For students planning to obtain a master's degree, the department recommends upper-division courses in fields related to the student's anthropological interests, such as biology, economics, geography, geology, history, psychology, sociology, and modern language. What Anthropologists Do . . . Anthropology is concerned with analyzing the origins, cultures, languages, and value systems of all people, past and present. Archaeologists excavate locations of past civilizations and are increasingly involved in environmental review processes. Physical anthropologists attempt to explain human origins, evolution, and variation through the study of population genetics, comparative anatomy, and primate behavior.
Some anthropologists specialize in museum work, linguistics, or folklore.
Most teach in colleges and universities, in many cases combining teaching with research. However, increasing numbers of anthropologists are finding positions in business and public agencies. The Department of Anthropology offers four applied anthropology certificate programs. The Cultural Anthropology Certificate program prepares individuals for careers in public and private businesses such as multinational corporations or federal agencies. Emphasis is placed upon identifying culturally related problem areas, preparing research designs, collecting and analyzing data, and recommending policy.