人类学是最广义的人类研究：生物学，社会文化和历史。UCSB的人类学系在半个多世纪以来一直是一个充满活力和活跃的研究与教学中心。我们提供三个重点的学士学位：考古学，生物人类学和文化人类学，以及不加任何重点的人类学学士学位。我们的教职员工专门研究人类学的三个方面，研究和研究生专业包括考古学（包括生物考古学），社会文化人类学和综合人类学（进化人类学，生物学和文化）。
Anthropology is the study of humans in the broadest sense: biological, sociocultural, and historical. Most undergraduates in anthropology at UCSB select this major because of the opportunity it affords them to acquire a sound liberal education, even if they do not intend to become anthropologists. However, the professionally oriented student will also find the curriculum fully suitable.<br><br>The aim of the anthropology major is threefold: (1) to prepare for graduate school those students who wish to work professionally in anthropology, (2) to prepare students for careers in secondary education or in social work, and (3) to provide a background in behavioral studies for students who desire a broad education in either the biological or the social sciences.<br><br>Students interested in modern social and cultural groups choose an emphasis in cultural anthropology. Students interested in understanding the biological underpinnings and ecological/evolutionary adaptations of modern and ancient humans choose and emphasis in biological anthropology. Students interested in ancient peoples from both cultural and biological perspectives choose an emphasis in archaeology. Students who prefer a broad overview of all of these topics should choose the general major without an emphasis.