BA Anthropology at The Ohio State University

Programme overview

Anthropology is the study of the biology, prehistory and culture of human society in a worldwide setting. Anthropologists study people from all times and all places. Anthropology focuses on human and non-human primate evolution by studying the behavior of living and extinct human and primate groups (physical or biological anthropology). It looks at cultural history and past lifeways and studies how human societies have changed from ancient to modern times (archaeology).

Faculty: Arts and Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Columbus, OH, United States

What you will study

The anthropology major, leading to a BA, requires a minimum of 34 credit hours. - one prerequisite course, Introduction to Physical Anthropology - core courses (15 hours): World Prehistory, Peoples and Culture, History of Anthropological Theory, Fundamentals of Archaeology, and either Human Evolution or Human Variation - an additional course in each of the subfields of anthropology (nine hours)—archaeology, physical anthropology and cultural anthropology - six additional hours taken from any subfield of anthropology

Career pathways

A variety of employment opportunities exist for a graduate with an anthropology degree, including contract or government archaeologist, admissions counselor, museum curator, mental health consultant, social service worker, laboratory assistant, foreign service agent, international business associate or forensic anthropologist.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to the university (and the Arts and Sciences college where applicable) applies; no separate programme-specific requirement published. Upon admission to the university, students declare an interest in anthropology within the College of Arts and Sciences. Interested students contact the undergraduate advisor for anthropology and an advisor in Arts and Sciences Advising.

Domestic applicants: USD 12,921 a year (2026-27). Columbus campus on-campus Instructional Fee (tuition) for students beginning Autumn 2026: $6,460.50 per semester at 12-18 credit hours, shown as two semesters (Autumn and Spring). The Ohio State Tuition Guarantee fixes this rate for four years for Ohio re Source

Entry terms for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus: Autumn 2027 and Spring 2027 (Spring 2027 deadline November 1, 2026). Summer first-year applications are not accepted.

Transfer applicants can start in Spring, Summer or Autumn 2027.

First-year, Columbus campus, Autumn 2027: early action (non-binding) deadline November 1, 2026; regular decision deadline January 15, 2027; financial aid priority date February 1; acceptance fee deadline May 1, 2027. Early action decisions: December 11 (Ohio residents and Stamps Eminence applicants) and January 22 (non-Ohio residents and international applicants); regular decision decisions March 5.

First-year applicants apply with the Common Application. ACT or SAT scores are required for first-year Columbus applicants (superscored; sent directly by the testing agency); applicants out of high school two or more years are not required to submit scores. The essay is not required.

Transfer applicants (Columbus campus): Spring 2027 deadline November 1, 2026; Autumn 2027 deadline March 1, 2027; Summer 2027 deadline May 15, 2027. Regional campuses: December 1, 2026, April 15, 2027 and July 15, 2027 respectively.

International transfer applicants: Spring 2027 deadline October 1, 2026; Autumn 2027 deadline March 1, 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply

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