Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about the undergraduate program in the UC Davis Department of Anthropology.

 

Don't see your question? Email our Advising Office.

Anthropology Major

  • How do I declare a major in the Department of Anthropology?
  • Completion of one ANT course, either lower or upper division, with a grade of “C” or better is required for students wishing to declare a major in anthropology. If you have fulfilled this requirement, you may initiate a Change of Major petition through the Forms & Petitions tab on the UC Davis OASIS (Online Advising Student Information System) site. We strongly recommend making an appointment with one of the department undergraduate advisors to discuss your change of major in addition to submitting the online form.
  • How can I declare a double major?
  • We encourage you to meet with an undergraduate advisor for your major to ensure compliance with any specific rules that would affect success in petitioning for a double major. You may submit a petition online through UC Davis OASIS (Online Advising Student Information System) under "Forms & Petitions." 
  • Can I take courses for the anthropology major on a pass/non-pass basis?
  • All anthropology students must follow the general pass/no pass (P/NP) unit limitation guidelines as set by the College of Letters and Science. However, the department advises students to take no more than one or two P/NP courses within the anthropology major, because taking multiple classes P/NP can possibly have a detrimental effect on the students' career and professional goals. You also must comply with the limits set for the campus: you may enroll on a pass/non-pass basis for no more than one-third of your total units taken at UC Davis. Students considering taking more than two courses P/NP should consult a faculty advisor before doing so. 
  • Do I need to complete the "preparatory subject matter" (lower-division courses) before I can take upper-division anthropology courses?
  • Courses may be taken in any order, but be sure to check the online General Catalog course list for prerequisites and recommended courses.
  • Do graduate courses count toward the major?
  • Some can, but students must request permission from the instructor before enrolling. Also, be aware that graduate courses do not count toward the College of Letters and Science unit requirements for upper-division courses. These requirements are especially crucial for community college transfer students with 10 or more transferred units. In general, we recommend petitioning to receive upper-division credit for the course.
  • Do courses that are used to satisfy GE requirements count toward the major?
  • Yes.

Anthropology Minor

  • Can courses I took at community college be used to satisfy the minor?
  • Yes, but only under certain conditions. Consult ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer) to identify equivalency between community college and lower division UC Davis anthropology courses (numbered 1-99).
  • How and when should I file for the minor?
  • You can file for declaration of the minor once you have completed one ANT course towards the minor. You may file your minor declaration online through the Forms & Petitions tab on the UC Davis OASIS (Online Advising Student Information System) site. If you are a graduating senior, you need to declare the minor by the end of the second week of instruction in the quarter of graduation.
  • Do courses used to satisfy the GE requirements count toward the minor?
  • Yes.
  • Can I take courses for the minor on pass/non-pass basis?
  • Yes, but no more than two ANT courses can be taken on pass/no-pass basis for the minor. Before signing up for any courses pass/no-pass, please see the anthropology undergraduate advisor about how it will look on your transcript, especially if you are thinking of graduate school in the future.

Academic Planning and Registration

  • How do I make an academic plan?
  • Students, peer advisors, and academic advisors can make academic plans on the Online Advising Student Information System (OASIS). Students are strongly advised to draft an academic plan and/or a Degree Worksheet in OASIS prior to coming in for advising. Students are also able to submit an academic plan on OASIS for an advisor to approve. You will receive notification to your UCD email on whether your plan has been approved or requires revisions. To draft or submit an academic plan, go to "forms and petitions" and select "academic plan" in OASIS.
  • How will I be affected if major requirements change after I have enrolled?
  • You have the right to complete the requirements listed in the General Catalog at the time you entered the university. However, if you choose to complete major requirements from a catalog year after entering UC Davis instead, you may do so.
     
  • Do community college courses satisfy the UC Davis ANT major requirements?

  • A list of equivalent coursework at California Community Colleges can be found on ASSIST. Courses that are listed in ASSIST will count toward major requirements since the Anthro department has already reviewed them for equivalency. Any courses not listed in ASSIST (or taken at another 4 year university) must be reviewed by the department.  Students will need to email a copy of the syllabus of the course they took (or plan to take) to the ANT advisors for review here: 

     socantadvisor@ucdavis.edu

  • Do courses taken abroad count toward the major?
  • Yes!  In a lot of cases, students are able to have courses taken abroad approved for the major or other university requirements.  After determining some study abroad programs of interest, you should schedule an appointment with an ANT advisor to determine how studying abroad can fit into your academic plan.
  • What do I do if I missed my Pass 1 time or need to make changes to my schedule after my Pass 1?
  • If you need to make changes to your schedule or missed your pass time, you do not have to wait until your Pass 2!  Once your pass time occurs, you can make use of open registration hours, M-F 8pm-midnight and weekends 10am-6pm.  You still will have to wait for pass 2 to register for any course with a pass 1 restriction if you don’t meet the Pass 1 requirements.
  • Can I take courses for the major on a pass/no-pass (P/NP) basis?

  • Yes, you may take ANT major courses pass/no pass, up to the limits set by the University (one third of your total units taken at UC Davis including courses you are required to take pass/no pass) and the College of Letters and Science (one-fourth of your total units taken at UC Davis not including courses that are required to be graded on a pass/no-pass basis only). In addition, if you are considering graduate or professional school sometime in your future, it is not advised to take many courses pass/no-pass as it could impact your admissions. 

    For the ANT minor, students can take no more than two courses on a pass/no-pass basis for the minor.  You must also meet the university and your college's policies regarding number of units taken pass/no pass.

  • How do I wait-list for a course?
  • Information about how to wait-list for a course can be found on the Registrar's website. 

    If the courses that you want to take are full  during Pass 1 or you can’t register for them until Pass 2, we recommend that you find alternative classes so that you are registered for 12 units to maintain full-time status.  Make sure that your alternative courses are classes that you would legitimately take in case you cannot get into your preferred courses.  If you are wait-listed for your preferred courses, you will also want to attend your alternative classes the first week or until you get into your preferred courses because there is no guarantee that you will get into your wait-listed courses.

    Please note that wait-listed courses do not count toward the 12 units required for financial aid.
  • How do I check which GE requirements I have completed?
  • Please consult the College of Letters and Science Advising Office. As an introduction to navigating your GE's, watch this 5 minute video!
      

Transfers

  • Can courses I took at a community college or another university satisfy UC Davis anthropology major requirements?
  • Yes, but only if the course is substantially similar to a UC Davis Anthropology course. Some courses may not be equivalent to those taught at UC Davis. Even if your community college course has the same title as a UC Davis course, do not assume that it counts toward the anthropology major. Please contact an undergraduate advisor for approval. You can check the ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer) to identify equivalency between community college and UC Davis anthropology courses. The abbreviation "ANT" designates courses in the Department of Anthropology.
  • Can courses taken in another country be applied toward the major at UC Davis?
  • Courses taken at another institution and applied towards the Anthropology major at UC Davis must be approved by our department. Whether a course is applicable towards major requirements depends on how closely the outside course parallels to the content of a course offered in the Anthropology Department at UC Davis. In advance of your departure, you should consult with the anthropology undergraduate advisor to determine which courses taken abroad would be suitable for your major at UC Davis.