Welcome
We are pleased that you selected this independent study course to fulfill your unique educational needs. You are now a member of the Center's large and diverse student body—a student body that comes from all parts of the United States and many parts of the world.
Although the freedom to choose when and where to study is a privilege, it is also a responsibility that requires motivation and self-discipline. To succeed at independent study, you will need to develop a study plan by setting realistic goals and working toward them.
Please contact the office of MU Disability Services if you need to arrange accommodations for completing your coursework.
Course Introduction
This course is a university-level introduction to cultural anthropology. The 14 lessons are intended to either supplement or complement the textbook so that the two, between them, provide you with an up-to-date overview of the discipline. After examining cultural anthropology as both the scientific and humanistic study of human ways of life, you will look at various major aspects of traditional cultures and then at the nature of culture during the turbulent changes of recent centuries.
Catalog Description: This course analyzes human cultures with emphasis on both constant and variable factors at different levels of social complexity; contact between cultures; and cultural influences on individual behavior. Prerequisites: sophomore standing recommended.
Time Limit for Course Completion: 9 months. All assessments must be submitted and graded within this time.
Course Keycode: 2317
Textbooks/Materials†
- Kottak, Conrad Phillip. Mirror for Humanity: A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. (6th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
External Websites
Throughout this course, you will find links to useful websites. These links will include guided instruction on how each link can be used—whether as a supplemental resource, a place to go for practice, or for reference on course assignments.
Broken or incorrect links. We check for broken links regularly, but let our support staff know if you find one and we will get it fixed right away.
† Materials used in connection with this course may be subject to copyright protection.
How to Study for This Course
- You will not be asked about really minor points, so focus your attention on terms and ideas that the text and lessons emphasize.
- When you complete each lesson and the assigned reading, review carefully the "Summary" at the end of Kottak's chapter. See if you can explain the main ideas found there. Kottak gives excessive "Key Terms," so disregard those.
- There are "Study Questions" at the end of each lesson. Try answering them without opening your course materials; if you cannot do so, review the appropriate sections of the lesson or readings. You will not submit your answers for these study questions to Mizzou Online. They are for your practice and benefit only.
- Keep up with reviewing as you go; then review everything again at the end of each lesson.
- After every two or three lessons, you will take a progress evaluation. If you have studied as recommended, above, this will probably not be difficult.
- The last part of most lessons describes some relevant aspect of the culture of Paliyan foragers in India's tropics or of Dehcho Dene foragers in northern Canada. These descriptions may be useful sources of examples on the progress evaluations or exams.
- Finally, it may help to keep a world map handy, as I often refer to countries you may not know.
Additional Study Hints
- Submit your first progress evaluation early. For university courses, a minimum of six weeks must elapse between the date you submit your first progress evaluation and the date you take your final exam.
- Know how you will be assessed. Look at the grading scale and read all the information on any assignments, projects, and exams.
- Review the exam information page before taking any exam. This page includes descriptions of the exam(s), if any, required for this course. Keep in mind that, unless otherwise stated on the exam information page, CDIS exams are supervised and must be taken at an approved site. Approved sites will be listed when you are prompted to request an exam during the course.
- Be able to do all lesson objectives. Learning is active, and courses at any level are often designed with objectives or actions that can be done as evidence that you have learned something. One advantage of independent study is that learning objectives are clearly written for each lesson.
- Review the hints for independent study. This is an independent study course and is likely different from other courses you have taken. Begin by reviewing these hints, which will help you adjust your computing and study habits so you will have the best chance of earning the grade you want.
- Download an "Independent Study Planning Sheet" (pdf) to track your progress. The number of lessons, progress evaluations, and exams will directly affect how long it takes to complete any given CDIS course. As you work through this course, check your schedule often to make sure you're on track. Keep in mind that all progress evaluations and exams must be submitted and graded within the course time limit.
About the Course Developer
Peter M. Gardner was born in England in 1938 and has lived in England, Canada, a Maori community in New Zealand, the United States, France, and Japan. Receiving his PhD in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965, he then taught at the Universities of Pennsylvania, Texas, and Missouri. Gardner is a recently retired cultural anthropologist who does research on hunter-gatherers (a.k.a. "foragers") in the forested hills of South India and in Canada's Northwest Territories. He also devoted two projects to studying the Hindu civilization of India. His main research specialties are the adaptations and the cognition of hunter-gatherers. Gardner has taught courses on the following: Asia, Civilization of India, Cultural Anthropology, Anthropology of Knowledge, Anthropology of Religion, History of Anthropology, and Multiculturalism.
Technical Specifications
To complete this course, you will need access to a computer with a modern Web browser (see recommended browsers below), a working Internet connection (56k dial-up or broadband), word processing software, and disk space to save your work.
Recommended Web Browsers
- Windows: Internet Explorer (version 7 or 8) or Firefox 3.5.
- Mac OS: Safari 4 or Firefox 3.5.
Your browser should support graphics at a screen resolution of 800 × 600 or higher, run JavaScript (the browsers above do by default), and accept cookies, which are used solely to verify your login. This course has been designed to be accessible to all students, including those using assistive technologies.
Portions of this course may require Adobe Flash Player.
Word Processing Software
You will be required to upload documents in Word 97–2003 (.doc) or Rich Text (.rtf) format. These documents can be created in Microsoft Word or another office suite that saves in the .doc or .rtf format, such as the open-source OpenOffice online. The Center does not provide or support any word processing software; however, OpenOffice is available free-of-charge at the above link.
or 
You may need to view PDF documents as part of this course.
Virus Protection
It is suggested that you have virus protection software on your system. Virus protection software will help to protect your system (and ours) against computer viruses. Students can visit the anti-virus software page from the Division of IT for more information.
Students with Disabilities
If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let the student services staff at Mizzou Online know as soon as possible.
If disability related accommodations are necessary (for example, a note taker, extended time on exams, captioning), please register with the Office of Disability Services, S5 Memorial Union, 573-882-4696. For other resources for students with disabilities, visit the Disability Resources site from the MU Chancellor.
To receive testing accommodations for this course, you must provide a memo of accommodation, issued from the MU Office of Disability Services, to Mizzou Online Student Services prior to requesting exams.
Begin Coursework
Starting with the first lesson, study the lesson's purpose, objectives, and commentary. Then complete the reading assignment and any recommended study activities. Take notes and make sure you understand all the material presented in the readings. Follow this procedure for each lesson. Complete progress evaluations and exams in the order they are presented in this course.