Program Overview
Anthropology
Explore cultures, communities, and human experiences while learning to understand the world through new perspectives.
Explore Human Diversity
Study cultures across the globe, past and present, while examining the forces that shape communities.
Learn by Doing
Conduct interviews, analyze cultural artifacts, explore archaeological methods, and participate in field-based research.
Research Real Communities
Work alongside faculty on projects that connect anthropology to contemporary issues around the world.
Why Study Anthropology at Wooster?
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Learn from nationally recognized anthropologists and archaeologists whose expertise spans cultures, histories, and communities around the world.
Develop research skills through hands-on experiences, including ethnography, archaeology, museum studies, interviews, and participant observation.
Collaborate on faculty research examining topics such as cultural heritage, reproductive justice, Indigenous communities, migration, and popular culture.
Take advantage of APEX internships, AMRE consulting experiences, faculty research, and Sophomore Research opportunities.
Complete an Independent Study that reflects your own interests while working one-on-one with a faculty mentor.
Featured Courses
Explore culture through diverse perspectives.
- Anthropology of Media & Performance
- Anthropology of the Living World
- Bones, Clues & Cases: Forensic Anthropology
- Global Politics of Reproduction
- Global Tourism: The Politics of Encounters
- Indigenous America
- The Political Power of Mayan Women
Experience anthropology in action.
Anthropology students learn through active investigation.
You'll conduct interviews, analyze museum collections, explore archaeological methods, examine cultural events, and participate in community-based research. Students have contributed to projects examining access to outdoor spaces, Indigenous language preservation, and cultural heritage in Oaxaca, Mexico while also participating in initiatives that expand representation of underrepresented communities through Wiki Education.
Independent Study allows you to spend your senior year exploring an original research question with the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Ready to Explore Anthropology?
Whether you're interested in museums, education, healthcare, law, public service, international development, or understanding cultures around the world, Anthropology at Wooster prepares you to think critically, ask thoughtful questions, and engage with diverse communities.
Career Opportunities
Anthropology graduates build careers by combining cultural understanding with strong research and communication skills.
Key Areas
Healthcare
Education
Law
International development
Public administration
Counseling
Social work
Museum studies
Research
Journalism
Consulting
Where Our Alumni Go
Anthropology graduates have built careers with organizations including:
- Cigna Healthcare
- Environmental Science Associates
- Equality Ohio Education Fund
- Kaufman Dolowich Law Firm
- Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
- RTI International
- Smithsonian Institution
- United States Institute of Peace
- U.S. Press Freedom Tracker
- World Monuments Fund
Scholarships & Student Opportunities
Students may be recognized through:
- Charles E. Hurst Prize in Sociology and Anthropology
- Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society
Students also benefit from APEX Fellowships, faculty research opportunities, Sophomore Research experiences, and AMRE consulting internships.
Olivia Navarro-Farr
Professor of Archaeology, Sociology, and Anthropology; Program Chair for Archaeology
onavarro-farr@wooster.edu
Setsuko Matsuzawa
Professor of Sociology and Anthropology; East Asian Studies (On leave Fall 2026)
smatsuzawa@wooster.edu
Ricardo Higelin Ponce de León
Assistant Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology
rhigelin@wooster.edu
Christa Craven
Professor of Anthropology and Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies; Program Chair of Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
ccraven@wooster.edu
Zareen Thomas
Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology; Latin American Studies; Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
zthomas@wooster.edu
Michael Miyawaki
Associate Professor and Department Chair of Sociology and Anthropology
mmiyawaki@wooster.edu
Anne Nurse
Professor of Sociology and Anthropology
anurse@wooster.edu
Connect With the Department
| Interested in Anthropology? We'd love to help you learn more about research opportunities, field experiences, faculty mentorship, and the many directions an Anthropology degree can take you. |