Undergraduate Research

There are several possible ways to integrate some hands-on research into your undergraduate experience in Anthropology and get academic credit for it.

  • take a program offered through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR): Anthro 297
  • take an Anthropology Study Abroad program: Anthro 497
  • design an Internship: Anthro 289 or Anthro 489
  • design an Independent Study: Anthro 199 or Anthro 699

Office of Undergraduate Research

Anthro 297 is coordinated through the UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) part of Office of Undergraduate Research. The exact offerings vary year-to-year. Currently these include working with archaeological curation, archaeological remains, and the Milwaukee County Institution Grounds cemetery project. UROP has an online application process that can place you with a faculty member in the Anthropology Department. You will be assisting with a research project in the faculty member’s area of expertise for several hours a week and spend some seminar time with other UROP students. If you are a freshman or sophomore, or seeking a more guided group experience, this is a great option.

Study Abroad Program

Anthro 497 is a study abroad program led by one of the Anthropology faculty. The exact offerings vary year-to-year and can be reviewed through the Center for International Education Study Abroad search engine by specifying the country of interest. Currently Dr. Jean Hudson offers a 6-credit summer program in archaeology in Peru. In some cases the program satisfies the Anthropology Major requirements for Methods and for Research.

Internship – Anthro 289 and Anthro 489

Internships require a fair amount of initiative on your part during the semester prior to one for which you hope to intern. Typically you will have in mind a particular type of applied experience or a place where that experience is offered. You will then seek out either the Anthropology Department’s Undergraduate Advisor or a particular faculty member that you know specializes in that type of experience. You will discuss with them your ideas and ask for their input. Once a faculty member with the appropriate expertise has been identified you will need to make an appointment and ask them if they would be willing to be your faculty sponsor. You will fill out the Internship Contract Form, identifying exactly what you will do, where you will do it, how many hours a week you will spend there and the corresponding number of academic credits, who your on-site sponsor will be, and what will be submitted to the faculty sponsor to be graded.

Independent Study – Anthro 199 and Anthro 699

Independent studies differ from internships in that they are typically done on-campus working directly with one of the Anthropology faculty. They can be lab-based or library-based. They require a fair amount of initiative on your part during the semester before the one during which you will conduct the study. Typically you will have in mind a particular research topic or question that you would like to pursue and some ideas about how you would pursue it. If the topic or question was triggered by a particular class, seek out the faculty member who taught the class and discuss possibilities with them. Ask if there is a useful way you could assist them with one of their current research projects. If you are unsure which faculty member might be appropriate, seek out the Anthropology Department’s Undergraduate Advisor and ask for guidance. If a faculty member agrees to sponsor your Independent Study, you will complete the Independent Study Form with them, specifying what you will do, how it will be graded, and the credit hours.