WHAT CAN I DO WITH A MAJOR IN...

ANTHROPOLOGYwww.sc.edu/career

an·thro·pol·o·gy

The scientific study of the origin, the behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural development of human beings.*

*"Anthropology." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 24 Jul. 2009. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Anthropology>.

Last updated 3/2011 by A. Bervine

Anthropology Majors Study

• Human behavior• Cultural and societal relations• Human biology and evolution• Languages• Music, art, and architecture• Human migration patterns• Cultural similarities and differences

...and more

Specializations

Anthropology involves several broad fields including:

•Socio-cultural Anthropology•Linguistic Anthropology•Physical Anthropology•Archaeology

Each field teaches distinct skills, such as applying theories, employing research methodologies, formulating and testing hypotheses, and developing extensive data sets.

1. Socio-cultural Anthropology

• Study of customs and group culture in settings that vary from non-industrial societies to modern urban centers.

• Can prepare one for work in development, community organization, policy analysis, and social research.

2. Linguistic Anthropology

• Study of the role language plays in various cultures as well as its development.

• Can work in the areas of inter-cultural communication, language revitalization, and literacy programming.

3. Physical Anthropology

• Study the evolution of the human body, looking for the earliest evidence of human life, and analyzing how culture and biology influence one another.

• Useful skills developed for the growing health related occupations sector as well as positions in traditional research.

4. Archaeology

• Recover and examine material evidence such as ruins, pottery and tools remaining from past human cultures to determine history, customs, and living habits of earlier civilizations.

• Archaeology skills can prepare one for entry-level employment in research or with government or private agencies involved in resource management.

Anthropology Degrees Available At The University Of

South Carolina

Ph.D

MA

BA

Anthropology at the University of South

CarolinaUndergraduate Options

Graduate Options

Certificates of Graduate Study

Degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA)Majors: AnthropologyMinors: Anthropology

Degrees:Master of Arts (MA)Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)Specializations: archeology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, physical/biological anthropology

Visual AnthropologyMuseum StudiesWomen’s StudiesTOEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)

Anthropology Degrees Develop Skills in

• Critical analysis• Oral and written

communication• Interpersonal relations• Understanding of

different cultures• Problem solving• Using scientific

equipment and instruments

• Working cooperatively with others

• Adapting to varied and changing conditions

• Data analysis • Adapting cultural

theories to other populations

• Intentional interviewing

Employment Settings

• Teaching/Research in Universities and Colleges: In anthropology departments, medical schools, and international programs.

• Museums: Exhibit design, conservation of and research of collections, and museum administration.

Employment Settings

• Government Agencies: National Park Service, Agency for International Development, the National Institutes of Health, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Congressional committees.

• International Agencies: United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank.

Employment Settings

• Consulting: Includes historical and ethnographic research of Indian tribes, forensic work for political anthropological survey and excavation, social/cultural impact assessment for large-scale construction, designing bilingual and bicultural curricula with school professionals, and assessing health care services.

Sample Occupational Titles Associated With

Teaching/Research

• Academic advisor• Archivist• Art conservator• Behavioral science

advisor• Collections manager• College professor• Ethnologist• Field archaeologist

• Foundation program manager

• Genealogist• Librarian• Media planner• Multicultural education

specialist• Museum technician• Vocational instructor

Sample Occupational Titles Associated with Museums

• Anthropologist• Archaeologist• Archivist• Art historian• Artifact specialist• Biographer• Collections manager• Curator

• Cultural resource manager

• Display technician • Ethnologist• Museum education

director• Museologist• Paleontologist• Preservationist

Sample Occupational Titles Associated with Government

Agencies

• Community development officer

• Congressional staffer• Cultural artifact

specialist• Cultural researcher• Elected official• Environmental impact

assessor

• Foreign affairs officer• Government policy

analyst• Immigration inspector• Probation officer • Program director• Social insurance

representative• Urban/rural planner

Sample Occupational Titles Associated with International

Agencies

• Bicultural program director

• Communications consultant

• Employee relations specialist

• Environmental impact assessor

• International protocol consultant

• International marketing director

• Linguist • Policy analyst• Social worker• Teacher of english as a

second language• Ethnographer

Sample Occupational Titles Associated with Consulting

• Actuary• Bicultural curricula

developer• Community planner• Corporate

communications consultant

• Employee relations specialist

• Historical researcher • Management consultant • Political anthropologist• Public health advisor• Recruitment consultant• Training specialist

Distribution of Employed Persons With a Bachelor’s Degree in

Anthropology, by Sector

Government/Millitary12%

Self-Employed18%

Non-Profit7%Education

23%

Private For-Profit40%

Top 10 Occupations That Employ Persons with only a Bachelor’s

Degree in Anthropology 1 Top and mid-level managers, executives

2 Broadcasters, writers, public relations specialists

3 Teachers, elementary

4 Low-level administrators (record clerks)

5 Low-level managers (shift supervisors)

6 Sales (including retail)

7 Insurance, securities, real estate, business services

8 Transportation, material-moving

9 Marketing, sales management

10 Social scientists

Source: Fogg, N.P, Harrington, P.E. & Harrington, T.F, (2004). College Majors Handbook (2nd ed). Indianapolis, IN: Jist Publishing.

Strategies For Developing Skills To Get The Job You Want

• Work on ability to communicate well in speech and writing

• Obtain volunteer, internship, co-op, and work experience

• Develop interpersonal skills

• Meet and exceed deadlines

• Develop ability to work as a team member

• Develop the ability to work with people of other cultures

• Obtain a minor in a specific field of interest (psychology, music, political science)

Strategies For Developing Skills To Get The Job You Want

• Develop ability to work with public administration

• Work on public speaking skills

• Develop computer skills• Visit museums• Learn other languages

• Attend and help organize cultural events

• Work on developing conceptual and analytical abilities

• Travel to and visit other cultural regions

• Join a professional or student organization

Books And Web Resources

Books

Great Jobs For Anthropology Majors – by Blythe Camenson

Careers In Anthropology: What An Anthropology Degree Can Do For You – by W. Rrichard Stephens

Web Resources

American Anthropological Association http://www.aaanet.org/

NAPA: National Association for the Practice of Anthropology http://www.practicinganthropology.org/

Resources For More Information

Department of Anthropologyhttp://www.cas.sc.edu/anth /

Career Center libraryhttp://www.sc.edu/career/Library/library.html

Related websiteshttp://www.sc.edu/career/la/anthropology.html

CAS career development websitewww.sc.edu/career/cascdp/

Career Center Contact Information

University of South Carolina Career Center6th Floor, H. William Close Building (BA Building)Columbia, SC 29208Phone: 803-777-7280On-call counseling without an appointment: M - F, 1:00 am - 4:00 pm (Summer and holiday hours may differ, please check the website at www.sc/edu/career)