University News

WIU's Online Anthropology Program Celebrating Fifth Anniversary

March 2, 2023

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – This year, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Western Illinois University is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its online bachelor's degree program.

The program was introduced in 2017, and is the fifth online Anthropology degree in the nation and the first online Anthropology degree in Illinois. The goal of the degree program is to bring the study of Anthropology to students who are physically unable to study on campus.

"Anthropology is about recognizing patterns," said WIU Anthropology Professor Heather McIlvaine-Newsad. "Patterns in DNA, patterns in how we form our families, patterns in language, etc. We looked at the patterns emerging in higher education and thought we could be at the forefront of online education with our major. With a lot of hard work, we came up with a plan that was innovative and paved the way for other programs at WIU to follow."

WIU's Anthropology program has grown significantly as a result of the online component, which is considered particularly convenient for those working 9-to-5 jobs, or for working parents. The program's faculty teach students within Illinois, as well as across the country.

Students can take classes online, in person, or in a combination of both formats. Online students take part in online and in-person activities and programs. The Western Anthropology and Sociology Club hosts regular Zoom meetings, lectures and film screenings.

"With being a mom to seven children, the online Anthropology program at WIU gives me the flexibility to work in a relaxed environment," said WIU Anthropology student Summer Javadi, of Kansas City, MO. "I am excited to engage in online discussion boards, and the professors are so supportive and helpful. I love learning at Western Illinois University so much."

The Anthropology program welcomed new archaeology faculty member Jacob Skousen for the Fall 2022 semester. He studies the precontact Native American city of Cahokia in southwest Illinois. His research tries to better understand the intersection of place, landscape, memory, and sacred journeys in the formation of community and identity.

In Summer 2024, Skousen will lead an archaeology field school where he will teach the methods necessary for students to obtain an entry-level job in archaeology.

McIlvaine-Newsad will lead a study abroad trip to Vienna and Salzburg Austria from Dec. 31, 2023-Jan. 10, 2024. The trip will focus on the nation's unique role in the history and culture of the Alps. All students, regardless of their major, are welcome to enroll.

More information about the program can be found at bit.ly/WIUAustria.

For more information on WIU's bachelor's degree Anthropology program, visit wiu.edu/anthropology.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing