BA in Anthropology (Honors) in Irvine United States | University of California Irvine

The four-quarter Honors Program in Anthropology enables undergraduate students to conduct field research and compose an honors thesis on a self-selected topic with mentorship from a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology.
Anthropology examines human societies and cultures across time through comparative analysis. UCI's Department of Anthropology leads in exploring current theoretical debates and ethnographic methodologies within the field. The department maintains an interdisciplinary approach, with scholarly focus areas including economic systems, political and legal frameworks, financial anthropology, social transformations, science and technology studies, identity formation, gender and feminist research, urban environments, modernity and development, religious practices, visual anthropology, and artistic expressions.

The department prioritizes examining pressing contemporary challenges, particularly those involving dynamic global interactions such as transnational movements of commodities, populations, media, and ideologies. Faculty expertise covers the intersection of worldwide trends with local customs, migration patterns, citizenship debates, demographic policies, conflict studies, ethnic and national identity formation, family structures, food systems, healthcare, technological advancements, legal systems, economic shifts, urban dynamics, and environmental concerns. Regional specializations encompass China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, East Africa, U.S. Latino populations, and global diaspora communities.