How to become An Anthropologist

• Anthropology Instructor
• Anthropology Professor
• Applied Anthropologist
• Behavioral Scientist
• Chief Knowledge Officer
• Egyptologist
• Ethnologist
• Forensic Anthropologist

What do Anthropologists do?

An Anthropologist would typically need to:

• Plan research projects to answer questions and test hypotheses about the interaction between nature and culture
• Develop data collection methods tailored to a particular specialty or project and collect information from observations, interviews, and documents
• Record and manage records of observations taken in the field before analyzing data, laboratory samples, and other sources of information to uncover patterns about human life, culture, and origins
• Prepare reports and present research findings to advise organizations on the cultural impact of policies, programs, and products
• Examine, recover, and preserve evidence of artifacts from past human cultures, such as skeletal remains, tools, pottery, cave paintings, and ruins of buildings
• Connect artifacts with information about past environments to learn about the evolution, history, customs, and living habits of people in earlier eras
• Manage archeological sites, national parks or historical sites, providing site protection, and educating the public
• Assess building sites to ensure that construction plans comply with government regulations on the preservation of archeological sites
• Formulate general rules and describe and predict the development and behavior of cultures and social institutions
• Develop and design innovative processes in anthropological research
• Interact with other Anthropologists by publishing scholarly papers on Anthropology and attending professional seminars and conferences

The work of Anthropologists varies widely, depending on the specific job. Anthropologists who work for museums or businesses or government agencies learn to deal with a wide variety of working conditions. Although most Anthropologists work in an office, some analyze samples in laboratories or work in the field. Libraries and classrooms as well are commonly visited by Anthropologists.

Anthropologists’ dress code depends on whether they are working in an office, a laboratory, in the field, or at a conference.

Many Anthropologists in government, research & consulting firms, museums, and businesses work full time during regular business hours. However, when doing fieldwork, Anthropologists may be required to travel and work long hours, including evenings and weekends.

Your professors and the placement office at your university can give you information about getting a job in Anthropology. Openings are sometimes listed in professional publications. You can also apply directly to colleges and universities, government agencies, and private firms that hire Anthropologists.

Anthropologists are generally employed by:

• Colleges
• Universities
• Museums
• National Parks
• Technical Aid Programs
• Consultants to the Government
• Consultants to Industries

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for Anthropologists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Anthropologist.

• Fieldwork can be stressful with travel to remote areas or international locations, lasting four-eight weeks or longer
• Work may involve rugged living conditions, long hours to meet research deadlines and strenuous physical exertion
• Need to adapt to changing environments, integrate into new social circles, and conduct research in a foreign language
• Limited funding for projects

All programs in Anthropology include an internship that gives students experience; some may even require you to write a thesis before graduating with your degree. To get a job, graduates of Anthropology programs usually need work experience in the field and training in a variety of research methods. Many candidates fulfill this requirement through field training or internships or voluntary activities with museums, historical societies, nonprofit organizations, local council offices, and galleries.

Students of Anthropology often have an opportunity to work as research assistants while in graduate school. They typically spend part of their graduate program conducting field research in the community or foreign locales.

Most master’s degree programs are two years in duration and include field research. Anthropologists may qualify for many positions with a master’s degree in Anthropology or human biology or social science. Anthropologists with a bachelor's or master's degree sometimes qualify for research or administrative positions in government or private firms. Aspirant Anthropologists with a bachelor’s degree may find work as assistants or fieldworkers.

Although a master’s degree is enough for many positions, a PhD may be needed for jobs that require leadership skills and advanced technical knowledge. A PhD takes several years of study beyond a master’s degree and completion of a doctoral dissertation. PhD students typically spend between 12 and 30 months doing field research for their dissertation.

As early as possible, aspiring Anthropologists should begin training in the use of statistics, in one or more foreign languages, and a field related to the Anthropology area that especially interests them. It usually takes at least eight years of full-time study beyond high school to get a doctoral degree in Anthropology. Part of this time is often spent in fieldwork.

