Anthropology
Department of Anthropology
BA Concentrations:
Applied anthropology
Archeology
General anthropologyBS Concentrations:
Non-teaching
Sustainable development
A student with a Bachelor's degree in anthropology has acquired critical
analysis skills, oral and written communication skills, "people" skills, and a
great understanding of many different cultures, which have many applications in
public service, political activism and the private sector. An emphasis in
Archaeology yields prospects for entry-level employment or degree-related
careers with one of many Federal and State agencies and private cultural
resource management firms. Biological and Medical Anthropologists have the
skills which are useful in the growing sector of health related occupations and
traditional research. Anthropology graduates are regarded as having excellent
preparation for professional training in Law, Medicine, Public Health, School
Administration, and Urban Planning.
Areas of Employment
- Teaching in Universities and Colleges: In anthropology departments, medical schools, international studies programs.
- Museums: Exhibit design, conservation of and research with collections, museum administration.
- Federal Agencies: Many archaeologists and cultural anthropologists work for the National Park Service, the Agency for International Development, the National Institutes of Health, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other agencies. Some are also employed as staff members for Congressional committees.
- International Agencies: Anthropologists with expertise in cultures of developing countries are employed by the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank.
- Consulting: Includes historical and ethnographic research for Indian tribes; forensic work for police agencies; archaeological survey and excavation, social/cultural impact assessment for large-scale construction projects; designing bilingual and bicultural curricula with school professionals; assessing health care services for specific cultural groups. (American Anthropological Association)
Anthropologists are increasingly being employed in non-academic (applied) settings as well as in academia. Use the following examples of employment opportunities for Anthropology majors as an idea list, and remember that it represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider. Some of these jobs also require education beyond the bachelors' degree.
Related Career Titles
Health and Human Services
| Advocate Family Service Counselor Genetic Counselor Health Science Administrator Job Counselor Medical Anthropologist | Physician Public Health Educator Social Service Agency Planner Social Worker Transplant Registry Database Manager |
Research/Education
| Academic Advisor/Counselor Anthropologist Archaeologist Archivist Art Conservator Behavioral Science Advisor Bilingual/Bicultural Program Collections Manager College Professor Computer Simulation Model Designer Contract Archaeologist Ethnologist Field Archaeologist Forensic Anthropologist | Foundation Program Manager Genealogist Librarian Linguist Marketing Researcher Media Planner Multicultural Education Specialist / Director Museum Curator/Technician Museum Education Director Paleontologist Scientific Linguist Social Science Analyst Teacher, Elementary/Secondary Specialist Teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) |
Government/Public Service
| Analyst Bureau of Indian Affairs Researcher Community Development Officer Community Planner Congressional Committee Staff Director Coroner/Medical Examiner Cultural Artifact Specialist Cultural Resource Manager Foreign Affairs Officer Friend of the Court Caseworker Head Start Program Director | Immigration Inspector International Agency Representative National/State Park Interpreter Park Service Supervisor/Director Peace Corps Area Director Peace Corps Volunteer Probation Officer Rural Development Officer Social Insurance Representative State/Federal Government Policy Urban Planner |
Business
| Actuary Advertiser Biographer Corporate Communications Consultant Employee Relations Specialist Employment Recruiter Environmental Impact Assessment Researcher Human Resources Manager Industrial Psychologist Insurance Claims Adjuster International Visitor Escort/Consultant Journalist | Loan Officer/Bank Officer Management Consultant Marketing Manager Media Specialist Personnel Management Specialist Researcher Staff Training Specialist Technical Writer Tour Guide Travel Agent/Guide Travel Consultant Union Legal Counsel |
Related Major Skills
| Communication across cultures and languages Conducting field studies Examining data and artifacts Gathering and organizing data Interviewing Planning projects | Recognizing cultural differences and similarities |
Professional Organizations
American Anthropological Association
American Association of Museums
American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Archaeological Institute of America
ASU Anthropological Society
ICOM: International Council of Museums
National Association for Museum Exhibitions
Society for Applied Anthropology
The American Cultural Resources Association
