Career Paths in Anthropology?

Question

For my Anth major class we have to look into a career path for a final project. I'm kind of stuck because up into now all my career planning has been for my other major and I never really gone into one. I guess I'd be interested in something involving Cultural Anthropology, like doing social research, studying other cultures or the interaction of other cultures, something to that extent. Is there a practical career path in the field that utilizes those things?

Answer 1

The most practical path for the things you mentioned is to go into academia and research/teach. There may also be other options within large global corporations, but good luck finding them. If you're going to be doing ethnographic field research, then you're pretty much going to work in academia.

Answer 2

I was an anthropology major and I end up doing archaeology for 5 years. Now I am working on a Masters in Zoology with a focus on primates studies. (I took a primate studies course as an undergraduate)

Archaeology is great because you can learn about other cultures through their material culture - especially if you want to study abroad.

Answer 3

I wouldn't know about the educational requirements, but I would strongly suggest that you consider the field that offers the most employment prospects and job security. Forensic Anthropology just sounds like government funding through grants. In todays economy, I would hate to know that my career depended on the funding of a government social program. You may be wanting to avoid redundancy that many claim with nursing, guess what, every job can get boring at times. Nursing is a very fulfilling profession that is severely under appreciated.

Answer 4

Hahaaha, double major my friend... I have a degree from The Ohio State University in Anthropology... double major !!! And, don't pick a second social science.. I'm a demolition/ water mitigation estimator.. I was offered recently, a job as a park ranger, starting at 30k, a 50% pay cut. You have field archaeolgy - which is infrequent -temp type work with lots of travel and well thats about it as an undergraduate. Finding work as an anthropologist is diificult, good luck.

Answer 5

I've heard rumors that large international conglomerates hire anthropologists sometimes. They use them when opening new factories or offices in distant lands to deal with the cultural differences, or to study the culture of various markets they want to sell to. Don't know very much about that, though.

There's always archaeology, too. Lots of related fields end up drifting into archaeology because there are jobs in it. I've worked with geologists, historic preservation people, ethnobotanists and other plant types, and all sorts of others.

Answer 6

i was an anthropology major and am currently doing a masters in public health. you can use cultural anthropology in public health in many ways. there are many populations (in the us and abroad) needing health care and services or programs which need to be culturally considerate in order to be effective.
of course there are several other career paths if youre not interested in health.

Answer 7

Here's 2 link's for you for careers in Anthropology. I have a BA in Archaeology and minored in Anthropology. There's a lot you can do....

http://www.utexas.edu/student/careercenter/careers/anthro.pdf

http://perth.uwlax.edu/sociology/Archaeology/careers.htm

Answer 8

First, get an undergraduate degree in anthropology.
Second, get a doctoral degree in anthropology.
Third, ask yourself if you would rather measure fat butts for automobile seat manufacturers or learn to say, "Would you like fries with that?"

Answer 9

...your life will be in ruins....