Anthropology site?

Question

Looking for a site that allows you to find out what you can do with a master’s in anthropology and what are the fields you can specialize in as well. Looking for a free site, I do not want to pay for a DVD.

Answer 1

I don't know of an internet site for you to look at, but there is a lot beyond teaching that you can do with a masters in Anthropolgy, although, typically PhD's are preffered in most anthropolgy careers.  My wife is a primatologist, for instance, and she started working as a primatologist with just an undergraduate but has since completed her masters and is now pursuing her PhD.  She works for a reasearch institute in Kenya, in their ecology and conservation department specializing in conducting field work and strategies towards the management and protection of primate species.  I too am an anthropologist, but only have my undergrad in anthropology.  Even with that I have worked on many archaeological sites in Kenya up in the Turkana region.  I have also participated in some actualistic studies in the Laikipia area (studies done to use the modern ladscape to better understand the archaeological record) although having only an undergraduate degree these were jobs, not careers.  I have moved laterally from anthropology recently, however, and am currently developing a community development project in my wife's rural community.  It has some cultural anthropological aspects, but I would classify it more as agriculturally based as the project has to do with the application of agroforestry towards the needs of the community.  All anthropology is not teaching, however.  Some practical careers in Anthropology which are often in high demand, for instance, is forensics.  I took a lot of human osteology courses as part of my coursework towards my archaeology, but within that department they also had a lot of very interesting courses that dealt with identifying cause of death via osteological remains for modern murder sites where all that is left are the bone remains.  My professor of osteology was actually an MD and only taught part time, he was frequently called out to police investigations to look at bone remains as well as a consultant.  A lot of larger police foces keep such experts on their payroll permanently.  Cultural anthropologists may be hired as consultants as well for investigations that may deal with cultures to which they are experts.  Private grants are also a way of funding research (including a salary), but I'm sure that these are harder to come by and would probably have to modify your thesis towards the funding source's interests in many cases.  As said earlier, Museums are also known to offer careers for Anthropologists.  Come to think of it, my wifes research institute is one department within Kenya National Museums, so technically she works for a museum although the institute is no where close to the actual museum.  Although, in a way, even she ends up "teaching" frequently, as there seems to be a constant flow of students who are hired and placed in her care and she is asked to either place them and instruct them within a field project, or else supervise them while they do research via a topic of their choice with my wifes guidance.  Of course this is nothing compared to what she would be doing within a university structure as far as the teaching aspect is concerned.  That said, some universities are more researched based as well, and if you can develop a reputation as the best of the best in any given area of Anthropology then you could secure a position at a university because of your reputation with conditions in place that research is your priority, not teaching, although even these proffessors will take on promising PhD students so that they can increase their publications and reputations without doing the bulk of the work.  Might I suggst that since you are pursuing a masters in anthropology that you go to the anthropology department at your institution and talk to a guidance counsellor there?

Hey JD247, I was interested in what online resources people might come up with for this question as well.  Your link offers either the sale of a DVD on the subject for $35 non members or $25 for members.  Yeah, my wife is a member so I could get it for $25!  Except we want free resources.  What else do you have for us?

The links are mostly job openings from what I could see, although one led me to an interesting quote:

Job opportunities are generally forged by the individual, not by the program which one follows in college. The best college program encourages the performance skills which anthropology excels in molding in its students. The prudent undergraduate will take a well-rounded course of study, with a few practical career-skill courses interwoven in her or his overall program. Anthropology provides a good counterpoint to business courses, foreign language study, technical training, fine arts, and so forth. In addition to imparting invaluable core knowledge about the human animal and its cultural and biological history, anthropology lends itself flexibly as a tool to refine whatever other interests one brings to the higher-educational process.

In other words anthropology helps you become better in non anthropological careers... that is a funny perspective for a site specializing in anthropology careers to link you to, lol.  Of course it was only pointing out the "undergraduate level" which only further points out the necessity of a Masters or Doctorate in pursuing an actual career in Anthropology.

All right now that you got me searching... These links show a general list of careers that can be pursued in Anthropology and list what level of education Masters/PhD are needed:

http://access.nku.edu/cdc/whatdegreepdfs...

http://fhss.byu.edu/anthro/Anthropology/... (click on the sector you are interested in and it will go into more detail)

Answer 2

Not much, friend. Anthropology offers potential entry to professional schools teaching other subjects. Anthropology, in its teaching capacity, may offer you a teaching position, or work in a dig earned from a research grant.

Answer 3

Here is the jobs and careers section of the American Anthropological Association web site:

http://www.aaanet.org/careers.htm

If you scroll down, you'll see links to lots of information on anthropology careers and specific job openings.

Answer 4

Besides teaching it to other people, wich you can do in any degree, i am a anthro major and looking twards graduate school, kinda required, but its a great way to get on with govt jobs, here in Montana, theres the BLM, forest service, any historic or enviromental jobs also, but it depends on your concentration, ie, biological, social,  cultral... ect. Plus you can always intern at museums, small, large, what ever floats your boat!!! don't be discourage by the cubicle computer heads!