Students interested in this new four-year major can apply this fall.  They will be exposed to different ideas of human experience and cultures, and will discover how human beings in their diversity are all engaged in a project of making meaning in the world.  Students will learn skills integral to individual success and the success of our global society.

Nipissing has offered anthropology courses for decades.  The new major in anthropology program builds on the university’s existing expertise and provides students with more options in their degree of choice.

“Anthropology is a vital field of study, as students learn about the diversity of humankind’s cultures and traditions. As our world becomes increasingly globalized, the understanding of diverse peoples and inter-related cultures and societies becomes even more pressing,” said Dr. Ann-Barbara Graff, dean of the faculty of arts and science. “I think the program will prove to be popular with students. They will enjoy all the advantages that our small class sizes and first-rate faculty have to offer, as well as hands-on fieldwork experiences to enrich understanding.”

“Anthropology has a long tradition in the Canadian North.  Nipissing’s location and the demographic composition of the region makes anthropology particularly relevant here,” said Dr. Carly Dokis, assistant professor of sociology and one of the professors who helped create the anthropology program curriculum.  “Our program is rooted in the idea of community, and provides a framework through which to view the complex issues facing the modern world.”

“The new degree in Anthropology enhances the offerings that Nipissing provides to its students,” said Dr. Harley d’Entremont, vice-president of academic and research. “We are confident it will prove to be a popular program that will aid enrolment growth in the coming years while serving the needs of our communities by graduating leading thinkers for the knowledge economy.”