Anthropology Frequently Asked Questions

  • Most of your questions can be answered by visiting the Degrees and Programs page. If you don’t find answers to your questions there, please contact the Department for further assistance.
    • If you are interested in learning about other cultures, both past and present
    • If you enjoy learning new ways to think about what it means to be human
    • If you want to explore human origins
    • If you would like to gain hands-on experience through fieldwork and internships

    Then anthropology could be the major for you. Anthropology offers a unique combination of the humanities, social sciences, and biological sciences. If you enjoy a broad range of interests in these areas, then you may wish to pursue a major in anthropology.

  • Currently our department offers General Education requirements as follows:

    Area D2: Natural Sciences 

    • GEOG 1112K: Weather and Climate
    • GEOG 1113K: Introduction to Landforms
    • ANTH 1105: Introduction to Physical Anthropology
    • GEOG 1110: The Digital Earth
    • GEOG 1112K: Weather and Climate
    • GEOG 1113K: Introduction to Landforms
    • GEOG 1125: Resources, Society, and the Environment 


    Area E4: Social Sciences

    • GEOG 1101: Introduction to Human Geography
    • ANTH 1102: Introduction to Anthropology 
  • Please refer to the Advising tab on our website.

    Students can contact faculty members in the department if they have questions about the program, field schools or internship opportunities, or pursuing anthropology in graduate school.

  • Please see flyer for details
  • The Minor in Anthropology requirements can be found on the Degrees and Programs  page.
  • The distinguishing feature of the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ program is the addition of an applied component which directly links a student’s anthropology study to their professional goals. We do this by requiring an internship experience for all anthropology majors. Our students graduate with experience in a job related to anthropology.
  • Yes. We have faculty members who routinely offer field work opportunities for students in Belize, Greece, India, and West Africa. In addition, you may attend field schools run by other universities. Talk with your advisor before applying for a field work opportunity to see how it can fulfill your degree requirements.
  • Yes. Anthropology is an excellent foundation for many careers. Anthropologists are often hired because of their multicultural experiences and their excellent communication skills. Anthropology is also one of the most common majors for students who enter medical or law school. You may find employment opportunities directly related to anthropology in fields such as:

    • Cultural Resource Management Firms
    • Museums
    • Zoos
    • Government Agencies
    • Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)
    • Private Companies
    • Other institutions that seek out employees with a good liberal arts background

    The page and the page both offer examples of the many career fields available in anthropology. Please also visit the links available on our Internships and Career Opportunities page for additional career information.

  • Faculty members in the Department of Geography & Anthropology are here to assist you.

    Books of interest: 
    Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or Ph D. Robert L Peters 
    The Grad School Handbook. Richard Jerrard and Margot Jerrard 

    Websites:

    • How To Write a Grad School Entry Essay

Geography Frequently Asked Questions

  • Most of your questions can be answered by visiting the Degree and Programs page. If you don’t find answers to your questions there, please contact the Department for further assistance.
  • Geography is the science of place and space. Geographers ask where things are located on the surface of the earth, why they are located where they are, how places differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment. If you enjoy travel, like to study maps, have an interest in different cultures, the physical environment, and wonder what makes each place unique, then geography is for you.
  • Currently our department offers General Education requirements as follows:

    Area D2: Natural Sciences

    • GEOG 1112K: Weather and Climate
      GEOG 1113K: Introduction to Landforms
      ANTH 1105: Introduction to Physical Anthropology
      GEOG 1110: The Digital Earth
      GEOG 1112K: Weather and Climate
      GEOG 1113K: Introduction to Landforms
       GEOG 1125: Resources, Society, and the Environment 

    Area E4: Social Sciences

    • GEOG 1101: Introduction to Human Geography
      ANTH 1102: Introduction to Anthropology 
  • Please email geoanth@kennesaw.edu or contact the Department of Geography and Anthropology at 470-578-2373.

  • Please refer to the Advising tab on our website.

    Students can contact faculty members in the department if they have questions about the program, field schools or internship opportunities, or pursuing geography in graduate school.

