Is an Anthropology Degree Right for Me?

If you want to understand how humans behave, interact, and evolve, a degree in may be the right degree to match your interests. Anthropology degrees offer a foundational understanding of the study of human origins.

Anthropology majors can thrive in their careers by utilizing their versatile skills and thorough education. Graduates are prepared for positions in cultural resource management, research, and healthcare.

What Is an Anthropology Degree?

An anthropology degree provides a comprehensive understanding of the biological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of human evolution. It provides students with the ability to interpret human behavior with thorough coursework, research projects, and fieldwork experiences.

Anthropology programs teach students about the evolution of humans and their cultures through coursework that focuses on ancient civilizations and archaeology. Anthropology degrees utilize ethnography, a method of collecting data and understanding social relations, to provide deeper insight into diverse human societies and social structures worldwide.

What Does an Anthropology Major Study?

Anthropology majors study the evolution of humans and how their societies developed culturally and biologically. Throughout their bachelor's degree program, students study key topics like language development, ancient civilizations, and diverse cultural practices. Anthropology courses focus on studying the human cultures throughout history and how human experiences drive evolution.

Coursework covers the main fields of anthropology, which the American Anthropological Association has categorized into four areas. These fields include sociocultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistics, and archeology. Students can also study others, like forensic anthropology and medical anthropology, or choose a concentration in museum studies or linguistics.

Why You Should Consider a Degree in Anthropology

You can consider several advantages when deciding to pursue an anthropology degree. The degree programs offer many opportunities to advance your skills with real-world experience like fieldwork, internships, and career-oriented research projects. Online bachelor degrees in anthropology are available for those who want flexibility in their degree program. Students can benefit from increasing their overall understanding of humans and enhancing their perspectives to offer valuable insights.

Hands-on Experiences

Anthropology students can benefit from hands-on experiences during their degree programs that strengthen their practical skills. Anthropology majors who choose to complete internships or participate in fieldwork can gain real-world experience that prepares them to excel in their careers. Many programs include lab courses where students can gain technical career skills by analyzing artifacts and research findings.

Areas of Specialization

Students have the opportunity to specialize in a specific area of anthropology. Anthropology degree programs provide coursework in the main areas of the field, but choosing a concentration, such as linguistic anthropology, medical anthropology, physical anthropology, or forensic anthropology, can give students a broader knowledge base.

Well-Rounded Education

Anthropology degrees combine social sciences and humanities to provide a well-rounded perspective of human cultures and behavior. Anthropology students take history courses that focus on the development of language, the evolution of human societies, and ancient civilizations. They study archeology, along with various types of anthropology that make up the field. Although it may vary depending on the university, anthropology is typically classified as part of the liberal arts discipline.

Enhanced Perspective

Understanding human behavior, cultural practices, and evolutionary history prepares graduates for many career paths. Anthropology majors enhance their perspectives by studying diverse societies throughout history from a global perspective. Because of this, professionals with an anthropology degree can provide thoughtful insight and a broader outlook when addressing different populations and global issues.

Opportunities to Advance

Anthropology degree programs provide graduates with numerous opportunities to advance in their careers by gaining experience or choosing to further their education. Fieldwork and internships help graduates gain entry-level experience to qualify them for more advanced positions, such as a senior research scientist role. Some graduates may pursue grad school or choose to earn certifications to take on teaching positions and stand out in the job market. PhD programs qualify anthropologists to work in academia, conducting research or working as a professor.

Career-Oriented Skills

Anthropology degree programs equip students with critical thinking and problem-solving skills to help them succeed in their roles after graduating. Knowing how to conduct research, analyze and interpret findings, and draw conclusions are skills that can be applied in various careers. During their degree programs, anthropology students strengthen their written and verbal communication skills allowing them to effectively articulate ideas and summarize research findings in professional settings.

Job Opportunities for Anthropology Degree Majors

After graduating, there is a wide range of career options for anthropology majors. You can choose to become an anthropologist, which involves specializing in an area like forensic or physical anthropology. You can also opt to work in academia or in specific roles like an ethnographic researcher or as a field technician in cultural resources management.

Other career paths include:

• forensic anthropologist
• archaeologist
• museum curator
• cultural anthropologist
• public health advisor

Anthropology Degree: Questions To Ask Yourself

Before deciding, it's a good idea to consider your career goals and determine how well the anthropology field aligns with your interests. Asking yourself these questions can help you decide if an anthropology degree is the right choice.

Am I Interested in History?

Since anthropology studies the human species from the past to the present, having an interest in history can help you stay engaged in the classroom and retain information. Many of the courses in an anthropology degree program are related to history and cover ancient civilizations, human evolution, and even the development of linguistics.

Do I Enjoy Researching?

Research and continuous learning are both key in the anthropology field. Many career paths, like academia and ethnographics, are heavily involved with research. Anthropologists regularly conduct research and fieldwork to enhance their expertise.

Do I Plan to Attend Graduate School?

Some anthropology students choose to continue their education by attending graduate school after completing their undergraduate degree. Graduate programs, like a master's degree in applied anthropology, focus on more advanced topics and practical applications of anthropology. Another route is earning a graduate degree in a related field like history or linguistics to gain more insight and expand your knowledge, allowing for more career options.