Anthropology Major
Anthropology is the study of human beings, their cultures, their language, and their biology.
What is an anthropology major? Anthropology is the study of all aspects of human beings. Anthropologists look at everything from people's culture, their language, their biology ,and their physical and archaeological remains. Anthropology is natural major for students interested in exploring both their own culture and other cultures. Anthropologists have studied people from all around the world, ranging from large cities like New York City to small rural villages in Poland. Some of the most interesting work in anthropology combines different aspects of the field—understanding ancient Mayan monuments by talking to modern day Mayan women about the patterns they weave, or analyzing the use of sign language to understand Deaf culture. It is a very broad major, as the ways of studying human beings range from the qualitative to the quantitative, from the artistic description of a way of life to the scientific discussion of human evolution.
What courses are required for an anthropology major? Different departments have different requirements, but often have either an introductory course or a requirement for students to take introductory classes in a number of anthropological fields. Upper level courses include area studies (where you specialize in a particular area like Africa, Melanesia or an urban area) and topics such as gender, ethnographic film, applied anthropology, the evolution of primates, or forensic anthropology (to help understand crime scenes). One of the emphases in anthropology is doing your own research. Research methods include ethnography (the study of groups of people by spending time with them), working on an archaeological dig, or conducting a biological laboratory study.
Advantages and disadvantages of an anthropology major? The advantages of an anthropology major include how broad it is, so you learn about many different areas and get the first hand experience of doing your own research. It is a particularly good major if you are interested in understanding a wide range of cultures or traveling abroad to do research. It is also an excellent major to do as a double major as it gives you a very different perspective on the world. Disadvantages are that there can be a large number of required courses in the major, but these often provide interesting perspectives that one otherwise would not have gotten.
What careers are available to anthropology majors? As a broad major, it gives students a wide range of opportunities. First, it is a solid liberal arts preparation for life after college. The major gives student practice with writing and first hand research experience, and this is valued by a wide range of employers. Second, it is a major that can lead to numerous professional schools including medicine, law, business, journalism, social work and international affairs. Third, it can be a good preparation for international careers such as the Peace Corps, teaching English as a second language, or international development or foreign service. Finally, the field leads to a number of specific anthropological careers including ethnographer, archaeologist or forensic anthropology. The possibilities are endless!
Next: Read about other college majors such as linguistics and sociology, or read about great music for study breaks.
