Anthropology is the integrated biological and sociocultural investigation of humankind, from the time of the pre-human ancestors to the present, including the study of both small- and large-scale societies. The program includes courses in archaeological, biological, linguistic and sociocultural anthropology. While a small number of mandatory courses will ensure that all students in the program share basic understanding of the range of anthropological approaches, students are able to select courses within the program and from other parts of the curriculum to focus on specific interests. The following suggestions illustrate the range of possibilities: a student with an interest in language could select courses within the programs in First Nations Studies, International Studies, English and Psychology; a student intending to enter a graduate program in archaeology might select courses from First Nations Studies, Geology, Geography, History and Environmental Studies programs; a student planning to work in the subfield of sociocultural anthropology could select courses from First Nations Studies, International Studies, Northern Studies, Women's Studies and Social Work; a student interested in biological (or medical) anthropology would include courses in Biology, Environmental Studies and Statistics; and a career in museology or cultural property management might benefit from a background in Resource Recreation and Tourism or administration as well as First Nations Studies, International Studies, History and Northern Studies.

Geography is an interdisciplinary bridge between the human and physical sciences, studying human–environment interactions. The Geography program offers both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts. The BSc in physical geography examines the natural environment and the interaction of climate, soils, vegetation and landforms, while the BA in human geography focuses on cultural, social, economic and rural environments. Degrees emphasize the geography of the North and contemporary geographic technologies.