Anthropology

Anthropologist at Fair

Program Overview

Anthropology is the study of human beings. Anthropologists seek to understand all aspects of what it is to be human and explore the diversity of ways that human beings and their ancestors have forged a living over the last several million years. Cultural anthropologists compare living cultures and societies throughout the world to document and explain the full range of human variation in beliefs and behaviors. Archaeological anthropologists explore the human past and seek to understand how and why human cultures have changed over time by using materials left behind by ancient societies. Biological anthropologists examine the biological nature of humans by studying the behaviors of humans closest living relatives, the primates, and the evolution of humans as shown through the fossil record. Linguistic anthropologists study the ways humans communicate using language. Anthropology is perhaps the most broad of all social science disciplines, and a degree in anthropology can be useful in a wide range of careers, including medicine, business, marketing, law, public health, ethnic studies, cultural studies, linguistics, education, ecology, and psychology. Anthropology courses can fulfill transfer requirements in humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and biological/life sciences (including the CSU laboratory requirement).

Contact
Chairperson
Dr. Stephen Koletty
Phone
(323) 780-6852
Email
kolettsr@elac.edu
Office Location
G8-101D
Office Hours
 

Department
Anthropology,-Geography,-Geology

Pathway
Social & Behavioral Sciences

Course Descriptions


Anthropology

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course covers the concepts, methods of inquiry, and theory of biological evolution and their application to the human species. There is a specific focus on molecular, Mendelian and population genetics, mechanisms of evolution, primatology, paleoanthropology, biocultural adaptations, human variation, and current bioethical issues. The philosophy of science and the scientific method serve as foundations to the course.

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course is an introduction to the study of human culture and the concepts, theories, and methods used in the comparative study of sociocultural systems. Subjects include subsistence patterns, social and political organization, language and communication, family and kinship, religion, the arts, social inequality, ethnicity, gender, and culture change. The course applies anthropological perspectives to contemporary issues.

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course is an introduction to the study of concepts, theories, and methods of anthropological archaeology as well as a review of significant data and models that contribute to knowledge of the human past. The course includes a discussion of the history and interdisciplinary nature of archaeological research; dating techniques and methods of survey, excavation, and analysis; cultural resource management; and selected cultural sequences.

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course is an introduction to the anthropological study of language.
This course includes a survey of core topics in linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) and the relationship of language to social, cultural, and psychological factors.
The course may include topics in nonverbal communication, the evolution of language abilities, and historical linguistics.

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course provides a world-wide comparison of sexuality and gender as viewed from various perspectives, including the biological/evolutionary, the cultural, the psychological, the historic, and the prehistoric, especially as they relate to the experiences of males and females in contemporary Western society.

Corequisite: Anthropology 101.
Lecture, 1 hour; Laboratory, 2 hours.
This course is a laboratory course that covers the methods, techniques, and procedures used in biological/physical anthropology research. SubjectS include: Molecular, Mendelian, and population genetics; modern human variation; human osteology and forensic analysis; modern primate studies; and the hominid fossil record.

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course is an anthropological introduction to forms, functions, origins and expressions of belief systems and rituals within their cultural contexts. Topics include religious symbolism, myth, magic, divination, animism, animalism, shamanism, totemism, ancestor worship, religious specialists, witchcraft, syncretism, millenarian and other religious movements.

Lecture, 3 hours.
This course examines the history, culture, religion, art, and political organization of selected Native North American cultures from pre-Western contact to the contemporary period, with particular emphasis on the processes of social, cultural, and political change in the post-contact period. The history of interactions between indigenous North Americans and other ethnic groups and their relevance to contemporary Native American issues are also explored.

Conference 1 hour per week per unit.
The above courses allow students to pursue Directed Study in Anthropology on a contract basis under the direction of a supervising instructor.
Credit Limit: A maximum of 6 units in Directed Study may be taken for credit.
Note: UC Credit for variable topics courses in this discipline is given only after a review of the scope and content of the course by the enrolling UC campus. This usually occurs after transfer and may require recommendations from faculty.

Conference 1 hour per week per unit.
The above courses allow students to pursue Directed Study in Anthropology on a contract basis under the direction of a supervising instructor.
Credit Limit: A maximum of 6 units in Directed Study may be taken for credit.
Note: UC Credit for variable topics courses in this discipline is given only after a review of the scope and content of the course by the enrolling UC campus. This usually occurs after transfer and may require recommendations from faculty.

