Department of Anthropology

At NAU, anthropology is a dynamic and collaborative exploration of cultures.

We offer qualitative and quantitative research opportunities that elevate marginalized perspectives—and encourage you to make a positive difference in facing the environmental, political, economic, and social challenges of a rapidly changing world.

You’ll tackle vital issues that matter today, including drug use, forensic strategies in crime scene investigation, and immigration. Historical perspectives on agriculture, archaeology, and human interactions with the environment and animals provide context for complex, interdisciplinary topics such as community development, and health equity.

Whether taking an environmental anthropology approach to food and water security, or seeing archaeology as a tool for social justice, our engaged faculty guide students in working with local and global communities. Our labs at the Flagstaff campus study paleo diet; Mesoamerican Archaeology; Southwest Archaeology; South American Archaeology; Faunal, Ceramic, and Lithic analyses; Historical Archaeology; Digital Archaeology, Medical and Environmental Anthropology; Biocultural Anthropology; and much more.