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Study Anthropology. Do Anything.

What can I do with an Anthropology major?

Anthropology majors learn global, cultural, and holistic perspectives that are vital for every career path. Because they engage directly with people in communities throughout the world, in bioanthropology labs, archaeological sites, and ethnographic fields, the methods anthropology majors learn apply to cutting-edge careers from international health fields to user experience research. Anthropologists excel in transnational organizations, forensic institutes, private companies, and medical centers and beyond. Our anthropology alumni truly study everything and do anything

Skills you'll learn

Effective communication
Strong writing
Collaborative teamwork
Cross-cultural competency
Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
Experience applying knowledge to real-world settings
Qualitative research, design thinking, and user experience methods
Quantitative analysis, forensic research, and laboratory methods
Ethical judgment and decision making
Ability to analyze and solve problems with people from different backgrounds

Anthropology Skill Mapping

Mary Pacheco ’20

Supported Education and Employment Specialist, Stanford University School of Medicine

“From linguistics to evolution, current events to health, food culture to environmental justice — everything I was curious about had a place in anthropology," says Mary Pacheco, an anthropology major who now works in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

"Anthropology taught me how to have nuanced conversations, ask better questions, and build rapport across differences, which benefits me every single day. Whether I’m in a professional setting or a casual conversation, I feel confident engaging on a wide range of topics — culture, biology, language, history — because I’ve built a foundation across all of them."

Mary Pacheco ’20

Supported Education and Employment Specialist, Stanford University School of Medicine

“From linguistics to evolution, current events to health, food culture to environmental justice — everything I was curious about had a place in anthropology," says Mary Pacheco, an anthropology major who now works in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

"Anthropology taught me how to have nuanced conversations, ask better questions, and build rapport across differences, which benefits me every single day. Whether I’m in a professional setting or a casual conversation, I feel confident engaging on a wide range of topics — culture, biology, language, history — because I’ve built a foundation across all of them."
Daniel Schmitt ’11

Orthopedic Surgeon

Daniel Schmitt, an anthropology and biology major, relies on his liberal arts education to connect with his diverse patient base and treat them comprehensively.

“My anthropology major has been invaluable thus far in my career as a physician,” Schmitt says. “Working at a hospital that largely treats underserved communities with socioeconomic backgrounds much different than mine, my anthropology experience has allowed me to appreciate the diverse worldviews of those I care for, enabling me to give the patient and their families the best care possible.”
Madeline Boyer ’09

Researcher and Facilitator, KPMG Innovation Labs

“Business is my object of study, but anthropology has always provided that lens, the way in which I look at the business world. Anthropology gives me that different way of looking at it than most people do,” says Madeline Boyer, an anthropology and business major who went on to complete a Ph.D in Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania.

“It’s not just that I know different things because I took liberal arts courses, but I also think differently. I ask different types of questions and I challenge us to question assumptions because I have that much broader experience from my liberal arts background.”
Kyle Bocinsky ’08

Director of the Research Institute and William D. Lipe Chair in Research at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center

After graduating from Notre Dame, Kyle Bocinsky went on to get a Ph.D. in anthropology and now works as a computational anthropologist interested in human responses to environmental change.

“The research opportunities open to Notre Dame undergraduates are phenomenal, especially in anthropology,” he says. “I don’t know of any place else where I would have been able to work across multiple departments, have access to state-of-the-art labs, and learn the analytical methods that are so important to the research I do now.”
Stephanie Sluka Brauer ’97

Global Funding Director, Space for Giants

Anthropology alumna Stephanie Sluka Brauer serves as Space for Giant's Global Funding Director, applying the experience she gained from working at the juncture of philanthropy, aid funding, and international development over the last 30 years. She has overseen funding efforts for organizations working across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and ran her own NGO, Spheres of Exchange, to support refugee and immigrant groups in the U.S.

97% of recent Notre Dame Anthropology majors found success within six months of graduation.

49% find full-time jobs

Admissions officer, St. Olaf College
Analyst, Petsky Prunier
Archives technician, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Assistant director of development, Little Sisters of the Poor
Associate buyer, Target
Associate, Robert Walters
Clinical informatics specialist, Oak Street Health
Clinical research coordinator, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Consultant, Huron Consulting Group
Customer success manager, Greenlight Guru
Field technician, PaleoWest
Latin teacher, Cathedral High School
Newsletter intern, The Dallas Morning News
Paralegal, Cohen Milstein
Program aide, Picuris Pueblo Education Department
Project manager, Boston Art Inc.
Research assistant, University of California at San Diego
Spatial experience designer, Haworth
Teacher, Cristo Rey Saint Martin College Prep
Youth development programmer, Boys and Girls Club

Our anthropology alumni graduate with a collaborative skill set of interrelated methods based on critically-needed holistic perspectives.

Anthropology majors are sought by transnational corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. Our alumni embody the crucial skills and talents that are invaluable for employers in every career path.

30% go to graduate or professional school

Anthropology: Louisiana State University, University of Maryland, Mississippi State University, University of South Florida
Biomedical science: University of Texas
Communication sciences and disorders: Northern Arizona University
Curriculum and instruction: Boston College
Global health: Trinity College Dublin
Human paleobiology: George Washington University
International human rights: University of Denver
Law: University of Columbia, University of Georgia
Linguistics: University of California, Berkeley
Medicine: Loyola University Chicago, Rutgers University, University of Arkansas, University of Florida, University of Virginia
Museum studies: University College London
Public history and cultural heritage: Trinity College Dublin
Public policy and philosophy: George Washington University
Social work: University of Michigan
Urban design: University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Pursuing and advanced degree in graduate or professional school after earning an Anthropology degree offers unparalleled opportunities to explore the depths of human experience and focus on the places and passions our majors developed as an undergraduate.

The senior thesis in anthropology is an excellent way for students to prepare for graduate research. It can also provide a means of pursuing unique interests not covered in the traditional curriculum. Anthropology thesis writers demonstrate their advanced ability to conduct independent studies and the development of skills in research, analysis, and writing.

10% enter service programs

Alliance for Catholic Education, San Antonio, Texas
AmeriCorps, San Francisco
Fulbright Student Program, Mexico
House of Brigid, Wexford, Ireland
Pacific Alliance for Catholic Education, Honolulu, Hawaii
Teach for America, Chicago
Pathways Development Initiative , Uganda
Teach for America, New Orleans, Louisiana

Anthropology majors benefit from uniquely transformative experiences that provide invaluable transferable skills to serve locally and globally while honing their wide-ranging career trajectories.

Every year, approximately 20 percent of the graduating senior class in Arts and Letters make a one- to two-year commitment to serve in areas such as public and private education, family and children services, after-school programs, developing countries, and non-governmental organizations.

8% launch independent projects

Note: Outcomes data comes from First Destination reports, a survey of recent graduates conducted by the Notre Dame Center for Career Development and Office of Strategic Planning and Institutional Research. Status is known for more than 90% of each graduating class.

Independent projects include activities such as writing a novel, making a film or fine arts project, completing an internship, traveling the world, caring for a family member, etc.