Undergraduate Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is the hands-on process of “learning by doing,” which is both an essential component of our curriculum and an opportunity for students to engage with anthropology outside of the classroom setting. Experiential learning provides unique opportunities to create community and helps students build practical skills, all while enhancing the overall educational experience.
Anthropology students can earn course credit for a wide range of personalized experiential learning opportunities of their choosing—including field study, internships, and research—by enrolling in independent study classes. Students can also take advantage of existing for-credit field school and study abroad opportunities or take classes that utilize our department’s on-campus teaching labs.
Independent study opportunities
All of the types of experiential learning below can be used as part of a for-credit independent study. For more information on independent study policies and how to enroll, see our Undergraduate Advising page.
Field studies and internships
Field studies are 2-5 unit independent study courses arranged between a faculty member and a student. Study topics vary by student interests, opportunities available, and faculty sponsors. For example, in the past, students have worked at local schools, volunteered with local non-profits, or interned with local organizations. These opportunities usually culminate in an essay on the experience and findings or other methods of assessment as arranged by the faculty sponsor and student.
Internships are one possible type of field study. Anthropology Department Internship Coordinator Kirk Lange is available to assist students with finding and participating in internships. However, internships are not hosted through the UCSC department and, therefore, must be petitioned to count for course credit.
Resources for finding internships
- Browse our sheet of internship and field study links
- Review our Internship Google Site
- Visit UCSC Career Success
- Check the bulletin board outside the Anthropology Office, Social Sciences 1, 361
- Meet 1:1 with the internship coordinator
- Explore other departments’ offerings that might apply to your area of interest
Undergraduate research
Independent study courses can also be used for lab work, research internships, and independent research. Our department has many on-campus research labs that provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student involvement, at the discretion of the faculty lead. We recommend reviewing our Affiliated Research Centers, Labs, and Initiatives page, finding a lab that you’re interested in, and then contacting the faculty lead to inquire about any available opportunities to support their work.
Examples of research opportunities
- Mammal and Bird Historical Ecology Laboratory: Undergraduates who want hands-on experience working with bird and mammal bones can participate in a two-unit internship with Professor Emerita Diane Gifford-Gonzalez, through the two-unit course Anth 197F.
- Archaeology Research Center: provides archaeological travel and research grants for undergraduates and graduate students.
- Monterey Bay Archaeology Archives: Undergraduates can sign up for internship placements, earning 2 or 5-quarter units, under the curator and staff’s supervision.
Field schools
Field school programs are opportunities led by Anthropology Department faculty that allow our students to gain valuable experience in the field. These programs are usually offered during the summer, and while many are focused on archaeology, there are field programs that focus on other aspects of anthropology. Information about field school programs is posted in the Anthropology Department, and announcements are sent out through email throughout the year. Students should also talk to anthropology faculty about field school opportunities.
Credit for non-UCSC field school
Students who complete a field school course through another four-year university may petition to have it count toward the anthropology major requirements as one upper-division elective. Field school transfer courses cannot count toward the anthropology minor’s requirements. Please note that, during an anthropology student’s time at UCSC, they can only take two outside courses for credit toward their degree, and field study falls within that limit.
Study abroad and study away
Anthropology is a very international discipline; the classes and coursework in our department draw upon studies of many different places and peoples. For this reason, we highly encourage students to incorporate study abroad into their education.
Study abroad program options include:
- UCSC Faculty-led Programs: UCSC courses taught abroad during the summer.
- UCSC Partner Programs: Exchange programs with institutions abroad.
- UCSC Domestic Exchanges: Exchange programs with U.S. institutions.
- UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP): Study abroad provider for all UC campuses.
- Other UC Study Abroad: Study abroad programs offered through other UC campuses.
- Non-UC Study Abroad: Study abroad programs administered outside of the UC.
For help deciding which program is the best fit for you, review our list of UCEAP programs with potential for anthropological research, browse the catalog of courses that other UC students have previously taken, and see a list of courses that have previously been approved for credit toward our department’s academic programs. Past approval of a course for credit does not guarantee that you will receive credit, but it does make it much more likely.
Getting course credit for study abroad
The Anthropology Department does not pre-approve study abroad courses. Students petition to have courses taken during study abroad count as upper division electives toward the anthropology major or minor requirements. For general information about the coursework petitions process, see our Undergraduate Advising page. Please note that, during an anthropology student’s time at UCSC, they can only take a maximum of two outside courses for credit toward their degree, and study abroad falls within that limit.
