Are you looking to broaden your career in Anthropology or add to your current undergraduate degree? A postgraduate course in Anthropology might be the right fit for you.
While you might have an undergraduate degree in a related field, it is important to know the basics of anthropology, so learning as much as you can about the topic is necessary. It is important to know exactly what you’re delving into.
What exactly is anthropology?
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity. It focuses on human behaviour, human biology and societies in both the past and present and includes past human species. Anthropologists take a broad approach to understanding the many different aspects of the human experience, known as holism.
In recent years, anthropology departments across Britain have expanded the range of postgraduate degree courses offered in anthropology. They range from Anthropology of Childhood, Digital Anthropology, Forensics, and Environmental Anthropology among others.
To help you get a better understanding of some of the options, here are examples to give you a taster of the courses on offer.
Anthropology of Childhood
Courses focusing on the Anthropology of Childhood looks at historical perceptions of childhood in different parts of the world. The effect of different worlds, cultures, social and cultural practices and education on a child’s upbringing may be looked at researched. Such courses may focus on the importance of children’s and youth’s perspectives on the effects of different aspects on a child’s upbringing.
Digital Anthropology courses will help students to be equipped with the skills to critique and analyse social and cultural aspect of the digital world. These include social media, online politics data and more.
A course in social anthropology focuses on a thorough grounding of the subject both in terms of its ethnographic diversity and its theoretical development. Courses look at the diversity of human social and cultural experience in an aim to view the world from a different perspective. Social anthropology believes humans are considered as social beings and their behaviours depend on the world around them.
Courses in biological anthropology look at the biological behaviours of human beings and evolution. You will research the biological reasons humans act the way they do as opposed to the social aspects. A knowledge of statistics would be helpful due to the research that may be carried out and documented.
Each course differs in their entry requirements from university to university but an honours degree in anthropology or a related field are often required. Related fields may include zoology, psychology, sociology and biology. However, some courses are aimed at those with little to no experience in anthropology.
Specific requirements for each course can be found on University websites.
Anthropology can open many different doors as it offers knowledge of the world and human species that a lot of the world may not have. Often anthropologists do not follow linear career paths, but become involved in various projects in frequently overlapping career sectors. Becoming an anthropologist means you must be willing to adapt and explore many different career options while also applying your skills and knowledge in certain jobs and sectors.
- International development to medicine
Skills and requirements
- Strong communication
- An interest in human behaviour
- Research skills
- Use your own initiative
- Work well with others
- Critical thinker
- Be able to generate information
- Make informed decisions
- Attention to detail
- Social ease in strange situations