Course Structure
M.Sc. Anthropology is aimed at imparting knowledge on the human societies, cultures and their development. The course delivery method for this course includes seminars, lectures and workshops.
In the last semester, the students also have to submit a research thesis which will be based on a field trip. This forms an integral part of the syllabus for the course.
In the final evaluation, class assignments, end-semester exams and research project are taken into account.
Syllabus
There might be variations in the syllabus from college to college. The course is divided into set of Core and Elective courses. A detailed syllabus is as follows:
Name of Subject |
Topics |
Description |
---|---|---|
Fundamentals of Physical Anthropology |
History and developments physical/ biological Anthropology, Theories of evolution, Distribution, classification and characteristics of living primates, Bio-genetic basis of phytogeny and taxonomy of primates, Primate behaviour Concept of Race |
This course is on the basic fundamentals of physical anthropology |
Fundamentals of Social Anthropology |
Subject matter and scope of socio-cultural anthropology Approaches to the study of society and culture, Concept of society and culture, Institutions Social stratification |
This course is on the fundamentals of social anthropology |
Archaeological Anthropology |
The Framework of Archaeology European Prehistory, Indian Prehistory, New Trends in World Prehistory |
This deals with the structures in archaeological anthropology |
Fundamentals of population studies |
Evolution of population studies as a separate discipline, Role of other social disciplines, Human Population, History of population growth, Population ethics, International migration Definition of Occupational Health |
Here, the fundamentals in Population are studied |
Human Variation and Adaptation |
History and development of human genetics, Chromosomes in Man, Mendelian Genetics in Man, Methods of Genetic analysis, Methods of studying heredity, Bio-cultural adaptation in human populations, Human population ecology |
This course is on the history and evolution of human and their ways of adaption |
Anthropology of India: Ethnic and cultural diversity (Physical and Social) |
Pre and Proto historic racial elements in India, Linguistic classification of Indian population, Recent trends in Indian Population Genetic Studies, Nutritional problems with reference to women and children in India, Introduction to Indian Civilization, Composition of Indian society, Tribes of India, Caste system and its structure, Rural and Urban India |
This course deals with the study of ethic and cultural diversity of India and its importance in anthropology |
Kinship, Marriage and Family |
Kinship in evolutionary perspective, Kinship, descent and filiation, Kinship nomenclature, Meaning, form and regulation of marriage, alliance systems, The family Kinship, marriage and family in India |
This course is on the study of Kinship, Marriage and Family, an important part in anthropology |
Human Ecology: Biological and Cultural Dimensions |
Concepts in Ecology, Methods of studying human ecology, Adaptation to various ecological stressors, Ecological rules and their applicability to human populations, Impact of urbanization and industrialization on Man, Culture as a tool of adaptation, Various modes of human adaptation in pre-state societies, Ecological themes of state formation, Agriculture and peasantry, Industrial civilization and growth of urban societies |
This is a course on different biological and cultural dimensions of human ecology and its relationship to anthropology |
Paleo-anthropology |
Terminological taxonomic and chronological problems of fossils, Principles and processes of evolution, Early primate evolution, The evolution of early hominids, Hominization Process |
Here the principles of paleo- anthropology are studied. |
Human Growth, Development and Nutrition |
Definition and concepts of growth, Major stages of human growth and development, Factors affecting growth, Measurement and Assessment of Human growth, Segmental growth and development, Significance of age in growth studies, Body Composition, Nutritional status, Nutritional epidemiology |
This course studies the relationship of human with their nutrition, development and growth |
Human Population Genetics |
Mendelian populations, Measurers of Genetic diversity Genetic polymorphism, Models explaining the maintenance of genetic polymorphism, Haemoglobin polymorphism, thalassaemia and abnormalities of polypeptide chains, Genetic isolates, Consanguinity and inbreeding |
This course is on the fundamentals of genetics in human population |
Anthropological Theory |
Emergence of anthropological theory, Colonialism and its impact on anthropological theory, Post-colonial critiques, Marxism and Neo-Marxian Trends, Phenomenology, Structuralism, Interpretive and hermeneutical approach Post-structuralism and post-modernism, Globalization and its impact, Contemporary social anthropology |
Here, the different anthropological theories are studied |
Religion and Symbolism |
Concept of Sacred, Sacred Symbols, Rituals, Religious Specialists, Witchcraft and Magic |
This course is on the study of different religions and their importance in the human society |