Honors & Theses

Anthropology concentrators pursue a diverse range of topics and places that covers every time period from the pre-historical to the present, and every major world area. Recent senior honors thesis have investigated:

  • The relationship between the Boston Catholic Church and its Spanish-speaking members
  • Islamic Finance in Malaysia
  • A Cancer Ward in Kenya
  • Stigma in the Lives of Unmarried Women in Contemporary China
  • Challenges in Housing Rights Advocacy in Bolivia

The requirements for honors eligibility are distinguished by program. Certain honors recommendations are possible without a thesis. 

Students are encouraged to consult A Student's Guide to Reading and Writing in Social Anthropology and the AnthroWrites website.

Social Anthropology Honors

Thesis Track (12 courses)

  • Basic Concentration Requirements
  • ANTH 99: Thesis Tutorial in Anthropology, a full-year writing workshop, culminating in the submission of a senior thesis and an oral thesis examination.

Non-Thesis Track (10 courses)

All graduating seniors in Social Anthropology who are not thesis candidates may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of honors (but not high or highest honors), provided that their concentration grade-point averages calculated at the end of their next to-last semester are among the highest 25 percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class.

Archaeology Honors

Thesis Track (12 courses)

  • Basic Concentation Requirements
    • Including one Archaeology Graduate-Level Research Seminar (2000-level)
  • ANTH 99: Thesis Tutorial in Anthropology, a full-year writing workshop, culminating in the submission of a senior thesis and an oral thesis examination.

Non-Thesis Track (10 courses)

Graduating seniors in Archaeology who are not thesis candidates and have taken a 2000- level course may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of honors (but not high or highest honors), provided that their concentration grade-point averages calculated at the end of their next-to-last semester are among the highest 25 percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class.

Combined Archaeology/Social Anthropology Honors

Thesis Track (12 courses)

  • Basic Concentration Requirements
  • ANTH 99: Thesis Tutorial in Anthropology, a full-year writing workshop, culminating in the submission of a senior thesis and an oral thesis examination.

Non-Thesis Track (10 courses)

All graduating seniors in combined Archaeology and Social Anthropology who are not thesis candidates may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of honors (but not high or highest honors), provided that their concentration grade-point averages calculated at the end of their next-to-last semester are among the highest 25 percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class.

Anthropology and Medicine Honors

Thesis Track (14 courses)

  • Basic Concentration Requirements
  • ANTH 99: Thesis Tutorial in Anthropology, a full-year writing workshop, culminating in the submission of a senior thesis and an oral thesis examination.

Non-Thesis Track (12 courses)

All graduating seniors in Anthropology and Medicine who are not thesis candidates may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of honors (but not high or highest honors), provided that their concentration grade-point averages calculated at the end of their next to-last semester are among the highest 25 percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class.