What Can I Do with My Anthropology Degree?
The word "anthropology" conjures up images of ancient ruined temples or distant exotic cultures in the minds of most people. This is enticing but students rightly wonder about possible employment.
While jobs with "anthropology" in their titles are few and far between, many employers are looking for people with skills that anthropological training offers. Such skills include the ability to work in cross-cultural situations, to research a wide variety of subjects, to organize information quickly in readable language, and so forth. Surveys conducted by the American Anthropological Association show that most people with one or more degrees in anthropology find satisfying employment within a short time of graduation.
Anthropology prepares people who work as consultants to governmental and community organizations, medical researchers, personnel managers, teachers, doctors, archaeologists, graphic designers, architects, city planners, environmental researchers, editors, international aid workers, marketing researchers, journalists and much else.
The following websites provide more information about future career possibilities with an Anthropology degree.
- American Anthropological Association
- An Essay on Careers with Video Highlights, by Gary Ferraro
- Wisegeek: What are the Different Anthropology Careers
- Career Planning for Anthropology Students (NAPA)
- National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA)
UBC provides a number of services to help students find satisfying employment that makes the best use of their skills.
Finally, be sure to attend Careers Night, co-sponsored by the Department and the Anthropology Students Association during Anthropology Week in March. Enjoy a fun evening with food and refreshments and the chance to meet and chat with alumni from our program who have gone on to fabulous non-anthropological careers with their anthropology degrees!