Bachelor of Arts & Science - Anthropology & Biological Sciences (Optional Co-op)

For the Bachelor of Arts and Science, students must complete two majors: an Arts major, and a Science major.

Anthropology

Anthropology studies the diversity of human life in every part of the world. Long-term ethnographic fieldwork is the hallmark of the anthropological approach to studying the human condition and allows people to see how the world fits into a larger context.

Contemporary anthropology examines the material, social, and cultural conditions of human behaviour and life from a “locally global” perspective.

Anthropology will expose students to a variety of different cultures. At the same time, they will learn to examine their own life from an anthropological perspective. Students will learn how to explore and understand radically different contexts in both their own and other cultures.

Two elements distinguish anthropology: an intensely comparative, wide-ranging view of human society and culture, and a strong desire to know how individuals in specific cultures make sense of the world and respond to its challenges.

Anthropologists are committed to understanding common aspects of human social life, despite apparent differences. They typically spend long periods of time doing field research where they interact with people in their environment to gain cultural understanding.

Biological Sciences

Biological sciences delve into the world of living organisms — from microbes, to human beings, to entire ecosystems. It is the science of life on, under and above earth. Exploring the nature of life leads biologists out into the world where they study how organisms interact with their environment, how they function and how they evolved over time. The Department of Biological Sciences provides students with hands-on learning, moving them beyond textbooks and lectures to engaging research projects. Biology is a research-intensive science that can lead to a wide range of study areas, like environmental work, medicine, microbiology or agriculture. Today’s biologists require a strong background in cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, genetics, evolution and ecology. Additionally, graduates will be required to complete courses in chemistry, physics and mathematics, ensuring a strong foundation in the core sciences. Students will also have access to state-of-the-art science and research facilities, like the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research. This facility provides the infrastructure to support the research interests of University of Lethbridge’s award-winning faculty, their instructors, as they investigate diverse areas within behavioural and evolutionary ecology, plant biology and systemic biology, cellular and molecular biology and genetics.