Skip redundant pieces

Anthropology

 

Occupational Possibilities

Through study of human physical and cultural heritage, anthropology majors develop skills applicable to a wide range of occupations. The list below is only a sample of these suitable careers for majors in anthropology.

Some occupations, such as field archaeologist, may require additional specialized training and/or skills. Additional graduate study is generally required for careers marked with a * on the following list.

Business

  • *Actuary
  • *Industrial psychologist
  • Employment recruiter
  • Loan officer/bank employee
  • *Union legal counsel
  • Environmental impact assessment researcher
  • Travel agent/guide
  • Journalist
  • Human resources manager
  • Management consultant
  • Marketing manager

Health and Human Services

  • *Social worker
  • *Public health educator
  • Advocate (e.g. children, ethnic group members, aging)
  • *Genetic counselor
  • *Physician
  • *Transplant registry database manager
  • Job counselor


Government and Public Sector

  • Friend if the Court caseworker
  • *Bureau of Indian Affairs researcher
  • National/state park interpreter
  • International agency representative
  • Cultural artifact specialist
  • Congressional committee staff director
  • *Coroner/medical examiner
  • Head Start program director
  • State/federal government policy analyst



Education and Research

  • Field archeologist
  • Bilingual/bicultural program specialist
  • Museum education director
  • *Academic advisor/counselor
  • Teacher of English as a second language (ESL)
  • *Computer simulation model designer
  • *Anthropology professor
  • *Contract archeologist
  • *Collections manager
  • Foundation program manager
  • Marketing researcher
  • Media planner
  • Vocational teacher

 

back to top

Skills and Abilities

Students of anthropology develop general and technical skills and abilities applicable to diverse occupational paths. While many continue education in graduate, medical, or law school, many other possibilities exist. The representative skills below may be used in a variety of careers. For example, cross-cultural observational skills may be equally useful for a foundation project manager, a corporate recruiter, or a freelance journalist.

 


Interpersonal Relations

  • Interviewing
  • Understanding group dynamics
  • Observing human interactions
  • Working in another culture
  • Surveying and sampling
  • Identifying value systems
  • Recognizing cultural differences/similarities

Communication

  • Summarizing results
  • Writing clearly
  • Presenting/defending a position
  • Communicating across cultures/languages
  • Understanding language development

Project Development

  • Planning long-term projects
  • Recruiting/coordinating research projects
  • Writing grant proposals
  • Evaluating
  • Maintaining records
  • Developing project designs



Analysis and Research

  • Gathering and organizing data
  • Deriving knowledge from artifacts
  • Applying non-intrusive methods
  • Computer modeling
  • Reaching new conclusions through comparative study
  • Utilizing statistical applications
  • Examining data or artifacts
  • Conducting field studies

 

back to top

Career Planning and Resources

Internships

Job Search

 

Professional Associations

 

For More Information

...about careers, graduate and professional schools, internships, professional associations, or job descriptions contact:

University Career Center
110 Burge Union
(785) 864-3624

For information about majors and concentrations in anthropology:

Department of Anthropology
622 Fraser Hall
(785) 864-4103

Anthropological Research and Cultural Collections

6E Spooner Hall
(785) 864-4245

back to top