The Sociology and Anthropology Department at Missouri State offers a wide range of opportunities to gain first-hand experience and acquire practical skills outside the classroom. Although these experiences are not required, they are strongly recommended.
Anthropology offers laboratory courses in lithics, zooarchaeology, bioanthropology and historical materials for advanced students. In addition, ANT 505 Ethnohistory and ANT 510 Ethnographic Research Methods are built around field research projects in cultural anthropology.
The anthropology program offers one or more archaeological field schools for undergraduate students every year. In addition to 3-6 hours of course credit as ANT 351, the field school gives you an opportunity to acquire the basic skills required of a field archaeologist and to see if this is a career for you.
The department offers regular opportunities for students to gain cross-cultural experience either in a Education Abroad tour or by accompanying faculty members on research projects abroad. Students earn credit in ANT 490.
Students can earn course credit by who completing an internship with a private, nonprofit or government agency. An internship will provide you with valuable work experience, develop your professional skills and allow you to explore a career pertaining to field of study.
Advanced students can pursue independent study projects or work one-on-one with a faculty mentor in directed readings and in directed research courses. These students often present the findings of their research at student and professional conferences.
The mission of Missouri State is public affairs. Therefore, we promote the idea of civic engagement, particularly through service-learning opportunities tied to anthropology courses. In service-learning, students gain credit by working for local organizations in ways that are relevant to their major.
Students have many opportunities to apply their knowledge and gain experience in the community. The core of public sociology and applied anthropology is civic and community engagement. The faculty are engaged members of the community and encourage students to be as well.
The Anthropology Club is a registered student organization that meets regularly, invites guest speakers, organizes trips and events, and conducts fundraising activities.
The purpose of the Sociology Club is to cultivate students' sociological imagination, which involves the ability to understand how individual and group behavior is shaped by society's historical development and how personal problems are connected to public issues and how to work with others to improve social conditions. This imagination promotes critical thinking skills, which are essential for effective participation in professional, personal and public affairs. The Sociology Club interacts with the community as well, by volunteering with and helping non-profit organizations.
Lambda Alpha is a national honorary society for anthropology majors.
Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) is the international sociology honor society for undergraduate students majoring in sociology. The society sponsors student travel to regional meetings, helps with scholarly presentations and provides learning opportunities from speakers and from the scholarly presentations of others. The national honors society sponsors annual student paper contests, presenting awards which include monetary prizes, travel support and scholarships.
The Bear CLAW, located on the first floor of Meyer Library, connects you with a variety of academic resources: