Resources for Students
Careers in Practicing Anthropology
Networking
Distance Learning Opportunities at the Graduate Level
NAPA Resources on Preparing for a Career
Other Resources
Careers in Practicing Anthropology
Online Video
Northern Arizona University has developed a series of video clips about different career options for students in applied anthropology programs. Careers described include medical anthropology, cultural resource management, and environmental anthropology.
Career DVDs
The American Anthropological Association sells two DVDs on careers in anthropology. The first compiles and extends the online video clips mentioned above.
NAPA Bulletin 26. Making History at the Frontier: Women Creating Careers as Practicing Anthropologists.
Eleven practitioners tell the stories of their work lives, and how work and personal strands are intertwined. The lessons learned are useful for both men and women considering a career in practice. Available through AnthroSource, an electronic database of journals. Most universities subscribe to AnthroSource, and it is also a benefit of membership in the American Anthropological Association.
NAPA Bulletin 20. Careers in Anthropology: Profiles of Practitioner Anthropologists.
Includes sections on the private sector; policy, human rights, and advocacy; government, human service, and museums; international development; and academically based work. Available through AnthroSource, an electronic database of journals. Most universities subscribe to AnthroSource, and it is also a benefit of membership in the American Anthropological Association.
Networking
If you are a student planning a career in practice, you should start to network in the applied anthropology community, especially with professionals who have similar interests. Networking will help you learn more about the field, and develop connections that help you obtain internships and jobs.
There are a number of professional associations for applied anthropologists; see our page on this topic. Explore the websites of relevant associations, and consider going to their meetings. Also look at the sections that comprise the AAA; you may find some that match your interests, such as the Society for Medical Anthropology.
Finally, there are many email lists focused on particular applied specialties, from environmental anthropology to design anthropology. They are a great way to connect to a community. You can find these email lists through the association websites, through Google searches, and by networking with professionals in your area of interest.
Distance Learning Opportunities at the Graduate Level
Web-based instruction offers an educational opportunity to people who are prevented by their geographic location as well as work and family situations from attending a traditional on-campus graduate program.
See this page for a listing of online graduate courses.
NAPA Resources on Preparing for a Career
The National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) offers a variety of useful resources for students on its website. Here are links to the key items.
- Preparing for Professional Careers in Anthropology
- Essentially the PowerPoint presentation from a 1997 workshop at the American Anthropological Association meeting. Comprehensive coverage of topics.
- Mentor Match
- NAPA can assist students with their career goals by linking them with a practicing anthropologist.
- List of Internships
- Organizations that offer internships, listed by category.
- More Information about Internships
- Expectations of interns and sponsoring organizations; how to create your own internship or practicum opportunity; and more internship links.
- Resume Writing
- Helpful tips, descriptions of the two types of resumes, and samples.
- Top of the page
Other Resources
- Archaeology Fieldwork.com
- A forum with job listings, resume posting, a students’ corner, and other resources.
- Anthropology News (available to members of the American Anthropological Association)
- The monthly newspaper of the AAA often has articles about practicing and applied anthropology. In particular, the NAPA Column features a "Practitioner Profile" each month, and also includes other information of interest to students preparing for an applied career.
- Applied Anthropology Field School in Malta
- Led by Dr. Marc Vanlangendonck of the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. As a consequence of its location at the crossroads of maritime routes between Europe, Africa and Asia, Malta has always been strategically important. Many different cultures have set foot on the islands… At the same time, Malta has a perfectly English-speaking population. This enhances accessibility for foreign researchers… Plenty of possibilities for interesting field research are available: from architectural and religious sites to tourism and ethnic relations.
