Q: I am a new student or new to anthropology and do not have an advisor. How do I get an advisor? A: For new students, advisors are typically assigned near the beginning of the first semester at Humboldt. Until you are assigned an official advisor (which you will see in your Student Center), your advisor will be the Anthropology Department Chair, who you can find on the faculty & staff page. If you have newly changed your major to Anthropology, your advisor should be assigned when the major change is processed. If you do not have an advisor by the beginning of your first couple of weeks as an official anthropology major, please contact the Department Chair to let us know.
Q: My concentration/focus has changed. Can I change my advisor to match? A: Possibly, depending on advisor availability. However, even if you cannot officially change advisors, you are free and encouraged to speak with any of the advisors/faculty to get advice! You will need to still see your official advisor, who is responsible for approving any exceptions to your degree plan (DARS).
Q: Can I have more than one concentration as part of the BS in Anthropology? A: Yes. You can declare an additional concentration (there is no limit) using the Second Major or Concentration Request form. If you declare an additional concentration, you can "double-count" courses applicable to each.
Q: Can I participate in the graduation ceremony prior to actually finishing by degree? For example, can I participate in the May graduation ceremony if I am finishing the degree in the following summer or fall? A: Yes. The ceremony ("commencement") is separate from graduation (finishing the degree). You need to apply to each separately. See the graduation/commencement page for more information.
Q: I think I already took a course equivalent to one of the ones required for the major, but my DARS still shows that I need to take it. What should I do? A: If it is a course for the major, contact your advisor, who has the ability to check the course and put in an "exception request" in DARS to fix it if appropriate. If it is a general education (GEAR) course, your advisor cannot make an exception for this - please see this page for more information and a petition.
Q: My DARS plan looks odd - for example, it does not let me add courses from past semsters, it does not recognize I have completed things I have, and the requirements do not look like they match what is expected. What should I do? A: You will need to make a new DARS plan. The DARS plan gets "stuck" on whatever the requirements were at the time you made the plan. Starting from scratch generally fixes all isues.
Q: The classes I need to graduate on schedule are not offered when I need them. Or, I overlooked or did not pass a class that I need. What do I do? A: To help avoid this issue, plan ahead by making a DARS plan and reviewing the Five Year Course Rotation (keep in mind the rotation may change). Review your plan and any issues with your advisor - they will work with you to make reasonable exceptions.
Q: I got a lower grade than expected in a course - can I still count it towards my major? A: Undergraduates (BS in Anthropology) need a D+ or higher to count a course towards requirements for the major. If you get a D, you will need to retake the course for it to count. Graduate students need a B- or higher to count the course towards the MA in Applied Anth. ***Courses passed with a D can count towards most GEAR requirements (lower division GE written communication and math require a C-). Contact your advisor if you need to request an exception due to extenuating circumtances.
Q: Can I take a class CR/NC and still count to towards my major? A: Only if the course is "mandatory" CR/NC grade mode. If the course has the "option" to take it as a letter grade or CR/NC, you need to take it as a letter grade. Contact your advisor if you need to request an exception due to extenuating circumtances.
Q: I contacted an advisor or a professor and have not heard back. What should I do? A: ANTH instructors like to try to respond to students promptly. If it has been more than a a couple of days, or if it is urgent, please follow up with them in case your message was lost. Make sure to send your message from your Humboldt email so it does not go to SPAM. If you are not a current Humboldt student, use your school email or a gmail if possible. You can also visit office hours - see office hours info on thefaculty & staff page. You may also contact the Department Chair.
For FAQ specific to the MA Applied Anthropology program, please see the MA FAQ page.
