Undergraduate

The Department of Anthropology is committed to a multidimensional inquiry into what it is to be human—past and present, nearby and distant.

Why study anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of everything human. As a broad study of the human experience, anthropology is the most scientific field in the humanities and the most humanistic field in the sciences. As an anthropology student, you can explore cultural, biological, linguistic, and archeological perspectives in a uniquely integrative approach through:

• engaging courses,
• in research labs,
• and in independent fieldwork
• you can create experiences and apply perspectives that are needed by every successful global career path.

Join our premier undergraduate anthropology program with unparalleled resources to explore human experiences in one of the most flexible and engaged departments on campus!

ND Anthropology alumni show how an anthropology major or minor signals value to a wide variety of job markets. The American Anthropological Association's career page and recent anthropology careers video are other excellent resources for updates, stories, and statistics on cutting-edge career paths for anthropology students.

Programs offered

We offer an anthropology major, minor, and honors track. You can also focus your studies in one of our two concentrations: 1) Health & Culture, which includes medical anthropology, bioanthropology, and science & technology studies and 2) Business Anthropology, which includes global trade, cultural marketing, and design anthropology.

For example, concentrating on the interaction between design and anthropology is one of the hottest career trends. Anthropology majors are in demand as user experience specialists in technology companies, independent consultants for NGOs, and qualitative researchers for global organizations. Employers know anthropology students are able to navigate the complexity of human experiences and can integrate the countless skills they learned as anthropology students, including:

• Proven experience working with and among people
• Ethnographic methods such as participant observation
• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Focused interviewing
• Critical engagement
• Language fluency
• Cultural competency
• Organizational understanding

The perspectives you gain from anthropology are incredibly valuable in understanding complex global issues through the integrated lens of the human past, biology, communication, and culture.

What opportunities will I have while studying anthropology?

To explore the anthropology major or minor, introductory classes like Global Cultural Worlds and Mysteries of the Past are great ways to start learning about anthropology and getting to know our amazing faculty. Join the Anthropology Club, write for Anthrocentric, meet a graduate mentor, or get started on your own independent research project.

There are many other student opportunities in anthropology through:

• Study abroad
• Internships
• Senior thesis
• Honors society and awards

Our student stories show some of the exciting paths towards the entire range of the field of anthropology.