  • We offer two minors affiliated with geography. The Minor in Geography and the Minor in Environmental Studies.
  • The BA in Geography at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ differs from others in several ways. First, there is a great deal of variety in our course offerings. Students may select from human, physical, and techniques courses as they individualize their program. The degree also offers a large amount of flexibility in allowing students to select related courses from other disciplines as they tailor their program to their own needs. Secondly, there is a great deal of contact between students and faculty. Our faculty take pride on advising their students not only in coursework, but also post-graduate plans, whether it be employment or graduate school. Finally, our faculty bring a great deal of world experience into the classroom. They literally have worked all over the world and they relate these experiences to their students as encourage them to travel and broaden their own horizons.
  • Yes. We have faculty members who routinely offer field work opportunities for students, either in formal class formats or in one-on-one directed applied research opportunities. Many of our faculty offer courses in аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Study Abroad Programs. You may also enroll in an internship or co-op opportunity. In addition, you may attend field schools run by other universities. Talk with your advisor before applying for a field work opportunity to see how it can fulfill your degree requirements.
  • Absolutely. A few of the many career paths include Location Expert, Real Estate Appraiser, Environmental Manager, College Professor, Overseas Teacher, Cartographer, Community Developer, Coastal Zone Manager, Hydrologist, Area Specialist, Transportation Planner, etc. Many other career descriptions can be found on the Jobs & Careers website (aag.org). Please also visit the links available on our Internships and Career Opportunities page for additional career information. 
  • Faculty members in the department of Geography and Anthropology are here to assist you.

    Books of interest: 
    Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or Ph D. Robert L Peters 
    The Grad School Handbook. Richard Jerrard and Margot Jerrard 

    Websites:

    • The Grad School Handbook, online
    • How To Write a Grad School Entry Essay

Online Geography B.A. Questions:

  • Please contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Shannon Hall, shall156@kennesaw.edu. Be sure to supply your name and contact information so Dr. Hall can get back to you.

  • For all course advisement and transfer credit questions, students should contact the RCHSS College of Humanities and Social Science Undergraduate Advising Center.  To schedule an Academic Advising appointment with Christine Jacobs.  Please include "virtual advising" in the comments box.
  • Yes, you can conduct all your business at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ online. Learn about the registration process.

    learn more about the web learners program for online degree students

    To contact the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Distance Learning Center to learn more about Distance Learning at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ, or to get started at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ, call 470-578-7550. If you are outside Metropolitan Atlanta, call toll free 1-888-370-2267. E-mail: distancelearning@kennesaw.edu

  • Please visit аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ’s Office of Fiscal Services website for rates.

Geographic Information Science Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions:

  • Geographic Information Science or Systems. See more information here: and here:

    GSS stands for geospatial sciences. It includes GIS, remote sensing and land surveying.

  • Remote sensing is the science of obtaining information without physically being there. 

  • We have a four year undergraduate degree in geospatial sciences (GSS). In addition, we have a GIS certificate program. Both are housed in the Department of Geography and Anthropology. 
  • Dr. Ranbir Kang is the program coordinator for the GSS degree program. Professor Uli Ingram oversees the GIS certificate. 
  • The GSS major is a 4 year degree resulting in a Bachelor of Science. It includes many geospatial courses, as well as the full set of general education courses, and concentration courses. The GIS certificate consists of 4 courses and a practicum. It can be completed in 1 year. It is offered online and in-person.
  • Yes, students can take SURV 3320, SURV 3451 or GEOG 4410 which are remote sensing courses.
  • Professor Erinn Bariteau, Professor Dan Branham, Professor Uli Ingram, Dr. Ranbir Kang, Dr. Mark Patterson, Dr. Nancy Hoalst Pullen, Dr. Allen Roberts, Dr. Jun Tu, and Dr. Mostafa Arastounia.
  • Yes, we offer many of our GIS courses online. It is possible to complete the certificate completely online and the GIS degree mostly online, with just a few in-person classes.
  • It depends on the availability of the professors, and the demand of the students.
  • We use mostly ESRI products including ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Server in the GIS courses. In the remote sensing courses Idrisi or ArcGIS Pro is used.
  • аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ GIS students have access to the GIS software through a remote connection (available 24/7), or they can go to the Kennesaw campus to work in the GIS lab in-person.
  • Usually it does not. Feel free to contact Professor Ingram if you have any questions.
  • Most likely yes. The transfer credit will be evaluated during the admissions process.
  • GSS majors are required to complete an internship (GIS 3398), GIS certificate students are required to complete a practicum (GIS 4415).

    The prerequisite for GIS 4415 is Geog 4405 or Geog 4500 and permission of the GSS program coordinator. 

  • The practicum can be completed on-campus or off-campus, internships are off-campus. The practicum is only 3 credit hours whereas the internship is 6-9 credit hours. Otherwise they are very similar.
  • The pre-requisites are GEOG 4405 or GEOG 4500. You need to schedule a meeting with the internship/practicum coordinator the semester before your internship. To do so, you need to contact Dr. Nancy Pullen at npullen@kennesaw.edu. Once you have found an internship, you need to submit a proper job description from the company or organization to the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ GSS internship coordinator.

  • You need to register for 6 hours of GIS 3398 (if you are a GSS major). You need to register for 3 hours of GIS 4415 (if you are pursuing the certificate).

    The prerequisite for GIS 4415 is GEOG 4405 or GEOG 4500 and permission of the GSS Internship Coordinator.

