COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Anthropology at Cape Breton University for the 3-year program is structured as a 90-credit degree and follows a flexible but progressive curriculum based on academic levels rather than fixed year-by-year courses. In the first year, students usually begin with introductory anthropology courses such as cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, or biological anthropology foundations along with general arts electives from subjects like sociology, psychology, English, or history to build academic writing and social science skills. In the second year, students move into intermediate-level anthropology courses where they study more specific areas such as human cultural systems, evolutionary perspectives, research methods, and fieldwork techniques while also continuing to take supporting electives that broaden their understanding of human societies. In the third year, students focus on advanced 3000 and 4000 level anthropology courses including anthropological theory, specialized topics in socio-cultural, linguistic, biological, or archaeological anthropology, and often complete research-based or seminar-style courses that require deeper analysis and critical thinking. Across all three years, students must complete required core anthropology courses, methods training, and a selection of electives to meet the 90-credit requirement. The program is designed to develop strong analytical, research, and cultural understanding skills while allowing flexibility in course selection based on student interests and career goals.