Additional Information
Prepare to bury your nose in the textbooks if you want to become an anthropologist.
A PhD is the minimum requirement for a college or university position. That
takes at least four years of study after your bachelor's degree.
A bachelor's degree with a major in anthropology also takes four years
and most major universities offer it.
"Start by taking introductory university courses in anthropology and the
social sciences," says anthropologist Brian Schwimmer. "You should also take
a course in ethnography where you get intensive experience with one culture."
The American Anthropological Association publishes a guide to graduate
and undergraduate anthropology programs in the U.S. and Canada. It includes
all the names and research interests of all faculty members in the various
departments.
The guide is published annually and can be purchased from the American
Anthropological Association. You will also find a copy at any college or university
library.
Get as much fieldwork experience as you can while you're studying. "If
you're going to be an anthropologist, you have to go through a period of fieldwork,"
says Schwimmer.
Almost all fieldwork for beginners is unpaid, so don't expect to make any
money doing this.