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
Conference on Indigenous languages co-organized by Dr. Degai
July 10, 2024
Dr. Tatiana Degai has co-organized a three day virtual conference on Indigenous languages in the time of climate change. You can register and see more details via this link:...
Dr. Nowell on Paleolithic fashion
July 9, 2024
Dr. Nowell comments on Paleolithic fashion in an article titled "A prehistoric innovation marked a major shift in how humans dress, scientists say". Read the full article here.
Dr. Nowell on world’s oldest known narrative art
July 3, 2024
Dr. April Nowell has been quoted in Science and CNN London/ABC (Sidney, Australia) about storytelling in cave art from a 50,000 yr old cave in Indonesia. Read the CNN London/ABC article "A...
Dr. Nowell's project in Smithsonian Magazine
July 2, 2024
An article in the Smithsonian Magazine about Dr. April Nowell's project with Becky Farbstein documenting children making and playing with ceramics in the Upper Paleolithic. Read the article "Did...
Dr. Nowell on Neanderthal child with Down Syndrome
June 26, 2024
Dr. April Nowell has been quoted in a Science article about a Neanderthal child with Down Syndrome.Read the article "Bones reveal first evidence of Down syndrome in Neanderthals" here.
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.