Careers in anthropology?

Question

I'm sure this question has been asked many times, but I'm wondering what sorts of careers, other than teaching, one could find with a major in anthropology/religion?

Answer 1

At the BA level you will not find much in the area of working in the field of anthropology, unless you have an archaeological field school under your bealt in which case you can work for a CRM (cultural resource management) firm as an field technician. However the work is difficult and the pay is low. At the PhD level one is over qualified for most jobs in the private sector that utilize anthropologists. To actually work in anthropology at the appropriate level, a master's degree is usually preferred. A common misconception is that you will be able to work in a museum. Although that might have been true in the past, museum jobs are now regulated with people who pursue museum studies in college and curatorial backgrounds.

Jobs that one can find in anthropology include (but not limited to): government work in historic preservation, archaeology departments, ethnographers, etc. As for the private sector you can work for a CRM firm as a project manager or be hired to be a coorporate anthropologist (anthropologists who study coorporate structure to better infrastructure/productivity). The truth is your career is going to be made by your level of education and the coursework/research you have completed.

Myself, I have an MA in anthropology. My thesis entailed archaeology and GIS (computer mapping). I work in the GIS field doing cultural resource research and mapping. Like I said, your coursework and research will dictate your career for the most part if you decide to pursue a career in anthropology. If you would like to just teach then you'll need your PhD. Good luck!

Answer 2

Hi Ruth, I asked the a similar question, I am majoring in Antho. and also minoring in Religious studies. I just copied and pasted the best answer I got, so I hope this helps.
Good luck.

Best Answer - Chosen By You

Obviously you didn't major in physical anthropology, considering the whole religious studies thing. So basically you majored in cultural anthropology, right??? (Need more info) If this is the case I'm going to be blatantly honest with you. You have severely limited your job scope, unless you plan on going to grad school to pursue a PhD. That way you could at least teach at a large university and or write an ethnography. At the bachelor level, cultural anthropology is basically a useless major that really has limited options. Most jobs available to anthropologists at this level are associated with archaeology and involve digs or working on museum collections (working under someone with a PhD). On the bright side, cultural anthropologists can find jobs in the advertisement industry and have a better shot at getting into law school when compared to other sub disciplines of anthropology.

Extra
At any school that offers a degree in anthropology, the overall major is anthropology. It's the area of study you focus on that decides what sub discipline you fall into (more focused in grad school), in your case religion falls into the Cultural anthropology discipline.

Sub disciplines of anthropology:

Physical/Biological (human evolution, osteology, medical, forensics, etc....)

Cultural (belief structures like religion, social structure, politics, etc....)

Archaeology (study of material past through recovery and reconstruction, etc...)

Linguistics (study of the origin of various languages, understanding of commonality and comparison of roots and prefixes of various languages, etc...)

Source(s):
majored in physical anthropology, went on to grad school, earned a PhD, and now work in forensics.

Answer 3

I trust the Exochos Andras guy. My degree in anthropology replaced into the superb and worst degree for me. The activity opportunities weren't as many in 1979, so I had to get a 2d degree in biology, and at last went to scientific college I now prepare medicine, yet i take advantage of the Anthropology degree prevalent. the advice is the main correct and useful which you will ever come upon and how of assertion it relatively is inspired will serve you something of your existence. by using ways, my BS in Anthropology replaced into as no longer ordinary as scientific college, basically different techniques to comparable fabric

Answer 4

There are many, but first you need to decide what type of anthropology you are interested in. From there it will be easier to discover the types of jobs available.

Answer 5

Anthropologists can get jobs in museums I think. The government also employs anthropologists to get a better understanding of other peoples cultures.

Answer 6

if you want to specialize in one, anthropology has four branches:

1. linguistics- studying of languages
2. physical- in line with forensics
3. cultural-research
4. archaeology-digging (fossils, artefacts)

it's a lot of fun! i miss doing it all!

-anthropology graduate