Are there any anthropologists on Fluther?

briefly, la guerra mas funki but she left. Why?

@mammal I’m thinking about finally choosing my major and anthropology would be it. So I wanted to message someone and ask what kind of job prospects they had out of school. I’m really paranoid about choosing my major for that reason, but I really love anthropology. Just kind of stuck right now.

@DrasticDreamer For a lot of jobs, it’s sufficient to have a degree. I met an MD once that had gotten his undergrad in engineering.

Anthropology itself is not a terribly broad field, but a BS in Anthropology can be put towards pretty much any career. Your choice in minor can help with that.

My brother is an anthropologist; if you want to PM me, I can tell you about his experiences.

I am not an anthropologist (I am currently working towards my Ph.D. in sociology- I study race, class and gender).
However, my advice would be to double major (if you have the time/credits). It typically fits easily into an undergrad program. I had two majors and one minor (and only spent the traditional 4 years in undergrad).
If you love anthropology it may be a good idea to talk to your advisor or career counselor (usually free at universities) and think of potential jobs. Then, pick a useful second major. I majored in sociology and history and minored in psychology. Looking back, I wish I would have minored in public policy, instead. That would have helped me a lot.
So, it’s a good idea to major in something you love but it doesn’t hurt to booster that major with something that may increase job prospects down the road (especially today).
Your future education will also matter. Do you plan on grad school? If so you will need to eventually pick a type of anthropology (cultural, biological, linguistics, etc.). I know this may be getting too far ahead but, trust me- it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead, if possible.
So, a second major may depend on this sub-field.
On a side note- I did have a few friends who majored in anthropology in undergrad an most of them double majored in a language…

@jenandcolin I’m already at the halfway mark for anthropology and history, and was definitely considering a double major. My area of interest lies mainly in cultural anthropology (most of my anthropology classes thus far have been cultural).

I have a very old, very dusty bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, if that counts for anything.

@lillycoyote It does. Can you tell me what kind of job prospects you had out of school?

@Not any, actually, even though I graduated from a pretty good school. Though I didn’t exactly hit the pavement with much enthusiasm or focus. The feeling I got, and at the time, was that Anthropology was somewhat of an incestuous field. That to make a living at it I would have to go to grad school, get a Ph.D. and teach people who would get degrees in Anthropology who would go on to get Ph.Ds in Anthropology and go on to teach people who would get degrees in Anthropology and go on to, well, you get the picture. I never did end up working in my field. I didn’t want to be an academic at the time though in retrospect I thing would have enjoyed it more and been better at it than I thought I would. But you will really have to talk to people more up to date on career prospects in the field than I am. I think there may be more opportunities than there used to be. I think most states, if not all states have laws now that certain sites have to be studied and excavated, places where major road work, etc. is to be done before the work can begin. I think this has probably opened up more opportunities, at least for archeologists. As for cultural anthropology, that, as far as I know, is still more of an academic field, though who knows. I think industry and corporations sometimes use anthropologists in some of the same ways they use sociologists. I wish I could tell you more. Like I said, my degree is fairly old and dusty, though I still like to think I still have at a least a bit of an anthropologist’s brain and thought process, even after all these years. Anyway, I wish I could be more help.

@lillycoyote It’s okay, thank you. :) Anything helps and I really appreciate it.

@DrasticDreamer Let’s just say that if you’re torn between majoring in Anthropology and say, Medieval French Literature, Anthropology is probably the more marketable of the two. :-) And pm @janbb. @janbb‘s brother who actually is an anthropologist can surely help you more than I can.

I’m not one, but I find anthropology so interesting!!!