The mission of the Napa Valley College Anthropology Department is to provide students and the wider community with holistic, comparative knowledge about human biological and cultural diversity as derived from scientific and humanistic anthropological research. The Anthropology curriculum provides a strong behavioral sciences foundation applicable to many undergraduate programs and prepares students for a broad range of public and private sector employment.

The Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer is designed to provide a clear pathway to a CSU institution for students who plan to transfer and complete a CSU major or baccalaureate degree in Anthropology. California Community College students who are awarded an Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer are guaranteed admission with junior standing somewhere in the CSU system and given priority admission consideration to their local CSU institution or to a program that is deemed similar to their community college major. This priority does not guarantee admission to specific majors or institutions.