Anthropology as a Career Choice

Anthropology is the study of the humankind, especially various human cultures, human civilizations, their traditions and customs. Anthropology is divided into more specialized branches such as Biological Anthropology; Socio-Cultural Anthropology; Linguistic Anthropology; Prehistoric Anthropology and Applied Anthropology.

Biological anthropology includes subjects such as primatology, forensic anthropology and evolutionary genetics while Socio-cultural anthropology includes subjects like ethnic studies, psychological anthropology and cultural anthropology. Linguistic Anthropology deals with subjects such as sociolinguistics while Prehistoric-Anthropology focuses on the reconstruction of early history and pre-historic social customs. Applied Anthropology focuses on the application of the research findings on day to day life.

Almost all leading universities offer a three year bachelor’s degree in anthropology such as B.Sc. in Anthropology and BA in Anthropology and a two year master’s degree such as MA in Anthropology and M.Sc. in Anthropology. Higher academic qualifications are also possible by pursuing a PhD in the subject duration of which is normally three years.  Anthropology is best suited for the candidates who have a deep interest in history and who love to travel to various places of historic importance.

The most sought after career among the anthropology graduates is the profession of an anthropologist. Anthropologists are employed as research officers and as project leaders by various Anthropological Survey Organizations. They can also work as professors and lecturers in various academic institutions which offer courses on anthropology.

Anthropologists with specialization in prehistoric anthropology are the most sought after people by museums, art houses, archeological organizations and archives where they work as historians, museum curators and research officers while anthropologists with specialization in linguistic anthropology work as linguists. Candidates with specialization in forensic anthropology and evolutionary genetics are recruited by forensic science departments and criminal investigation agencies where their services are employed for various investigation purposes. Various national and international NGOs and other such social service organizations also employ anthropologists as social workers and project leaders.