Anthropology question?

Question

If i major in anthro is a BS enough or would i have to get higher like a Phd?

Who can i expect to work with (agencies and etc)?

What types of anthro are there, and a little description of each?

Would the salary be enough to make a great living?

If i major in anthro what is a good minor to take???

lastly:

for the people who majored in anthro what is the best thing you love about it???

thnks in advance!!!

Answer 1

Whick did a good job answering your questions, let me add:

- you may end up teaching high school.  I majored in anthro with a minor in social studies - huge mistake.  Social studies job were hard to find and not at all desirable.

Minor in biology/chemistry or some other hard science and prepare to teach high school science - you will have a lot better luck looking for a job and I found the scientific side of anthro to be more fun.

Answer 2

Great job whick

Answer 3

It really depends on what you are interested in and what area you want to specialize in. The word Anthropology comes from the greek words "Anthropos" meaning "man" and "logos" meaning "word" or "study of." So, basically Anthropology is the "study of man." That's a pretty broad category, so anthropologists decided to break the discipline down into a few main areas.

Anthropology is divided into four main subgroups: Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology.

Cultural Anthropology deals with the study of human cultures. These anthropologists usually do field work among a target people group. They live as the people do and learn and record the different aspects of their culture such as religion, kinship, family relations etc.. Unless you have funding from a university or private organization, it can be difficult to make a living solely as a cultural anthropologist (at least by American standards of living).

Archaeology deals with the artifacts and traces of past civilizations. Usually one must obtain at least a Masters degree to have a supervisory role on an archaeological dig, and a Ph.D. to actually lead a dig. Many private companies are now hiring archaeologists to assess land for historical landmarks in construction sites etc.. Despite what you may see in Indiana Jones movies, most archaeological digs are the result of years of research and scientific study. Again, it depends on what your definition of "a great living" is. Many archaeologists are professors at universities. Even within archaeology there are many sub disciplines such as Egyptology, Marine/Underwater Archaeology etc..

Physical Anthropology is another broad category. These anthropologists usually apply some form of science to their research. Examples would be forensics, primatology, medical anthropology etc.. Anthropologists from this group often work for government agencies such as the CDC, FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Some also go to medical school. If you are interested in any of these things you might want to pick up a minor in the sciences.

The final subgroup is Linguistic Anthropology. People interested in this field are often cultural anthropologists as well. These people study the structure of languages and work to better understand how humans communicate. Philology (the study of languages) is often very near and dear to the heart of a linguistic anthropologist.

I am an Anthropology major and I absolutely love it! Like any other major however, it depends a lot on your professors. If they enjoy what they do, then your classes will be very fun indeed! The thing I love most about Anthropology is that I get to study people. I love languages and cultures as well as history. This gives me an excuse to indulge my brain in something I love. Also, I spent several months living in Eastern Europe and became fascinated with how similar people are regardless of where they are in the world.

I wish you the best in your decision making! I'm sure if you choose to pursue and education in Anthropology you won't regret it.

Best of luck!