Careers in Anthropology
Obtaining a bachelor's degree in Anthropology will help prepare students for careers in a variety of fields, many of which may not be ordinarily labeled as anthropological positions. Specific careers available to students with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology include:
- Social Work
- Archaeology
- Law
- Public Policy
- Urban Planning
- Marketing
- Higher Education
- Forensics
- Museums
For more career information please visit UNI's Career Services website and This is Anthropology.
Academia
On campuses, in departments of anthropology and in research laboratories, anthropologists teach and conduct research. A number of academic anthropologists find careers in other departments or university programs, such as schools of medicine, epidemiology, public health, ethnic studies, cultural studies, community or area studies, linguistics, education, ecology, cognitive psychology and neural science.
*American Anthropological Association
Business
Many corporations look explicitly for anthropologists, recognizing the utility of their perspective on a corporate team. A corporate anthropologist working in market research might conduct targeted focus groups to examine consumer preference patterns. These anthropologists use their research skills to talk to consumers and users of technology to find out how products and services could be improved to better meet the needs of consumers.
*American Anthropological Association
Government
State and local governmental organizations use anthropologists in planning, research and managerial capacities. The federal government is one of the largest employers of anthropologists outside of academia. Possible career paths include: international development, cultural resource management, the legislative branch, forensic and physical anthropology, natural resource management, and defense and security sectors.
*American Anthropological Association
NGOs
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) employ anthropologists to help design and implement a wide variety of programs. Many anthropologists work in local, community-based settings for non-profit agencies. Sometimes, they work through community-based research organizations like the Institute for Community Research. Other times, they might work for established organizations in a community like the YMCA, local schools or environmental organizations.