As a cultural anthropology major, would I be able to choose a specific culture to study?

Question

I mean, are you free to choose which culture you want to study, or is the subject imposed by your teachers? I mean for your graduation project.

Answer 1

For an undergraduate degree, you cant really choose a culture to focus on. You can choose an area, ie. Latin America, and take outside course in History, Geography, Spanish or Portuguese, Economic, Latin American Studies, Religious Studies, Political Science, etc. Some departments allow a Honors' project in which you write a thesis for credit under a specific advisor. I imagine, depending on your advisor, you can write about whatever you want. This is usually in your senior year.

Given the holistic nature of anthropology and the utility of ethnologies (comparisons of cultures), it really is a good idea to be as broad as possible.

Answer 2

The classes and teachers requirements will vary.  In most of my classes the choices were rather broad and so I could choose the culture or subject most interesting.  Some classes were limited by time period or geographic region.

Good luck

Answer 3

Are you an anthropology major?  Your question seems to indicate that you have probably taken one class in cultural anthropology and gotten so enamored of the subject that you want to study more. (That's what happened to me when I took my first anthro course.)  However, if you are in a college right now, or want to go to one, get a copy of the school's catalog and read the requirements for a degree with a major in anthro.  After that, go to the anthro dept and talk to an academic adviser about specific course work.

Almost all the advise given by previous answerers does not answer your question because the answer can only be determined by you and your school, they are all different.

Good luck in your studies.

Answer 4

As has been pointed out, for an undergrad major there is a lot of background study on many cultures - though a senior thesis project can focus on one culture in particular if you have the opportunity to study one (some schools with grad programs  have undergrad opportunities as well for field work).

Once you get to grad school, you will be expected to focus on a specific topic.  The topic can be in ethnology (cross cultural comparison) or ethnography (detailed study of one culture) and it is likely that you will have to do some traveling and spend time in the culture YOU choose.  

The trick is to be sure that the school you choose to attend, has the appropriate opportunities, connections and faculty to help you out.  If you choose to study an African culture, but go to a school that focuses on Meso-America – you will find it much more difficult.

Good Luck

DM

Answer 5

It depends on how you set up your thesis.  If you have a definite project you would like to work on, you should tell your advisor.  Professors love this in a student.  Someone who is already enthusiastic and with ideas is someone who stands a good chance of completing their research and doing it well.

If you don't have a good idea, your professors could suggest ideas related to their own projects.

For the major itself, of course, you have to study all sorts of cultures, not just one.