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Department of Anthropology

Certificate in the Ethnography of Communication

Students on Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022 requirements ETHCOMACRT

Students pursuing the certificate are introduced to theories, methods, and contexts essential to the comprehensive study of communication in cultural contexts. Students learn to navigate the vast diversity of cultural life in the world that exists simultaneously with a universal equality in the human capacity for thought, imagination, and expression. The certificate courses provide students with a foundation from which they can explore shifts, circulations, and innovations in public culture, particularly as it is manifested in language and practice in the emerging global arena as well as among local communities. This certificate involves the study of performance, language, and media as they engage the full range of communication, from the everyday to special forms, genres, and uses, and from face-to-face to mediated encounters.

Requirements

The certificate requires at least 24 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Introductory Sequence.
    1. Interpersonal Communication. One (1) course:
      • ANTH-A 122 Interpersonal Communication
    2. Global Communication. One (1) course:
      • ANTH-L 222 Global Communication
  2. Additional Elective Hours. Three (3) credit hours:
    • ANTH-A 200 Topics in Anthropology of Culture and Society (approved topic: "Bad Language")
    • ANTH-A 208 Topics in the Anthropology of the Arts and Expressive Behavior (approved topics: "Arts, Politics and Global Encounters"; "Sex, Drugs, Rock-n-Roll: Subversive Culture")
    • ANTH-E 206 Chanting Down Babylon: Protest and Popular Culture in the Afro-Caribbean
    • ANTH-E 208 Global Jazz, Reggae, and Hip-Hop: African Diasporic Music Beyond the African Diaspora
    • ANTH-E 220 Performing Human/Nature: Defining Relationships with the Environment
    • ANTH-E 270 Captivity Narratives
    • ANTH-E 300 Culture Areas and Ethnic Groups (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • ANTH-E 317 Ethnographies of Media Worlds
    • ANTH-E 338 Stigma and Taboo
    • ANTH-E 383 A World of Work
    • ANTH-E 386 Performance, Culture, and Power in the Middle East and North Africa
    • ANTH-E 400 Undergraduate Seminar (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • ANTH-E 415 Topics in Communication and Culture in Comparative Perspective
    • ANTH-E 422 Native American and Indigenous Media
    • ANTH-E 432 Cultures of Democracy
    • ANTH-E 437 Power and Violence: Political Systems in Ethnographic Perspective
    • ANTH-E 438 Communication in the Digital Age
    • ANTH-E 454 India Lost and Found in Diasporic Feminist Films
    • ANTH-E 460 The Arts in Anthropology
    • ANTH-E 463 Anthropology of Dance
    • ANTH-E 485 Art and Craft of Ethnography
    • ANTH-L 200 Language and Culture
    • ANTH-L 208 Ways of Speaking
    • ANTH-L 314 Performance as Communicative Practice
    • ANTH-L 400 Topical Seminar in the Ethnography of Communication (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • ANTH-L 410 Language and Society in Central Eurasia
    • ENG-R 212 Communicating Sustainability
    • ENG-R 228 Argumentation and Public Advocacy
    • ENG-R 348 Environmental Communication
    • FOLK-F 141 Urban Legend
    • FOLK-F 205 Folklore in Video and Film
    • FOLK-F 252 Folklore and the Humanities
    • FOLK-F 253 Folklore and the Social Sciences
    • FOLK-F 256 The Supernatural and Folklore
    • FOLK-F 307 Middle Eastern Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music
    • HIST-E 340 African Popular Culture (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • HIST-J 300 Seminar In History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • MSCH-F 392 Media Genres (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    • MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
  3. Elective Requirements.
    1. Elective. Three (3) credit hours:
      • ANTH-A 200 Topics in Anthropology of Culture and Society (approved topic: "Bad Language")
      • ANTH-A 208 Topics in the Anthropology of the Arts and Expressive Behavior (approved topics: "Arts, Politics and Global Encounters"; "Sex, Drugs, Rock-n-Roll: Subversive Culture")
      • ANTH-E 206 Chanting Down Babylon: Protest and Popular Culture in the Afro-Caribbean
      • ANTH-E 208 Global Jazz, Reggae, and Hip-Hop: African Diasporic Music Beyond the African Diaspora
      • ANTH-E 220 Performing Human/Nature: Defining Relationships with the Environment
      • ANTH-E 270 Captivity Narratives
      • ANTH-E 300 Culture Areas and Ethnic Groups (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • ANTH-E 317 Ethnographies of Media Worlds
