Anthropology

Anthropology majors study past human civilizations and learn about how they lived, communicated and looked like. They learn about the archeological, biological, linguistic, and cultural similarities and differences between human societies and explore such topics as evolution, religion and social theory. Anthropology is a broad subject and specific courses are diverse and usually separated into many different categories. Some courses cover archeology, such as principles of archaeology and archaeological field methods, others have a biological focus like human skeletal anatomy, evolution of the human species, and modern human physical variation. Courses that focus on linguistics and culture of different societies are also common, such as linguistic anthropological methods and native cultures of North America.

The knowledge that one acquires from completing a degree in anthropology can be applicable to many different career paths in education, museums and archives, archeology, and government. Employment opportunities are typically available at universities, nature centers, historic preservation societies, archaeological investigation firms, and environmental companies. The federal government also offers employment in the area of anthropology with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Smithsonian Institute. Individuals who are intrigued by the past and desire to understand the development of human civilization may want to consider a major in anthropology. It also serves as a solid foundation for individuals who wish to pursue graduate study in areas such as higher education and science.