Area
Employer
Information/Strategies
Area:
Education
Sub-Area:
- Teaching
- Research
- Administration
- Student Affairs
- Library/Information Science
- Non-classroom Education
Employers:
- Universities/colleges/community colleges
- University research institutes or laboratories
- Campus museums
- Zoos
- Nature centers
Strategies & Information:
- Earn a Ph.D. in Anthropology for university and college faculty positions or an M.A./M.S. for community college positions.
- Earn a graduate degree in College Student Affairs, Library/Information Science or related field for work in student affairs, administration, or libraries.
- Gain research experience by assisting professors or participating in independent studies.
- Maintain a high GPA and develop strong personal recommendations.
- Develop excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Get involved in campus leadership positions such as Resident Assistant, Peer Advisor, or Admissions Tour Guide.
Area:
Museums and Archives
Sub-Area:
- Management/Administration
- Curatorship
- Conservation
- Restoration
- Research
- Education
- Libraries
- Development
Employers:
- Natural history or history museums:
- Universities
- State, federal or local
- Private
- Archives
- Historical Societies
Strategies & Information:
- Plan to earn a graduate degree in anthropology, museum studies, library science (with an emphasis on archives) or other related discipline depending upon specific interests.
- Gain relevant experience through internships or volunteering positions in museums.
- Develop a strong attention to detail.
- Be prepared to relocate to access the most employment opportunities.
Area:
Archaeology
Sub-Area:
- Cultural Resource Management
- Research
- Excavation
- Field Work
Employers:
- Consulting firms
- Environmental/engineering companies
- Firms specializing in archaeological investigation
- Federal, state and local government
- Urban and city planning offices
- Historic preservation societies
Strategies & Information:
- Field positions require a B.S./B.A. and previous field experience. Get involved with faculty research or other research programs.
- Obtain a graduate degree to direct field crews.
- May need a willingness to travel and endure adverse living/working conditions during field studies or excavations. Working conditions and hours vary with the type of work/research performed.
Area:
Government
Sub-Area:
- Administration
- Cultural Resource Management
- Surveying
- Site Management
- Excavation
- Research
- Museum Conservation
- Legislative Compliance Review
- Program Management and Evaluation
- Impact Assessment:
- Policy Analysis
- Urban Planning
- Translation/Interpretation
Employers:
- Federal agencies including:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs,
- Bureau of Land Management
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Departments of:
- Conservation
- Health and Human Services
- Housing and Urban Development
- Natural Resources
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Park Service
- Public Health Service
- Smithsonian Institute
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Forest Service
- State agencies including:
- Historic Preservation Offices
- Parks Departments
- Highway Departments
Strategies & Information:
- Learn federal or state application procedures.
- Graduate degree generally required for higher level positions.
- Gain related experience through internships in areas of interest.
- Develop statistical, analytical and computer skills and learn various research methodologies.
- Get involved in campus organizations to develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.
- Consider earning a minor or double major to qualify for particular areas of interest, e.g. learn a foreign language for translating/interpreting positions.
Area:
Nonprofit
Sub-Area:
- Administration
- Program Management and Development
- Policy Analysis
- Fund Raising/Development
- Research
- Grant Writing
- Counseling
Employers:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Social service agencies
- Hospitals and medical centers
- Private foundations, e.g. The Ford Foundation
- International organizations, e.g. The World Health Organization, The International Red Cross, and the United Nations
Strategies & Information:
- Seek volunteer and internship positions to gain experience.
- Hone skills in public speaking, writing, and programming.
- Obtain a degree in counseling for therapy positions.
- Learn to work well with people from varying backgrounds.
Area:
Business
Sub-Area:
- Management
- Sales/Marketing
- Human Resources
- Public Relations
- Consulting
Employers:
- Business corporations in various industries such as:
- Banking
- Retailing
- Insurance
- Financial services
- Travel and Tourism
- Cultural resource firms
- International companies
- Consulting firms:
- Management
- Scientific
- Technical
Strategies & Information:
- Many businesses hire students of "any major" if they have relevant experience and have developed the skills employers seek.
- Minor in business or another relevant field.
- Obtain related experience through internships, summer and part-time jobs.
- Develop strong analytical and computer skills.
- Learn to work well on a team.
- Get involved in campus organizations and seek leadership roles.
Area:
Communications
Sub-Area:
- Documentary Film Production
- Photography/Photojournalism
- Journalism
- Writing/Editing
- Publishing
Employers:
- Colleges and universities
- Government agencies
- Government or private museums
- Local historical societies or sites
- Television and motion picture industry
- Internet media companies
- Independent production companies
- Publishing houses
- Newspapers and magazines
- Freelance/self-employed
Strategies & Information:
- Minor or double major in a communications field.
- Develop excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Submit articles or books for publication.
- Work for campus or student run publications.
- Demonstrate talent, persistence, assertiveness, competitive spirit, and enthusiasm.
- Compile a portfolio of writing, graphics and ideas.
- Develop strong computer skills.
- Obtain internship, summer or part-time experience with book, magazine, or newspaper publishers.
- Develop an attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
General Information and Strategies
- Most professional anthropological jobs require a graduate degree.
- Those interested in anthropology may specialize in one of its four branches: archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, or physical anthropology. Many subfields exist within the larger specialties such as forensic anthropology, a subfield of physical anthropology. Typically students take a general curriculum as an undergraduate and specialize through graduate studies.
- As the demand for university/college faculty positions decreases, most openings will exist in consulting firms and government agencies.
- To increase your employment opportunities with a bachelors degree, consider minoring or double majoring in another field such as sociology, business, urban planning, or public administration.
- Anthropology provides a solid background for a variety of graduate programs including law, medicine, forensics, or genetic counseling. Research admissions requirements and take prerequisite courses.
- Anthropology is good preparation for jobs that involve people skills and require an understanding of cultural differences.
- Spend a summer in field school or travel and study other cultures.
- Volunteer to help with a professor's research.
- Gaining relevant work experience through internships, practicums, part-time jobs, or volunteer positions is critical.