Conference 1 hour per week per unit.
The above courses allow students to pursue Directed Study in Anthropology on a contract basis under the direction of a supervising instructor.
Credit Limit: A maximum of 6 units in Directed Study may be taken for credit.
Note: UC Credit for variable topics courses in this discipline is given only after a review of the scope and content of the course by the enrolling UC campus. This usually occurs after transfer and may require recommendations from faculty.

Environmental Science (ENV SCI)

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
This course encompasses the scientific analysis of real-world challenges arising from the impact of human activities upon our environment. Topics include environmental systems, population growth, uneven consumption and degradation of global resources, sustainability, climate change, conventional and alternative energy sources, air and water pollution, waste treatment and recycling. Practical solutions are encumbered by the economics of pollution, inadequate regulation and policy, and issues of environmental justice.

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
Note: Credit given for only one of Environmental Science 17 or Geography 14 .This regional study surveys the distinctive physical and human geography of California and the processes shaping these landscapes. This course explores the state’s natural features and resources, and examines historical and current trends in human population, cultural diversity, migration, and settlement patterns. Economic activities, resource use, transportation routes, and trade are assessed with an emphasis on the profound interconnections between these subjects, on California’s diversity, and on the rapid change that is transforming our people and its landscapes.

Corequisite: Environmental Science 1.
LECTURE, 1 HOUR; LABORATORY, 2 HOURS.
This is an introductory lab course in which students work individually and in teams to investigate the causes and consequences of key environmental issues. Field sampling, laboratory procedures and data analysis skills are emphasized as we explore our natural world. Particular attention is paid to water, energy, consumption, food, sustainability, waste, and recycling.

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
This course covers the concepts, methods of inquiry, and theory of climate change brought on by both natural and human influences. The course covers the physical and impacts of a changing climate, earth’s paleo-climate, and the current climate as well as future climate prediction models.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

LECTURE, 2 HOURS; LABORATORY, 4 HOURS.
Note: Credit given for only one of Geographic Information Systems 25 or Geography 25. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) describe the specific software and set of techniques designed to manipulate, interpret and display geographic data. This course examines the basic principles and methods of GIS, including computer representation of geographic data, map projections, coordinate systems, vector and raster data models, spatial analysis, and effective map design. In the laboratory students acquire hands-on experience with geospatial concepts, GIS functionalities, and mapping techniques.

LECTURE, 2 HOURS; LABORATORY, 2 HOURS.
Prerequisite: Geographic Information Systems 25 or Geography 25. This course focuses on intermediate GIS applications relating to industry-specific issues. This includes the various ways in which Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is used to acquire, represent, organize, analyze, and visualize information. The emphasis is on hands-on experience in GIS, particularly vector-based data structures using Arc-GIS. Topics include data sources and accuracy, data structures, map overlays, manipulation of databases, spatial analysis, creation of charts and graphs, and effective presentation of data in map layouts.

Geography (GEOG)

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
This course examines the Earth’s physical features and processes from the Geographer’s perspective. Topics include: Earth-sun geometrics, weather and climate, water systems, landforms and their formation, soils, and the biogeography of plants and animals. Particular emphasis is on the dynamic interrelationships among environmental and human systems and the patterns and distributions they produce. Tools of geographic inquiry include: Maps and their interpretation, landscape analysis, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
Note: Credit given for only one of Geography 14 or Environ-mental Science 17. This regional study surveys the distinctive physical and human geography of California and the processes shaping these landscapes. This course explores the state’s natural features and resources, and examines historical and current trends in human population, cultural diversity, migration, and settlement patterns. Economic activities, resource use, transportation routes, and trade are assessed with an emphasis on the profound interconnections between these subjects, on California’s diversity, and on the rapid change that is transforming our people and its landscapes.

Corequisite: Geography 1.
LECTURE, 1 HOUR; LABORATORY, 2 HOURS.
This course provides laboratory experiences in topics covered in Physical Geography lecture such as map analysis and interpretation, weather prognostication, landform processes and evolution, tectonics, biogeography, habitat analysis, and computer applications in geography.

CONFERENCE 1 HOUR PER WEEK PER UNIT.
These courses allow students to pursue Directed Study in Geography on a contract basis under the direction of a supervising instructor.
CREDIT LIMIT: A MAXIMUM OF 6 UNITS IN DIRECTED STUDY MAY BE TAKEN FOR CREDIT.
Note: UC Credit for variable topics courses in this discipline is given only after a review of the scope and content of the course by the enrolling UC campus. This usually occurs after transfer and may require recommendations from faculty. Information about internships may also be presented for review, but credit for internships rarely transfers to UC.

