Biocultural Anthropology is a versatile degree that can lead to jobs and careers in many different areas. Visit the department website, watch the videos below, or scroll down and select an option under Related Career Fields to see more information about potential careers you can pursue.
Biocultural Anthropology
Related Career Fields
Select a career field below to see some of the various areas it encompasses, types of employers, and some sample occupations.
Education
Career Areas
- Teaching
- Research
- Administration
- Library/Information science
- Community education
- Higher education
Employers
- Universities/colleges/community colleges
- University research institutes or laboratories
- Campus museums
- Zoos
- Nature centers
General Information
- Earn a Ph.D. in Anthropology for university and college faculty positions or an M.A./M.S. for community college positions.
- Earn a graduate degree in College Student Affairs, Library/Information Science or related field for work in student affairs, administration, or libraries.
- Gain research experience by assisting professors or participating in independent studies.
- Maintain a high GPA and develop strong personal recommendations.
- Develop excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Get involved in campus leadership positions such as Resident Assistant, Peer Advisor, or Admissions Tour Guide.
Museums and Archives
Career Areas
- Curation/Management/Administration
- Acquisition
- Preservation/Conservation/Restoration
- Arrangement
- Cataloguing/Categorizing
- Exhibition/Installation
- Describing
- Analyzing
- Authenticating
- Maintaining records
- Research
- Education
- Development
Employers
- Natural history or history museums
- Historical homes
- Art galleries
- Libraries
- Special collections
- Historical societies
- Universities and colleges
- State and local government
- Federal government: National Archives and Records Administration
- Corporations
- Non-profit organizations
- Research institutions
General Information
- Earn a graduate degree in museum studies, conservation, information science, or related area.
- Research prerequisites and take the necessary courses. The most competitive candidates may have more than one graduate degree.
- Acquire strong computer knowledge and experience.
- Obtain an internship in a related organization.
- Volunteer at campus or community museums.
- Get involved with relevant student organizations.
- Develop excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational skills, and an attention to detail.
- Learn about grant writing, budgeting, and legal issues surrounding historical artifacts.
- Join professional associations to have access to industry news and job information.
- Attend relevant conferences, seminars, and trainings.
- Earn the “Certified Archivist” designation.
- Most curators specialize in a material or objects.
- Be prepared to relocate to access the most employment opportunities.
Archaeology
Career Areas
- Cultural resource management
- Research
- Excavation
- Field work
Employers
- Consulting firms
- Environmental/Engineering companies
- Firms specializing in archaeological investigation
- Historic preservation societies
- Urban and city planning offices
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Department of the Army
General Information
- Field positions require a bachelor’s degree and previous field experience.
- Get involved with faculty research or other research programs.
- Obtain a graduate degree for more opportunities and to direct field crews.
- Be willing to travel and possibly endure adverse living/working conditions during field studies or excavations.
- Conditions and hours vary with the type of work or research performed.
Government
Career Areas
- Administration
- Cultural resource management
- Surveying
- Site management
- Excavation
- Research
- Museum conservation
- Legislative compliance review
- Program management and evaluation
- Policy analysis
- Urban planning
- Translation/Interpretation
- Immigration
- Epidemiology
Employers
- Bureau of Land Management
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Park Service
- Public Health Service
- Smithsonian Institute
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Forest Service
- Department of Conservation
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of Natural Resources
- Historic Preservation Offices
- Parks Departments
- Highway Departments
- Medical Examiners/Coroners
General Information
- Learn federal or state application procedures.
- A graduate degree is generally required for higher-level positions.
- Gain related experience through internships in areas of interest.
- Develop statistical, analytical, and computer skills and learn various research methodologies.
- Get involved in campus organizations to develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.
- Consider earning a minor or double major to qualify for particular areas of interest.
- Learn a foreign language for translating/interpreting positions.
Nonprofit
Career Areas
- Administration
- Program management and development
- Fundraising/Development
- Grant writing
- Research
- Policy analysis
- Service delivery
- Volunteer coordination
- Community education
- Public relations and marketing
Employers
- Nonprofit organizations
- Social service agencies
- Hospitals and medical centers
- Private foundations
- International organizations
General Information
- Seek multiple volunteer and internship positions to gain experience and build contacts in the field.
- Obtain leadership roles in relevant campus and community organizations.
- Develop strong communication and research skills.
- Learn how to write grants and gain an understanding of budgeting and fiscal management.
- Investigate term of service or service corps positions as a way to gain entry into the field.
- Research organizations’ values to find a good fit with yours.
- Consider earning a graduate degree for more job opportunities and advancement.
Communications
Career Areas
- Documentary film production
- Photography/Photojournalism
- Journalism
Employers
- Colleges and universities
- Government agencies
- Government or private museums
- Local historical societies or sites
- Television and motion picture industry
- Internet media companies
- Independent production companies
- Publishing houses
- Newspapers and magazines
- Freelance/self-employed
General Information
- Minor or double major in a communications field.
- Develop excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Submit articles or books for publication.
- Work for campus or student-run publications.
- Demonstrate talent, persistence, assertiveness, competitive spirit, and enthusiasm.
- Compile a portfolio of writing, graphics, and ideas.
- Develop strong computer skills.
- Obtain internship, summer, or part-time experience with book, magazine, or newspaper publishers.
- Develop an attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
Join Organizations
Being active in both student and professional organizations can help boost your career. You'll have the opportunity to network with and learn from peers, mentors, and professionals. Working within these groups helps build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. You'll gain hands-on experience, showing employers your proactive attitude and commitment to growth, making you a stronger job candidate.
Student Organizations
Check out the organizations listed below, search Laker Life, or talk with a Career Coach to find others.
Search for Employers
General Guidelines and Strategies
- Ample preparation is advised as graduate school admissions are increasingly competitive for this field.
- Those interested in an Archeological specialization may look for field work within specific subgroups.
- These subgroups are divided by time periods and historicity; they include:
- environmental
- ethnoarcheology
- landscape
- household
- marine
- aviation
- aerial
- battlefield
- commercial
- industrial
- salvage
- experimental
- forensic
- historic
- As the demand for university/college faculty positions decreases, most openings will exist in consulting firms and government agencies.
- To increase your employment opportunities with a bachelor’s degree, consider minoring or double majoring in another field such as sociology, business, urban planning, or public administration.
- Anthropology provides a solid background for a variety of graduate programs including law, medicine, forensics, or genetic counseling.
- Research admissions requirements and take prerequisite courses.
- Anthropology is good preparation for jobs that involve people skills and require an understanding of cultural differences.
- Spend a summer in field school or travel and study other cultures.
- Pursue research experience by working on faculty projects through independent study classes, as a student employee, or through other departmental programs.
- Career opportunities exist within the national network of state and county medical examiners and coroners.
- Training at the graduate level should include supplemental work in legal evidence, pathology, criminology, or forensic lab methods along with supervised casework.
- Learn about grant writing, budgeting, and legal issues surrounding historical artifacts.
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