No certificates or licenses are needed to practice your trade as an Anthropologist. Voluntary certification from an objective, credible and reputed organization is often seen as evidence of an individual’s drive and motivation, giving them a leg up for raises and promotions.

Successful certification programs serve and protect the public welfare by investigating individuals that practice outside of the program’s Code of Ethics. They help a profession secure its future by earning trust and respect.

Anthropologists are highly trained specialists who usually advance by improving their skills and becoming experts in their fields. They often write books and articles about their findings. Many feel that the best form of advancement is winning the recognition of other Anthropologists and scholars in other fields. Anthropologists can also supervise teams researching archaeological sites. They can advance to the rank of Full Professor in a college or university or become Administrators.

Overall, prospective Anthropologists will likely face stiff competition for jobs because of the small number of positions relative to applicants. Job prospects will be best for candidates with a PhD or an applied master’s degree and extensive anthropological fieldwork experience. Candidates with expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods who can communicate findings to a wide variety of audiences will be in highest demand.

Anthropologists are expected to continue reading and studying throughout their careers to keep up with new findings in the field.

Some students pursue master’s degrees and specialize in an anthropological area, such as visual or medical Anthropology. In contrast, others pursue related disciplines, such as community health, sociology, social research methods, politics, human geography, and economics. Coursework in a specialty usually occurs at the graduate level.

Vocational courses, such as museum ethnography, counseling, health, and social work, may also be taken up by Anthropology graduates. To advance beyond entry-level positions, some Anthropologists aim at a doctorate in specific areas of Anthropology such as Biophysical (also known as forensics), Sociocultural, Linguistics, or Archaeological Anthropology.

The Anthropologist’s primary objective is to continue to learn what makes man unique and what separates him from other beings.

Components of Fieldwork

Anthropologists often do fieldwork all over the planet. Fieldwork may involve learning foreign languages, living in remote areas, and examining and excavating archeological sites. Many Anthropologists use sophisticated tools and technologies in their work. Although the equipment used varies by task and specialty, it often includes excavating tools, laboratory equipment, statistical and database software, geophysical tools and equipment, and geographic information systems.

Fields of Anthropology

Anthropology is divided into three primary fields: Biological or Physical Anthropology, Cultural or Social Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology.

Biological and Physical Anthropologists

They study the changing nature of the biology of humans and closely related primates. Many Physical Anthropologists work in medical schools or biology departments in colleges or universities.

Cultural Anthropologists

They study the social and cultural consequences of various human-related issues, such as overpopulation, natural disasters, warfare, and poverty. Cultural Anthropologists form the largest group of Anthropologists.

Linguistic Anthropologists

They study how humans communicate and how language shapes social life. They investigate nonverbal communication, the structure and development of languages, and differences among languages. Most Linguistic Anthropologists study non-European languages, which they learn directly from native speakers.

What Else Keeps Anthropologists Busy?

In addition to their typical responsibilities relevant to their particular primary fields, Anthropologists also engage in other activities that benefit the community. Market Research A growing number of Anthropologists perform market research for businesses, studying the demand for products by a particular culture or social group. Using their anthropological background and various techniques—including interviews, surveys, and observations—they may collect data on how specific demographic groups use a product.

Consultancy

Some Anthropologists serve as consultants to the government or industry. For example, they may write reports estimating the impact that the construction of a new dam would have on the people living in a valley upstream from the dam. They may prepare an estimate of the value of the archaeological sites that would be flooded by the resulting reservoir.

Forensic Work

Others may work as Forensic Anthropologists in medical or legal settings to identify and analyze skeletal remains and genetic material.

Monkeysphere is the number of people we think of as humans and empathize with. It is physically impossible for the number to be larger than 150, after which we tend to treat other humans as objects.

Anthropology is the most humanistic of the sciences and the most scientific of the humanities. Anthropology demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in astonishment, and wonder at what one would not have been able to guess. Think of an Anthropologist as a Jane Goodall - but with people instead of primates!

Anthropology is never an exact science; the observer never experiences the same culture as the participant. Anthropology demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in astonishment, and wonder that which one would not have been able to guess.