The University of Maryland’s bachelor degree Anthropology graduates have been successful in many different fields post-graduation, including museums and archives, education, federal/state government, archaeology, cultural resources, and business. The coursework required in Anthropology provides great preparation for jobs that involve working with people and understanding of cultural differences. Many students pair it with a minor in urban planning, business, sociology, GIS, or environmental science to name a few.
Using information from the annual University of Maryland Graduation Survey and additional sources, we have compiled information about Anthropology majors, such as their post-graduation adventures. Use this information as a place to start exploring your career interests. Review additional resources below and on the Feller Center's website.
Explore Career Paths
Start Planning
Related Titles & Work Areas
Job Titles:
- ABA Paraprofessional
- Academic Program Assistant
- Activities Assistant
- Admission Counselor
- Assistant Program Coordinator
- Assistant Scientist
- Associate Software Engineer
- Baltimore Corps Fellow
- Business Development Consultant
- Career and Life Skills Advisor
- Education Abroad Advisor
- Education Coordinator/Specialist
- Educator
- Field Operations Manager
- History Teacher
- Medical Assistant
- Post-baccalaureate IRTA
- Primary School Teacher
- Teacher
- Teacher Fellow
- Visual Identity Coordinator
Organizations:
- American University
- AmeriCorps
- Arab Studies Institute (ASI)
- Backcountry Journeys
- Collegiate Teaching Fellow
- El Colegio de Panama
- Eurofins
- Innovation Works
- Irvine Nature Center
- National Aquarium
- National Geographic
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Quality Forum
- Oracle
- Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
- Soccer Without Borders
- Teach for America
- The Next Step Public Charter School
- University of Maryland
- University of Maryland Baltimore
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- WSBOCES
ENTRY TIPS:
- Important qualities/skills generally include: communication, organizational, and creativity skills.
- Apply for experiences working with youth while in school to demonstrate and test your interest.
- Public school teachers at the K–12 level must be certified by the state in which they teach.
- For detailed tips, visit FirstHand’s Guide to Education.
Job Titles:
- Assessments Representative
- Assistant
- Donor Relations Coordinator
- Festival Coordinator
- General Manager
- Insurance Agent
- Membership Services Coordinator
- Post-Bacc Fellow
- Program Analyst
- Program Manager
- Proposal Coordinator
- Recruiter
- Senior Guest Service Associate
- Strategic Communications Associate
- Recruitment Specialist & Coordinator
- Territory Sales Manage
- Transaction Coordinator
- Volunteer Development Specialist
Organizations:
- Aerotek
- American Anthropological Association
- Bankers Life
- Bloomberg L.P.
- BoardSource
- Cherry Hill Campground
- Deloitte
- Fannie Mae
- Frutta Bowls
- Girl Scouts Nation's Capital
- Mars
- Maverick Realty USA
- National Cancer Institute
- PayPal
- Stand Together
- Strategic Communications Associate
- University of Maryland
- Washington Jewish Film Festival
ENTRY TIPS:
- Important qualities/skills generally include: analytical, communication, creativity, decision making, interpersonal, organizational skills.
- For detailed tips, visit FirstHand’s Guide:
- Apply for internships! Employers recruit full-time employees from their internship programs.
Job Titles:
- Archivist Technician
- Collections Assistant, Anthropology
- Coordinator
- Curator
- Digital Format Specialist
- Fellow- Latino Museum Studies
- Gallery Assistant
- Legislative Management Officer
- Museum Technician
- Museum Tour Guide
- On-Site Educator
- Outreach and Collections Specialist
- Preservation Specialist
- Publications and Digital Imaging Post-Grad Intern
- Special Assistant
Organizations:
- Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum
- National Archives II
- Newark Museum of Art
- Smithsonian Institution
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History
- Smithsonian Transcription Center, Quotient, Inc.
- The National Museum of African American History and Culture
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
- UMD, University Archives
The largest employers: Museums, historical sites, government and educational services (state, local, and private)
ENTRY TIPS:
- Important qualities/skills generally include: analytical, customer service, organizational and technical skills
- Helpful skills to obtain: grant writing, budgeting, and computer knowledge.
- Apply for internships in the field or volunteer at local museums.
- Many positions require an advance degree.
- For detailed tips, visit FirstHand’s Guide to Museum and Cultural Center Jobs.
