- 2017

Undergraduate

Minor / Major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2017 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook.

Any units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the component of any bachelors double degrees.

Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Managing faculty

Faculty of Arts

Offered by

School of Social Sciences

Coordinator(s)

Dr Sara Niner

Contact details

AnthropologyAnthropology (http://future.arts.monash.edu/ug-anthropology/)

Location

Clayton

Anthropology is the comparative study of different ways of life it seeks an 'insider' perspective on alternative ways of being in the world. To interpret human behaviour, anthropologists ask questions not just about what people do, but about why they do it, what they mean by it, what motivates them to do it and what people value in diverse societies and cultures.

In the past, anthropologists were invariably westerners making observations of societies that visibly differed from their own. This image is no longer an adequate one for describing anthropology. It is true that contemporary anthropologists are still interested in studying difference, but they are playing an increasingly complex and important role in the modern world: wherever human diversity is an issue, anthropologists are called upon to provide their expertise. In fields as diverse as journalism, climate change, mining, dispute-resolution and peace-building, social policy, Indigenous issues and development aid, anthropologists are called upon to contribute their specialised knowledge and understanding. Furthermore, anthropologists work alongside colleagues holding to different epistemological and academic frameworks.

Students will explore anthropological issues across a range of areas and societies including Australian, Asian, African, Pacific, European, Middle Eastern and American examples, challenging students to reflect on their own cultural world from perspectives that may differ radically from their own. Students will explore points of contestation among societies, and how they have shaped the position of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in contemporary society. Students will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the key concepts and debates in anthropology of power and empowerment. Students will be introduced to key concepts of ethnography and anthropology via case studies on topics such as gender and sexuality, responses to climate change, human mobility, violence, technology and the digital world.

Availability

Anthropology is listed in A2000 Bachelor of Arts at Clayton as a major or minor, and A0502 Diploma of Liberal Arts at Clayton as a major.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major will be able to:

  • approach problem-solving with an awareness of the importance of human difference in achieving good outcomes
  • read international issues through the eyes and interests of specific communities and actors, and not just through the singular lens of universalism
  • qualify for employment in one of anthropology's graduate specialisations
  • formulate high quality research tools and methods for problem-solving.

Units

Major requirements (48 points)

No more than 12 points at level 1 may be credited to the majormajor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html) and at least 18 points must be at level 3.

Students complete:

  1. Two level 1 gateway unitsgateway units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):
    • ATS1203 Magic, science and spirituality
    • ATS1255 Encountering cultures: Introduction to anthropology 1*

      * ATS1255 is also a gateway unit for Indigenous cultures and histories. Students doing majors/minors in both Anthropology and Indigenous cultures and histories will need to complete different gateway units for each, and should seek the advice of the convenor for appropriate units.

  2. Two level 2 cornerstone unitscornerstone units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):
    • ATS2378 The anthropology of international development
    • ATS2625 Mobile worlds: Borders, displacement and belonging
  3. Two level 3 capstone unitscapstone units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):
    • ATS3376 Anthropology of human rights
    • ATS3634 Indigenous peoples globally
  4. Two units (12 points) from the elective list below, with at least one unit at level 3.

Minor requirements (24 points)

No more than 12 points at level 1 may be credited to the minorminor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html).

Students complete:

  1. Two level 1 gateway unitsgateway units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2017handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):
    • ATS1203 Magic, science and spirituality
    • ATS1255 Encountering cultures: Introduction to anthropology 1*

      * ATS1255 is also a gateway unit for Indigenous cultures and histories. Students doing majors/minors in both Anthropology and Indigenous cultures and histories will need to complete different gateway units for each, and should seek the advice of the convenor for appropriate units.

  2. Two units (12 points) chosen from:
    • ATS2378 The anthropology of international development
    • ATS2625 Mobile worlds: Borders, displacement and belonging
    • ATS3376 Anthropology of human rights
    • ATS3634 Indigenous peoples globally

Elective list

Units are 6 points unless otherwise stated.

  • ATS2138 The archaeology of world rock art
  • ATS2249 Sustainable development in South East Asia
  • ATS2354/ATS3354 Interrogating racism: Indigenous Australians and the state
  • ATS2358 Contesting laws: Heritage, culture and land
  • ATS2359/ATS3359 Hearing the country: Studies in Indigenous Australian ethnoecology
  • ATS2560 Gender, theory and society
  • ATS2629 Religion and spirituality in a globalising world
  • ATS2671/ATS3671 Managing intercultural communication
  • ATS2723 Social research methods
  • ATS3248 Field methods in anthropology and international development
  • ATS3627 Global Cultures, media flows: creating and consuming (popular) culture
  • ATS3717 Health, culture and society

Intending honours students

Students intending to enter honours in this area of study must have completed a major in the discipline, with a minimum of 24 points of study at level 3 to be eligible.

Relevant courses

Diplomas

  • A0502 Diploma of Liberal Arts

Bachelors

Single degrees

Successful completion of the minor or major can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degree:*

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives.

Double degrees

Successful completion of the minor or major can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts component in the following double degrees:*

  • A2005 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Art
  • A2004 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music
  • B2019 Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2012 Bachelor of Business Specialist and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2020 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2024 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Arts
  • D3002 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • E3002 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • C2002 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Arts
  • L3003 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts

* Students cannot complete both the minor and major in the same area of study.