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
This course explores the intrinsic geographic character of human societies. Students apply techniques commonly used by geographers to understand our world which reveals the origins, diffusion, and contemporary spatial expressions of such diverse aspects of the human experience such as cultural traditions and popular culture, attributes of populations and migration, languages, religions, and ethnic identity, political structures and nationalism, agriculture and food, economic systems, urbanization, and landscape modification.

LECTURE, 2 HOURS; LABORATORY, 4 HOURS.
Note: Credit given for only one of Geography 25 or Geo-graphic Information Systems 25 .Geographic Information Systems (GIS) describe the specific software and set of techniques designed to manipulate, interpret and display geographic data. This course examines the basic principles and methods of GIS, including computer representation of geographic data, map projections, coordinate systems, vector and raster data models, spatial analysis, and effective map design. In the laboratory students acquire hands-on experience with geospatial concepts, GIS functionalities, and mapping techniques.

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
Note: Credit given for only one of Geography 3 or Meteorology 3. This course is an introduction to processes that shape weather and climate on Earth. Topics investigated in this course include the structure and composition of the atmosphere, solar radiation, energy balances, seasonal changes, atmospheric pressure, atmospheric moisture, cloud and fog development, cyclones, and frontal systems. Discussions on climate and climate change include major controls of climate, the distribution of climates around the world, climate classification, and the causes and impacts of global climate change. Special emphasis is placed on the use of weather instruments and forecasting to under-stand and predict weather.

LECTURE, 3 HOURS.
This course provides a geographical survey of the world’s regions and nations, including physical, cultural, and economic features. Emphasis is on spatial influences and historical legacies on population growth, cities, transportation networks, and natural environments. Focus is placed on distinctive features and also regional issues of global concern.

Geology

This course surveys the science of whole Earth inquiry by introducing topics from the fields of geography, geology, oceanography, chemistry, astronomy, physics, and biology with special attention to Earth systems.

Students are introduced to the study of Earth materials by learning to identify common minerals and rocks. Interpretations of processes acting on and within the Earth are approached through the study of information contained in maps, aerial photographs, and data sets collected from a variety of Earth-sensing instruments. (Earth Science 001 is a Co-Requisite for this course)

An introduction to the principles of geology with emphasis on Earth processes. This course focuses on the internal structure and origin of the Earth and the processes that change and shape it.

In this course, students receive an introduction to the geological history of Earth and its inhabitants, with emphasis on the evolution of life and landforms of North America. Topics include how Earth processes produce and alter landforms, climate, and energy and water resources on which humans depend; significant tectonic events, such as mountain building episodes; and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, including plants, fish, dinosaurs, mammals, and humans. Multimedia presentations are used throughout the course and field trips are taken.

This is an introductory course designed to acquaint the student with a general knowledge of planet Earth. Materials and structures of the Earth are studied along with the processes and agencies by which the Earth is changed. The laboratory supplements the lecture with the study of minerals, rocks, aerial photographs, maps, and analysis of geologic data sets.

This course supplements Geology lectures with exercises in rock and mineral identification, reading and construction of topographic maps and profiles, interpretation of geologic maps and diagrams, evaluation of seismic and tectonic data, and the recognition and evaluation of landforms from topographic maps and aerial photos (Geology 001 is a Co-Requisite for this course).

This is a supplemental laboratory course for Geology 2, intended to teach the scientific methods of reasoning and to acquaint students with the fundamental principles of historical geology. Laboratory exercises examine the history of Earth from its origin to the present as interpreted from the fossil record and radiometric dating techniques. Topics include the evolutionary study of fossils, the study of rock types and ancient land forms, and the methods used to determine events in Earth history and reconstruct past environmental conditions. Field trips may be taken. (Geology 002 is a Co-Requisite for this course).

This course provides a survey of the geological and tectonic forces behind the most common natural disasters on Earth. The course studies how earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, mass movements, weather-related phenomena, wildfires and floods are generated, how they affect populations, and specific hazard mitigation techniques. Special emphasis is placed on the disaster risk of the Los Angeles region.

This course introduces the student to the field of physical oceanography. Major topics include: plate tectonics and features of seafloor topography, coastal processes, estuaries, properties of seawater, waves, tides, currents, marine resources and pollution, global ocean/atmosphere interactions, global warming, and the effects of physical oceanographic factors on marine life and marine ecosystems.

This course supplements Oceanography 1 by providing introductory practical experience in measurements, and quantitative analytical skills in oceanography. Major topics include scientific graphs, marine geography and geology, properties of seawater, waves, tides, atmospheric phenomena, coastal features, marine pollution, and sediments. Some time outside of the classroom may be required. See the instructor for details.