What do you do with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Anthropology? Almost anything you put your mind to.
Your Anthropology degree can help you build highly desirable professional skills that are useful in many careers: Understanding human diversity, building research and presentation skills, collecting and interpreting information, communication, organization, empathy, critical thinking, stakeholder engagement, cultural awareness, self-reflection, cultural relativism, and awareness of socio-economic inequalities/disparities.
Be creative in matching your skills to job qualifications: Not all postings will say they are looking for an “anthropologist.” (In fact, they might not realize they are looking for an anthropologist!)
You might also use your undergraduate degree as a foundation for other graduate professional degrees: law, medicine, public health, education, MBA, etc.
Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human. In the program, you will learn about each of the four subdisciplines:
Cultural Anthropology is “the study of people's communities, behaviors, beliefs, and institutions, including how people make meaning as they live, work, and play together” (Guest, K. 2017. Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
Linguistic Anthropology is “the study of human language in the past and the present” (Guest, K. 2017. Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
Biological Anthropology is “the study of humans from a biological perspective, particularly how they have evolved over time and adapted to their environments” (Guest, K. 2017. Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
Archaeology is “the study of the human past through its material remains” (Renfrew & Bahn. 2016. Archaeology. Thames & Hudson.)
What do you do with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in anthropology? Almost anything you put your mind to.
Students interested in careers in the fields of law, teaching, public service, international affairs, business, journalism, and a variety of other areas involving the social sciences and humanities will find the anthropology major beneficial and rewarding. It provides a solid foundation for careers in forensic science, peace and conflict resolution, community service, cross-cultural research, international health, cultural resource management, national park service, teaching, international business, language interpreters, primatology, global economy, environmental conservation, tribal anthropology, and museum curation.
Check out some of the famous people who majored in anthropologyOpens an external link. and what they've done with their degrees.
Careers in Anthropology
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Positions in Government
- International development
- Forensic anthropology
- Crime ccene investigation
- Cultural resource management
- Legislative staff
- Natural resources management
- Positions in defense and national security
- Public administration
- Refugee services administrator
- Cultural tourism/heritage site management
- Environmental and social impact assessment
- Policy analysis and development
- Foreign affairs officer
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Academia
- Archaeologist
- Paleontologist
- Ethnologist
- Primatologist
- Archivist, curator, museum worker
- Professor
- Teacher
- Administration
- Researcher
- Survey researcher
- Research analyst
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Business
Using Anthropology for Business Ted Talk
- Clinical research coordination
- Human resources
- Diversity and inclusion
- Inter-cultural communication
- International rade
- Market research
- User experience esearcher
- Biomedical anthropology
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Community/Public Service
- Advocacy/social work
- Development
- Community organizing
- Historic preservation
- Library science
- Literacy programs
- Museum curation
- Policy analysis
- Political activism
- Program evaluator
- Needs assessment
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Writing
- Creative writing: Hear more from Michael KilmanOpens an external link.
- Journalism
- Grant-writing
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Communications
- Social media strategist
- Work for nonprofit organizations
- Public relations manager
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Additional Career Resources
- Where Anthropologists WorkOpens an external link.
- American Anthropological Society - Careers in AnthropologyOpens an external link.
- American Anthropological Society - Advance Your CareerOpens an external link.
- Anthropology Careers & EmploymentOpens an external link.
- What Is Anthropology and What Can You Do With That Degree? (usnews.com)Opens an external link.
- What Can You Do With an Anthropology Degree? (With FAQs) | Indeed.comOpens an external link.
- Highlighting Business AnthropologyOpens an external link.
- National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) Career CenterOpens an external link.
- archaeologyfieldwork.com – resources for the archaeological community since 1996Opens an external link.