Department of Anthropology

Some of our students receive fellowships to pursue their research interest. Jason Frank, '22, was one of 31 undergraduate students awarded his fellowship through a collaborative effort between the Fellowships Advising Office and the Undergraduate Research and Creative Collaborations Office. He researched why there are no famous gay male comedians.

Writing an honors thesis offers students the opportunity to execute a substantial independent research project and to be considered for a bachelor's degree with honors by the Department of Anthropology, while receiving course credit.  Sometimes a student's research interest is more suited to an independent study, which can be conducted in a semester by working one on one with a faculty member on a particular topic, and receiving course credit by enrolling in either ANTH 98a or ANTH 98b. 

In the summer of 2022, anthropology major Alex Bazarsky '23 joined Prof. Charles Golden on his excavation team in Chiapas, Mexico in summer 2022. She and the team dug with local Tzeltal community members, uncovering answers about the ancient Maya civilization that inhabited the area. Read more in BrandeisNOW.

In the summer of 2020 four undergraduates, Ji Chen, Claire Ogden, Tirtza Schramm, and Lin Xinbei, worked with Professor Sarah Lamb on research related to older Americans and the pandemic. Building on coursework from the ANTH 95 Anthropology Research Lab  and EL 42a Sages and Seekers: A Fieldwork Practicum in Generations and the Life Course, students completed this research and co-authored a paper, On Vulnerability, Resilience, and Age: Older Americans Reflect on the Pandemic, that explored how older, active adults are experiencing COVID.

See below for information on the Anthropology Student-Faculty Research Partnership (ASFRP).

The anthropology department offers micro grants (up to $200) to support undergraduate student initiatives. Read more and apply!

The ASFRP is a paid, on-campus internship designed to give undergraduate students a unique learning experience by allowing them to work side-by-side with anthropology and affiliated faculty in a variety of fields. Read more and apply for open positions!