Job Titles:
- Americorps, Patapsco Valley State Park
- Cultural Anthropologist
- Cultural Resource Manager
- Integrated Resources Program Manager
- Lead Teacher - Assistant Director
- Park Naturalist
Organizations:
- Anne Arundel County Planning & Zoning Cultural Resources Management Division
- Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary of the Interior
- Maryland Conservation Corps
- Maryland Government
- National Park Services, Yellowstone
- National Park Services, Department of the Interior
- VA, Department of Historic Resources
Entry tips:
- Important qualities/skills generally include: varies based on job function. Most professional apply out of a passion for service or the mission of the agency speaks to them.
- Federal opportunities: USAJobs, Federal Application Tips
- For detailed tips, visit FirstHand’s Guide to Park and Public Land Jobs
Job Titles:
- Archaeology Technician
- Archeological Field Technician
- Blogger
- Field Archaeologist
- Field Technician
- Insider Threat Behavioral Scientist
- Lab Supervisor
- Planner/Analyst
- Program Coordinator
- Qualitative Research Associate
- Research Analyst
- Research Assistant
- Research Engineer
Organizations:
- American Institutes for Research
- Archaeology in the Community
- Atlantic Media
- CENTRA Technology
- Institute for Sustainable Development
- John Milner Associates, Inc.
- Linda Stone, RPA
- Louis Berger
- Mitre Corporation
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Stantec
- START, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism
- Straughen Environmental
- The RESOLVE Network
- The Urban Institute
- University of Maryland
- Westat
ENTRY TIPS:
- Start building relationships and gaining experience as a student with faculty on campus.
- Review the different types of archaeology.
- Best search strategy... Networking!
Start Exploring Career Titles/Work Areas
Use the sample job and internship titles (mentioned above) to start exploring career paths. The links below provide a short overview of the positions. Review more career areas related to this major as well as tips to succeed.
- Career Exploration Toolkit, self-paced activities to provide greater career clarification
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, a career title dictionary
- O*NET Online, the nation's primary source of occupational information
- Terrapins Connect, talk with professionals working in the field through UMD’s alumni network
- Federal positions by major, research career titles with the federal government related to your major
- Career insights from alumni: Careers in Museums, Archives & Libraries Panel notes
- FirstHand (formerly Vault) Guides, browse 100’s of industry guides to gain inside tips
Resources: Career Planning & Graduate School
Explore career path options with these resources:
- Careers in Anthropology, AAA provides sample areas where anthropology majors work
- Non-academic Careers in Anthropology (AAPA), focuses on careers in physical anthropology
- Spotlight: UMD Anthropology Alumni
- Demography Careers
- What is needed for law school?
The American Anthropological Association offers information on the following areas in anthropology,
- Archaeology - Studies past people and cultures through the analysis of material remains
- Biological Anthropology - Studies human and non-human primates past and present from ecological and evolutionary perspectives, addressing the intersection of behavior, culture, and biology and how these systems impact health and well-being
- Linguistic Anthropology - Studies the ways in which language reflects and influences social life
- Medical Anthropology - Seeks to better understand factors that influence peoples' health and well being
- Forensic Anthropology - Analyzes skeletal, decomposed, or otherwise unidentified human remains to aid in detection of crime
- Business Anthropology - Applies anthropological theories and methods to identify and solve business problems
- Visual Anthropology - Uses images for the description, analysis, communication and interpretation of behavior
- Environmental Anthropology - Examines how people interact with, respond to, and bring about changes in the environment
- Museum Anthropology - Studies the history of museums, their role in society, and changes in this role
Start researching your career path of interest to identify the educational requirements. The list below offers a brief overview of some of the more popular graduate degree programs and institutions our ANTH undergraduates have attended.
Graduate programs listed by topic:
- Business and Management, MBA | Saint Mary's University
- English Language & Literature, M.A. | University of Vermont
- English Language and Literature, Ph.D. | University of Miami
- Global Affairs, M.S. | New York University
- History, M.A. | University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Intelligence Management, M.S. University of Maryland University College
- International Relations, M.A. | George Washington University
- Law, JD | George Washington University
- Library Science, Masters | University of Maryland, College Park
- Public Policy, M.P.P. | University of Maryland, College Park
Medical:
- Biological Sciences, Ph.D. | University of California, Santa Cruz
- Doctor of Medicine, M.D. | George Washington University
- Doctor of Medicine, M.D. | University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Nursing, BS | Towson University
- Osteopathic Medicine, D.O. | Rowan University
- Pharmacy, Pharm.D. | University of Texas at Austin
Graduate programs listed by area, degree, & institution:
- Anthropology, Ph.D. | University of Washington
- Anthropology, Ph.D. | University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropology, Ph.D. | University of Oregon
- Anthropology, M.S. | University of Sheffield
- Anthropology, M.A. | University of Maryland, College Park
- Anthropology, M.A. | Texas State University
- Social & Environment Science, Ph.D. | University of Arizona
- Social Anthropology of Development, MA | School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Graduate School Resources: Application tips from the Feller Center
- Questions to consider before applying
- Application timeline, stay on track with your graduate school application
- Financing ideas for graduate school
- Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate fellow
Read more about what career options at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC). The University Career Center hosted a student visit and took these notes.
