Your Department, CSU, Chico

Our Mission and Vision

The mission of the Department of Anthropology at California State University, Chico, is to provide a holistic foundation to the study of anthropology through the four major subfields that include cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistics, and a fifth area, museum studies.

This is achieved through a rigorous but balanced curriculum that encompasses the current theoretical perspectives and methodologies of the discipline. We emphasize good communication skills, critical thinking, and reflection, and integrate these into ethical and moral deliberations about what it means to be human.

The department is committed to the highest standards of teaching, research, and mentoring for both undergraduate and graduate students. We believe that faculty research should be integrated into our teaching so that we can engage our students to fully appreciate the richness and diversity of the discipline of anthropology and at the same time enrich the student educational experience at CSU, Chico. We offer a variety of educational opportunities that include academic study as well as practical hands-on learning activities through a variety of educational programs, field projects, and internships.

Ultimately, our collective goal is to share and disseminate information and knowledge about the complexities of the human condition, both past and present.