  • For every credit hour that you are registered, you will work 50 hours. For example, if you take 6 hours of GIS 3398, you will work 300 hours.
  • We send out opportunities to the GIS student mailing list. Once you take the first GIS course, you will be subscribed to our mailing list.  
  • No, but we send emails about many GIS jobs to our student and alumni mailing lists. You can also check the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Career Services website and the handshake app for job listings.
  • There are many companies and organizations that use GIS, such as city and county governments, utility companies, engineering companies, environmental companies, etc. Examples of previous internship sites are: City of Woodstock, City of Roswell, City of Alpharetta, Bartow County, Cobb County, Georgia DOT, National Park Service, USGS, Davey Resource Group, Edwards-Pitman, Intermx, Wood, Southern Company, Atlanta Gas Light.
  • Yes, there is sometimes, if you are presenting at a conference. We send out reminders of deadlines for financial support for travel through the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Office of Undergraduate Research.
  • . Then click on Subscribe. You will receive an email to confirm your subscription.
  • It is up to you. You may use your аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ email, or an external one.
  • GIS Day is a worldwide celebration of GIS. It is celebrated annually in November as part of Geography Awareness Week. Information about аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ’s GIS Night

GSS Degree Questions:

  • Once you have been admitted to аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ, you will be able to log into  You will declare your major under Student Records.
  • You can change your major in . You will change your major under Student Records.
  • No, it is not. There are quite a few GSS and concentration classes that are offered online, but not every single one.
  • If you are pursuing the Information Systems concentration, then you will be able to complete the IS Certificate without taking any additional courses.
  • Please contact Christine Jacobs (cjacob36@kennesaw.edu) if you have any questions or would like advising help.  

  • GSS majors are required to complete 6 credit hours of GIS 3398, but can complete as many as 9 credit hours.
  • Yes, students interested in undergraduate interest may take GIS 4100 – a directed applied research study.
  • Directed Applied Research. This is usually a 3 credit hour course where a student works with a professor on a faculty-led research project. Please contact the professors directly if you are interested in doing a DAR. See a listing of all the professors.
  • Many of the GIS and geography professors offer DAR opportunities. Some require GIS skills, and can be completed for upper level GIS course credit. Others are geography focused, and might work for credit for the human/environmental systems concentration.
  • You need to contact the professor you want to work with the semester before the semester you would like to complete the DAR. Once the professor has agreed to do the DAR with you, a GIS 4100 section will be created that you can then register for.

GIS Certificate Questions:

  • You may either pursue just the GIS certificate at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ, or you may pursue a major and add on the GIS certificate. 
  • Yes it is.
  • For more information on specific classes, see our .

    Undergraduate students will need to be admitted as a regular student and select the certificate which they wish to pursue.  Students already admitted, need to go to Owl Express and select the certificate they would like to pursue in the change/major application.

    If you are pursuing only the GIS certificate (and not a degree at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ), please follow the steps below to be admitted to аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ as an "Adult/Non-Traditional" student pursuing the GIS certificate. 

    How to apply to graduate with the GIS certificate

  • Undergraduate students will need to be admitted as a regular student and select the certificate which they wish to pursue.  Students already admitted, need to go to Owl Express and select the certificate they would like to pursue in the change/major application.

    If you are pursuing only the GIS certificate (and not a degree at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ), please follow the steps below to be admitted to аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ as an "Adult/Non-Traditional" student pursuing the GIS certificate. 

    How to apply to graduate with the GIS certificate

  • You can start any semester. We offer course work all academic terms.
  • It can be completed in 3 semesters. That assumes that you take two GIS courses per semester, for two semesters, and then find and complete practicum during the last semester. It can take longer than 3 semesters for some students.
  • It is awarded after you complete GIS 4415, and if you have a B (a.k.a 3.0) average in the GIS courses.

    *The prerequisite for GIS 4415 is Geog 4405 or Geog 4500 and permission of the GSS program coordinator. 

  • Yes, you have to maintain a B (a.k.a 3.0) average in ALL courses that you take as part of the certificate.
  • No. The аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ GIS certificate prepares you for the GIS certification, but it is not the same. Please contact the program director if you are interested in more information about the certification exams.
  • Yes, you can.
  • We accept applications year around.
  • Please contact Christine Jacobs (cjacob36@kennesaw.edu) if you have any questions about the certificate or would like advising help. 
  • They are the same as the usual аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ undergraduate tuition.

  • No, certificates are not covered by financial aid.

Contact Information: Dr. Ranbir Kang (GSS degree): Email: rkang4@kennesaw.edu4

Professor Uli Ingram (GIS certificate) Email: uingram@kennesaw.edu Phone: 678-824-2620.

Dr. Nancy Pullen (Internship/practicum coordinator): Email: npullen@kennesaw.edu.