Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Anthropology - Archaeology

Archaeology is the study of the development and change of human societies from the prehistoric past to the present through the identification, gathering and interpretation of material remains. While a major contributor to biological anthropology and forensics, archaeology is most closely tied to cultural anthropology and has been described as cultural anthropology in the past tense. As demonstrated by the emergence of discipline of historical archaeology, the field has strong ties to the practice of history. Students planning a career in archaeology might enroll in an archaeological field school. Those interested in historical archaeology should consider the cross disciplinary historical archaeology minor. Archaeology students are also encouraged to take ANTH 435, Ethnographic Genres and Methods. This sub-discipline shares strong methodological and thematic ties with history, geology, geography, biology and art history and upper-level course electives from these areas are encouraged. Students may consider co-majoring or minoring in these fields as a complement to their education. Career Opportunities and Marketable Skills An undergraduate degree in Anthropology provides a solid foundation for a wide range of rewarding careers. Students with a B.A. or B.S. degree in anthropology have gone on to become: Graduate students in archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistics and area studies programs. Professors of anthropology in each of the sub-disciplines Professional students in law, medicine, education, international affairs, public policy and public health Americorps and Peace Corps volunteers Archivists Business executives City planners and government officials College librarians Field archaeologists Cultural affairs directors Historical preservationists Museum and zoo curators and staff International aid workers and development consultants Management trainees Nurses, medical technicians and physicians assistants Forensic analysts Coroners Technical writers Conservation scientists and practitioners The anthropology major is a liberal arts program that stresses such marketable skills as: Data analysis Computer skills Critical thinking Global knowledge Research skills Rigorous writing and presentation skills.