Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human, whether in the past, the present or the future.
Anthropologists apply research approaches including ethnography, audio-visual and digital methods, excavations, fieldwork and lab-based work. Faculty in the department have undertaken research around the world.
Study anthropology at UVic
Drawing on insights from the social sciences, the sciences and the humanities, anthropologists study how humans have emerged and organized ourselves. Embracing the full diversity of humanity across time and space, anthropologists at UVic work in fields such as:
- human history and material culture (archaeology)
- human evolution and primatology (biological anthropology)
- human culture and society (socio-cultural anthropology)
At UVic, anthropology undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of hands-on and experiential learning opportunities, including field schools and co-operative education.
From small class sizes to hands-on and international learning, learn why you should study anthropology at UVic.
Announcements
Did we kill the Neandertals?
October 4, 2024
Latest article in which Dr. April Nowell is interviewed. Live Science on "Did we kill the Neanderthals? New research may finally answer an age-old question."
Ice Age Teens - Dr. Nowell
September 30, 2024
Ice Age Teens, Cross Country Checkup on CBC News Network, with Ian Hanomansing. See here - 2:06:50 - at UVic with Dr. April Nowell in our teaching lab.
Dr. Nowell comments on the last Neanderthal DNA study
September 26, 2024
Dr. Nowell comments on the last Neanderthal DNA study in an article in Live Science titled "DNA of 'Thorin,' one of the last Neanderthals, finally sequenced, revealing inbreeding and 50,000 years...
Dr. Rudnyckyj's new article
September 26, 2024
Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj recently published the article “Econography: Observing Expert Capitalism” in the journal Current Anthropology . The...
Dr. Nowell's latest on Ice Age teens
September 13, 2024
Dr. April Nowell's research on Ice Age teens appears on CBC radio and in a number of stories. CBC’s Quirks and Quarks audio link and the episode webpage. UVic news...
News & events
UVic's Vanier scholars and Banting Fellowship
The University of Victoria is celebrating four outstanding researchers recently announced as 2024 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholars and one prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellow.
Anthropology grad's international experience
Graduating this spring, anthropology major/sociology minor undergraduate student, Emma Emile appreciates her time at UVic and especially how anthropology “sparked critical reflection on what it...
Woolly dog DNA
In a first high-resolution DNA study of "Mutton"—the only known woolly dog fleece in the world—an international researcher team from the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of Natural History and UVic,...
Territory acknowledgement
We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.