      • ANTH-E 338 Stigma and Taboo
      • ANTH-E 383 A World of Work
      • ANTH-E 386 Performance, Culture, and Power in the Middle East and North Africa
      • ANTH-E 400 Undergraduate Seminar (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • ANTH-E 415 Topics in Communication and Culture in Comparative Perspective
      • ANTH-E 422 Native American and Indigenous Media
      • ANTH-E 432 Cultures of Democracy
      • ANTH-E 437 Power and Violence: Political Systems in Ethnographic Perspective
      • ANTH-E 438 Communication in the Digital Age
      • ANTH-E 454 India Lost and Found in Diasporic Feminist Films
      • ANTH-E 460 The Arts in Anthropology
      • ANTH-E 463 Anthropology of Dance
      • ANTH-E 485 Art and Craft of Ethnography
      • ANTH-L 200 Language and Culture
      • ANTH-L 208 Ways of Speaking
      • ANTH-L 314 Performance as Communicative Practice
      • ANTH-L 400 Topical Seminar in the Ethnography of Communication (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • ANTH-L 410 Language and Society in Central Eurasia
      • ENG-R 212 Communicating Sustainability
      • ENG-R 228 Argumentation and Public Advocacy
      • ENG-R 348 Environmental Communication
      • FOLK-F 141 Urban Legend
      • FOLK-F 205 Folklore in Video and Film
      • FOLK-F 252 Folklore and the Humanities
      • FOLK-F 253 Folklore and the Social Sciences
      • FOLK-F 256 The Supernatural and Folklore
      • FOLK-F 307 Middle Eastern Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music
      • HIST-E 340 African Popular Culture (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • HIST-J 300 Seminar In History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • MSCH-F 392 Media Genres (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
    2. Advanced Electives. 15 credit hours:
      • ANTH-E 300 Culture Areas and Ethnic Groups (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • ANTH-E 317 Ethnographies of Media Worlds
      • ANTH-E 338 Stigma and Taboo
      • ANTH-E 383 A World of Work
      • ANTH-E 386 Performance, Culture, and Power in the Middle East and North Africa
      • ANTH-E 400 Undergraduate Seminar (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • ANTH-E 415 Topics in Communication and Culture in Comparative Perspective
      • ANTH-E 422 Native American and Indigenous Media
      • ANTH-E 432 Cultures of Democracy
      • ANTH-E 437 Power and Violence: Political Systems in Ethnographic Perspective
      • ANTH-E 438 Communication in the Digital Age
      • ANTH-E 454 India Lost and Found in Diasporic Feminist Films
      • ANTH-E 460 The Arts in Anthropology
      • ANTH-E 463 Anthropology of Dance
      • ANTH-E 485 Art and Craft of Ethnography
      • ANTH-L 314 Performance as Communicative Practice
      • ANTH-L 400 Topical Seminar in the Ethnography of Communication (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • ANTH-L 410 Language and Society in Central Eurasia
      • ENG-R 348 Environmental Communication
      • FOLK-F 307 Middle Eastern Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music
      • HIST-E 340 African Popular Culture (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • HIST-J 300 Seminar In History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • MSCH-F 392 Media Genres (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
  4. Additional Requirements.
    1. Anthropology. 18 credit hours must be in Anthropology (includes the Introductory Sequence courses).
    2. Residency. 18 credit hours must be completed in courses taken though the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
  5. Certificate GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Certificate GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the certificate—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Certificate Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the certificate.
    3. Certificate Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 9 credit hours in the certificate must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Certificate Residency. At least 9 credit hours in the certificate must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.

Certificate Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (ANTHBA)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Linguistics (ANTHLNGBA)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Anthropology (LINGANTBA)
  • Certificate in Global Human Diversity (GLHMDVACRT)
  • Minor in Anthropology (ANTHMIN)
  • Minor in Archaeology (ARCHMIN)
  • Minor in Medical Anthropology (MEDANTHMIN)
  • Minor in the Anthropology of Food (FOODMIN)
  • [Name unavailable] (ETHCOMMMIN)

Exceptions to and substitutions for certificate requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.