Market Skills Developed: ANTH Major
Skills lead to jobs. Which skills do you possess?
- Assess your skills, abilities, interests, and values and explore how they relate to career options.
- Skills inventory - get started identifying your unique assets.
Anthropology majors have…
- Accurate interpretation of behavior
- Insight interpretation of information
- Observation
- Persuasive writing
- Planning
- Problem solving
- Qualitative research
- Simplification of information
- Social agility and sensitivity
Add to your skills with LinkedIn Learning's skill based videos.
Gain Experience
Internships are a great way to try out an interest, regardless if they are directly related to your major. Employers tend to favor job seekers who have had an internship in the field they are hiring for.
Sample internship titles/sites
- AFS International, Market Research Intern
- Amnesty International USA, Organizing Intern
- Animal Biosciences & Biotech Lab, US Department of Agriculture, Research Aide/Student Intern
- Archaeology in Annapolis, Student Volunteer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Summer Intern
- Creative License, Marketing Intern
- DBI Architects, Inc., Intern
- DC HIV/AIDS Administration, Behavioral Research Section, Research Associate
- Department of Homeland Security, Policy Intern
- Department of the Interior, Intern- Interior Museum
- Earthwatch Member: Dolphins of Greece Expedition, Volunteer Researcher
- Girls Inc., Youth Program Intern
- Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Marketing and Communications Intern
- Lost Towns Project, Archaeological Field Intern
- MaryPIRG, Intern and Coalition Coordinator
- Mona Shah & Silvers, Paralegal Intern
- National Aquarium in Baltimore, Intern
- National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), Intern
- Organizational Behavior Project, Center for International Development and Conflict Management, Intern
- Public Citizen, Democracy is for People Intern
- Senator Tim Johnson, Press Intern
- Smithsonian Institution, Intern
- The David C. Driskell Center, Art Registrar Intern
- The Fouta Coordination of Tostan International, Regional Volunteer
- Tony Whitehead and the Cultural Systems, Intern
- UMD Anthropology Teaching Laboratory, Intern
Sample list of opportunities:
- Handshake - check out job and internship openings for off-campus positions for UMD students
- UMD National Scholarships Office - review a listing of opportunities for UMD
- Federal government internships - links to openings and application tips
- Start your search with these tips
The UMD Department of Anthropology offers:
Prepare to apply: Tips to customize your resume, cover letter, etc.
Austria: Methods in Archaeology: Forensic Aviation Archaeology (ANTH).
BSOS Students Gain Experience Through:
Build Connections
After researching career paths, consider talking with people working in your field of interest to gain inside information. The links below provide sample events where you may be able to meet professionals in your field of interest. Use these opportunities to learn more about your field of interest, establish new networking contacts, and informational interviews.
- Career Events for BSOS students
- University Career Center Event Calendar
- Terrapins Connect, is an online platform that allows students’ virtual access to UMD alumni who have volunteered to share industry specific information and as well as conduct resume reviews, among other things.
- Use LinkedIn to locate alumni & recruiters
- Intern for a Day, matches students with professionals working in a field of interest to shadow for the day or offer informational interviews- offered in the fall and spring
- Get contact information: Employer & Industry notes for BSOS majors
Consider reviewing state and national Anthropology related associations to access career path information and even attend association sponsored events to network with professionals in your field of interest.
- Academy of Certified Archivists, information about government archivists
- American Anthropological Association
- American Institutes for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, includes publications, education, and specialty groups within the field of conservation
- American Planning Association, includes information events, education, resources, and jobs in the field of urban planning
- Archaeological Institute of America
- National Association for the Practice of Anthropology, offers publications, a careers listing, and a mentorship program
- Society of American Archaeology
- Society of American Archivists, information about archivists and archivist certification
- Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists (WAPA), is the oldest and largest regional association of professional anthropologists in the world today.
