Can you become an archeologist if you major in Anthropology?

Question

Can you become an archeologist if you major in Anthropology?

Answer 1

yes, Anthropology can be your major and archeologist can be your minor

Answer 2

I would think so...don't most anthropology departments teach archaeology?

Answer 3

Certainly, Archaeology is one of the four subfields of anthropology (sometime you have to remind the archaeologists of that though).  However, the normal progression of becoming an archaeologist is that at the undergraduate level, you normal take a broad range of anthropological classes within the four subdisiplines (cultural, physical, linguistics and archaeology)  and at the masters level you specialize a little more as an anthropologist in archaeology.  Then at the doctoral level, you solely focus on archaeology. I will caution you to go on a dig first as an undergraduate before you set your heart on archaeology.  If you get excited about digging in the dirt all day, under a hot sun, getting eaten alive by bugs, going for two weeks with out finding a thing other than a few small pebble size pottery fragments until someone stumbles across a post hole and everyone starts to jump for joy and getting paid less than a worker at McDonalds, than this is the career for you.  I don't want to discourage you but to go into archaeology is not glamorous, takes long hours, and very low low low pay.  It takes a lot of dedication and a real passion to make it in this field.  My advice would be as an undergraduate, take a few anthropology classes, go on a dig - if even for a week, and find out if this is the path for you.

Answer 4

well, that depends...

if you want to do fieldwork, you'll definetly need fieldschool training, which most anth majors dont take...

you could certainly go on from a BA majoring in Anth to do a MA in Arch...

I'd say its not impossible, but theres training that is particular to archaeology that you wouldnt get in anthropology..

Answer 5

In any strong anthropology department there should be ample opportunities to do archaeological field work.  It often takes place during the summer time.

Talk to professors in the anthropology department of the colleges you are interested in.  They will discuss these opportunities with you.

If you get your degree in anthropology you can go on and do further work in archaeology.  Again, the anthropology departments can help direct you.

It is not only anthropology departments, however.  You might want to consider other majors, such as religious studies.  There are many opportunities for archaeology in related fields.

Answer 6

As has been said already, certainly.  Heck, as long as you take a field school, you don't even have to have an anthro degree.  The field school is the most important; with that and at least a little bit of college, you'll be able to work.