The Cultural Anthropology track creates a distinctive forum for applying anthropological analyses and methodologies to pressing global issues of human rights and under-development. The ethnology concentration is a flexible program which aims to provide students with both theoretical and applied skill sets.

Geographical strengths within the department include the American Southwest, Southeast Asia/Indonesia, and Latin America.

The ethnology concentration serves the needs of a variety of students. Beyond the required History of Anthropological Theory, an introductory master's seminar and Advanced Anthropology, the programs of cultural anthropology students are tailored to their individual needs. They are not required to take particular courses, but must take 45 hours with a thesis or 60 hours with a research paper. Of those credits, up to 15 hours may be taken in other departments. The topic of the thesis or paper must be on cultural anthropology.