BA in Anthropology-Specialization in Anthropology, Health & Medicine
For additional information, please visit the Department of Anthropology website.
Medical anthropology is an important and rapidly expanding subfield of anthropology that explores how society, culture, and biology influence group and individual health and well-being. It focuses particular attention on the experience and distribution of illness, mental health, healing processes, and the utilization of pluralistic medical systems. The Anthropology, Health & Medicine specialization allows students to develop knowledge and skills that are important for thinking critically about various approaches to health and healthcare. The program of study combines broad introductory coursework with specialized electives in the CAS departments of Anthropology and Biology and in the Program in Medical Anthropology & Cross-Cultural Practice at Boston University's Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine/Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS). Students pursuing this specialization will be well positioned to secure employment where critical, scientific thinking is valued, and prepared for graduate study in anthropology, biology, medicine, and public health and for careers in a variety of health-related fields.
Learning Outcomes
Students specializing in Anthropology, Health & Medicine will:
Develop an appreciation for the diversity of human cultures and the principles and methods that anthropologists employ for studying them.
Master the fundamental cultural themes in at least one society other than their own, and the relationship of those themes to the dynamics of social organization.
Recognize and be able to describe human linguistic diversity as well as the shared properties of all languages that are associated with the unique capacities of our species.
Understand the biological principles and historical contingencies that explain and govern the deep history of humanity as revealed by the findings of paleontology and archaeology.
Grasp the fundamental laws and processes of heredity and evolution, and their implications for individuals and populations.
Acquire a basic theoretical and practical understanding of the biological and sociocultural factors and ethical dilemmas that underlie, impact, and constrain nutrition, reproduction, and behavior in humans and other primates, and reflect on the role of culture, politics, and biology in shaping human and primate health and well-being.
Demonstrate an ability to relate theory to empirically grounded research that will equip them to confront an era of globalization in which they will need to understand and interact with societies and cultures beyond their own as well as divisions within their own societies.
Requirements
21 January 2025
College of Arts and Sciences
725 Commonwealth Avenue,
BOSTON,
Massachusetts,
02215, United States
Apply as a first-year student if you are currently in your last year of high school, have completed high school, are a GED recipient, or have completed a high school equivalency exam. If you are currently in high school and are part of a dual enrollment program, you should also apply as a first-year student.
English Proficiency Testing Results:
Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT): Students who are most competitive for admission will have a composite score of at least 90-100 and minimum scores of 20 in each section.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): A total/overall score of 7 or higher
Duolingo English Test (DET): Students who are most competitive for admission will have a total score of at least 125-135.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.