ANTH& 104 - World Prehistory

Credits: 5
Exploration of some of the most well-known archaeological discoveries from the distant and recent past (such as Olduvai Gorge, Ice Age Caves, Jericho, Egyptian pyramids, Harappa, Stonehenge, Xianyang, Teotihuacan, Cahokia, Mesa Verde, Great Zimbabwe, Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, Ozette, etc.). Offers global coverage and scientific interpretation of archaeological evidence for our human past.

Prerequisite: Eligible for ENGL& 101; or instructor’s permission.

Satisfies Requirement: Social Science

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Develop an appreciation of the course of human prehistory within its environmental settings.
Analyze well-known archaeological case studies to explain how archaeological data are obtained, recorded, and analyzed to solve research problems provoked by the studies.
Explain theories of cultural evolution and major transformative processes experienced by the human species in differing environmental contexts.
Identify cultural and ecological diversity through the study of remains of various ancient cultures.
Recognize legal responsibilities facing world citizens and their collective past.
Critically evaluate current findings within an archaeological/ecological framework.
Compare material evidence of economic, social, and political stratification.

Program Outcomes

Define the anthropological concept of cultural relativism.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.