Typically, only anthropology courses taken through study abroad are eligible, but if a university abroad does not have an anthropology department, other related courses may be considered. Students should save all of their coursework from study abroad, as it may be needed for the course petition. Syllabi that are submitted for course petitions must include detailed information about the course—brief descriptions of courses and syllabi written in languages other than English will not be accepted.
Scheduling and timelines
Most programs require students to apply up to 9 months in advance and admit students on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is vital to plan ahead. Be sure to consult the calendar of application deadlines. If you are applying for financial aid, fellowships, or grants, know that deadlines are often a year to 6 months in advance of the beginning of the funding.
Four-year students will need to begin looking for a faculty advisor, enrolling in preparatory coursework, and finding suitable programs by their sophomore year. Transfer students should aim to begin working towards these goals upon their arrival at UCSC. See the sample plans below for timelines and milestones on incorporating study abroad into progress toward your degree. For more on degree requirements and options, see our Undergraduate Advising page.
First-year entry student study abroad plan
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete as many lower-division courses (ANTH 1, ANTH 2, ANTH 3) as possible Enroll in language training if necessary | Complete ANTH 152 and remaining lower division courses Enroll in upper-division courses to explore areas of interest and get to know faculty Review study abroad options and apply for a program to go abroad in Spring or Summer of Year 3 Explore funding options Continue language training | Complete ANTH 151 Develop fieldwork proposal and bibliography Establish rapport with faculty mentor Apply for research funding Continue language training Spring/Summer: go abroad and conduct research | Fall: Organize field notes into proposed thesis outline Winter: Enroll in independent study or senior seminar March: submit portfolio for recommendation by faculty sponsor for Dean and Chancellor’s awards Spring: Submit final draft for Dean and Chancellor’s awards |
Transfer student study abroad plan
| Year 1 | Year 2 |
|---|---|
| Summer: Complete as many lower division courses (ANTH 1, ANTH 2, ANTH 3) as possible by enrolling in Summer Session courses before your first quarter at UCSC Fall/Winter: Complete ANTH 150 and enroll in upper-division courses to explore areas of interest and get to know faculty Fall: Review study abroad options and apply for a program in Summer or Fall of Year 2 Spring: Complete ANTH 151 and enroll in upper division courses to explore areas of interest and get to know faculty Spring: Develop fieldwork proposal and bibliography and apply for research funding Summer/Fall: go abroad | Fall: Organize field notes into proposed thesis outline Winter: Enroll in independent study or senior seminar March: submit portfolio for recommendation by faculty sponsor for Dean and Chancellor’s awards Spring: Submit final draft for Dean and Chancellor’s awards. |
Teaching labs
Many courses offered by the Anthropology Department utilize our teaching lab facilities to provide students with hands-on training in the technical skills of archaeology and biological anthropology. Lab courses integrate theoretical frameworks with the detailed analysis of specimens and artifacts at the core of the disciplines. From comparative anatomy and osteology to micro-artifact and ceramic analysis, our labs facilitate student understanding, within an environment of safety. Contact lab manager Kayla Ott or lab director Vicky Oelze with any questions about the following facilities.
Osteology Teaching Lab
This large teaching lab space is home to many biological anthropology courses, including human skeletal biology and forensic anthropology. A diverse collection of comparative models and real skeletal elements are available for study. Students also participate in preserving, organizing, and 3D scanning the teaching collections to be available for future use.
Ceramics and Lithics Teaching Lab
This space supports our hands-on lab courses in archaeological materials analysis. We have comparative collections of historic material types, rocks and minerals, clay types, and ceramic vessels. This lab also stores our collection of microscopes and a wide variety of other measuring and analytical tools, such as thermometers, timers, and data loggers.
Adrienne Zihlman Physical Anthropology Laboratory
This specialized lab space was designed as a safe environment for exploring human anatomy. It is the demonstration lab space for the human anatomy course offered each year. A number of projects also use this space to add specimens to the comparative osteology collection and in support of various research activities.
A specialized feature of the lab is the down-draft table, which allows preserved anatomical materials to be studied without exposing students to chemical vapors. Currently, this is not being used for teaching. Only external users from the METX department occasionally use it for an anatomy class. Feel free to check out their department’s class offerings.