Anthropological study provides training particularly well suited to the 21st century. The economy will be increasingly international; workforces and markets, increasingly diverse; participatory management and decision making, increasingly important; communication skills, increasingly in demand. Anthropology is the only contemporary discipline that approaches human questions from historical, biological, linguistic, and cultural perspectives. The intellectual excitement and relevance of the wide range of information presented in anthropology assures that students are engaged and challenged. Moreover, it complements other scientific and liberal arts courses by helping students understand the interconnectivity of knowledge about people and their cultures. Increasingly, undergraduate and master’s students are coming to understand that the issues affecting their futures and the information they will need to prosper cannot be found in narrow programs of study. (Source: American Anthropological Association, Career Paths and Education, Anthropology: Education for the 21st Century, http://www.aaanet.org/profdev/careers/Careers.cfm)
While many anthropology majors go on to pursue a variety of graduate degrees, others find work in a wide range of fields. The Department of Anthropology has a brochure “What can I do with a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology from Michigan State University”. A PDF copy will soon be available here. Meanwhile, please inquire at 354 Baker Hall if you want a copy. Besides the web page from which the quote above comes, the American Anthropological Association also provides a very useful guide, What Can You Do With a Degree in Anthropology here.
Recent graduates who are working, and current majors who have a job offer: if you would like to share your story about how anthropology prepared you for your job/career, for possible inclusion on our website, please contact Undergraduate Advisor in the Department of Anthropology, Nicolas Gisholt (gisholt@msu.edu)