analytical Methods and Research Design in Anthropology