Board of Regents Approves New Anthropology Major at UW-Parkside
Kenosha, Wis.- Following approval by the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents on Friday, Dec. 8, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside will offer a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology beginning in the Fall 2024 semester. This new, fully developed program will cover all of the varied aspects of anthropology, including archaeology and forensics. UW-Parkside is now one of just four institutions of the Universities of Wisconsin to offer the Anthropology Major.
As an institution that believes in the importance of career readiness and practical applications, this program will focus strongly on practical real-world applications for students in the Anthropology major. Students who complete the program will graduate with experience in methods and fieldwork that will help them be ready to join the workforce and contribute immediately.
UW-Parkside is excited to add this major to its catalog due to the increasing demand for individuals with that set of skills. Jobs in applied archaeology (cultural resource management), heritage (museum studies), and forensic anthropology are predicted to increase above average within the next 10 years.
Students in this program will gain practical analysis in methods, analysis, and fieldwork experience. With UW-Parkside’s student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1, students will receive individualized instruction from knowledgeable and engaged faculty members. Students will also be afforded opportunities to conduct fieldwork and to present papers or posters in regional and national conferences.
Anthropology is an exceptionally diverse field with many practical applications and job fields. The program will also feature an Applied Archaeology Certificate, Forensic Anthropology certificate, and Museum Studies Certificate. While mostly self-explanatory, these certificates empower students to tailor their degree to their desired career path and interests.
The program will also offer value for students of other disciplines including providing new perspectives regarding Environmental Studies with knowledge of how humans live in different conditions. Practical experience will also allow graduates to work in cultural resource management, museums, and a range of social service agencies. UW-Parkside faculty are excited to offer this new program and help foster students’ interests in different fields.
Dr. Kate Gillogly, an associate professor in the department of geography and Anthropology worked tirelessly to help make this program a reality. She asserts that the program fits perfectly with the university’s mission to offer high-quality educational programs, creative and scholarly activities, and services responsive to its diverse student population, and its local, national and global communities.
Dr. Gillogly explains that the Anthropology major will contribute to the university’s mission in several ways. “This will be a unique undergraduate program in the region, providing affordable and career-ready-focused education to the range of traditional and nontraditional undergraduate students that the University of Wisconsin-Parkside attracts,” she stated.
While the program will officially begin accepting students for the Fall 2024 semester, UW-Parkside faculty and staff are excited to help students plan to take this course. Please email Kate Gillogly at gillogly@uwp.edu or any member of the Geography and Anthropology Department. for more information or with any questions. For more information about enrolling, please visit https://www.uwp.edu/apply/admissions/.
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is committed to high-quality educational programs, creative and scholarly activities, and services responsive to its diverse student population, and its local, national, and global communities. We are a dynamic learning community grounded in academic excellence and focused on student success, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement. The campus serves as a premier comprehensive public institution and a destination of choice, serving as a focal point of local, regional, and global progress.
Media contact:
Derek Fye
Communications Manager
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Fye@uwp.edu | (262) 771-5419