Has anyone majored (or is majoring) in Anthropology? - Page 2

[Jcookie1982]

I'm an Antrho major in my second year of school. I plan on going for my Masters and possibly a PHD after I complete my bachelors, but it will take me a while with 3 kids! I am a SAHM so I have plenty of time, and I would rather do it slowly than not at all. I went to college right after high school 10 years ago, but didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life/major in, and ended up dropping out. I did take an Anthropology class back then and LOVED it, but never considered it as a career. I would love to be able to work at a museum one day.

[KaylaBeanie]

I forgot about this thread! I've come to the conclusion that I have no idea whatsoever what I want to do in life

I've definitively decided on majoring in Anthropology (emphasis in Archeology and/or Physical) and minoring in Environmental Studies. Since I have no clue what I want to do with my life career-wise, I am just going to study what interests me. I love people and history, and I love the environment. These days, there are very few degrees that guarantee one job (education, nursing and engineering are the only ones I can think of), it's just HAVING an undergraduate degree that counts.

[AutumnW]

I'm an anth undergraduate planning on going through phd level. My dh is about to start his masters in anth as well and I'm hoping he'll keep going through phd. Dh still isn't sure what his focus will be but I'm all about the physical/biological anth and archaeology. I just need to decide if I like historical or pre-historical better.

[Ianthe]

I am majoring in Anthropology!!! I am still working on my undergrad.

What I want to do with it is all research and academia, writing a book or two one day. So at least a Masters, probably a PhD

[sparklett]

Originally Posted by KaylaBeanie

Louise, thank you SO much for your story! My number one passion in life is women's health care, midwifery in particular, so it's wonderful to know that anthropology and health are complimentary

You should read Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives. You'd love it.

I have a minor in anthropology becuase it's just something I love. I'm starting my second master's this fall and will be studying human ecology, which is a somewhat obscure branch of anthro.

A friend has an MS in anthro and has been doing pretty well in the museum field. Her husband also has an MS in anthro. and is working in his chosen profession as well.

I have a few friends who have bachelor's degrees in anthro. and they have careers as "shovel bums", which are people who monitor construction sites for archaeological findings. That market has been impacted by the economy and a few friends have gone on to seek MA's in other fields.

[conniebonnie]

Im right with you OP! Im still working (ever so slowly) on my undergrad, and plan to go on right through phd, specifically in medical anthropology, studying birth and women and rights of puberty and menarchy and all that jazz.

Im also a stay at home mom and a student midwife apprenticing with a local CPM . my time goal timeline looks like this
finish my apprenticeship
have a nother baby,
sit for the narm ,
buy a farm- dh graduates
start my own midwifery practice
finish my undergraduate
start looking for a masters or phd program.

cheers to us!

[blake201]

I majored in Social Anthro (joint with art) and have many friends who did, and we're mostly doing great... but none of us are doing anthropology. Only one of the friends got a doctorate in anthro and he was unable to find a teaching position. I NEVER for a moment regret majoring in anthro, though--I think it underlies the way I think about everything. It's not as if English majors or other similar majors always relate directly to careers anyway.

So of my anthro-major friends:
* I'm a graphic designer
* One is a reporter for a major newspaper (he also got an M.Phil in Anthro)
* One is a political cartoonist
* One is a consultant (she got an MBA)

[Ianthe]

How's everyone's studies going so far? I have all anthro classes this semester and am LOVING it!

[slsurface]

I have a PhD in Anthro, with a specialization in North American Archaeology. I started with a double BA major in Anthro and Geology, which took 4 years. It took me another 9 years to complete my MA and PhD. The academic job market stinks right now, so I'm a bit jaded. I am currently underemployed at a community college where I teach Anthro courses. I love teaching, just wish it paid better. Ideally, I would like a position where I had support to do research as well teach. I don't really get any benefits or laboratory space where I'm at. I'd love to train students in field and laboratory methods.

I waited to have my first kid towards the end of my PhD and had my second after I completed my degree. Had I known what a life-changing event childbirth and motherhood were sooner in my life, I think I would have specialized in Medical Anthropology. If I had it to do all over again, I would do my PhD on the medicalization of birth in America, rather than archaeology.

As far as "using" your BA in anthro...well...the truth is that almost no one uses their undergraduate degrees these days, regardless of what it is in. Think of a BA degree as a way to learn the critical thinking abilities - these are skills that any employer looks for.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by slsurface

I have a PhD in Anthro, with a specialization in North American Archaeology. I started with a double BA major in Anthro and Geology, which took 4 years. It took me another 9 years to complete my MA and PhD. The academic job market stinks right now, so I'm a bit jaded. I am currently underemployed at a community college where I teach Anthro courses. I love teaching, just wish it paid better. Ideally, I would like a position where I had support to do research as well teach. I don't really get any benefits or laboratory space where I'm at. I'd love to train students in field and laboratory methods.

I waited to have my first kid towards the end of my PhD and had my second after I completed my degree. Had I known what a life-changing event childbirth and motherhood were sooner in my life, I think I would have specialized in Medical Anthropology. If I had it to do all over again, I would do my PhD on the medicalization of birth in America, rather than archaeology.

As far as "using" your BA in anthro...well...the truth is that almost no one uses their undergraduate degrees these days, regardless of what it is in. Think of a BA degree as a way to learn the critical thinking abilities - these are skills that any employer looks for.

You should try to come to Utah State Uni! I think they are trying to expand the anthro program here

I am glad (and sad) that I waited to start my program after having kids.. I want to go into the anthropology of breastfeeding, birth and parenting. (If you have any recommendations for a graduate program, that would be so totally welcome. So far I am leaning towards Oregon State and Washington State) I am sad about waiting because I soooo want to go to Field school, and I can't since my kiddos are still so young (3 and 1).

[Dar]

Originally Posted by Ianthe

(If you have any recommendations for a graduate program, that would be so totally welcome. So far I am leaning towards Oregon State and Washington State)

I'd figure out who you want to work with, and then find out where they are and check out the programs. Whose articles inspire you? Whose research interests you?

[KaylaBeanie]

I'm taking an archaeology pre-req this semester (along with other boring general studies) and I'm not loving it. I wonder if I'd be better doing my emphasis in cultural instead.

[Contrariety]

nak. I finished my BA in Cultural anthro the semester i found out I was pg with DS. I had planned on going to midwifery school and then somehow marrying the two together eventually, probably in some research capacity while working on my masters/phd.

Increasingly, I feel less compelled to return to anthro. If I were to go back to school now, I'd probably get another bachelor's in diveristy or gender studies and try to work in that field somehow... something that I could still come home to my kids every night with, you know?

as is, I use my degree every day to raise my children. I would NEVER be rearing my kids the way I do if it weren't for my anthro studies, which I tried as much as possible to focus on women/children with what was available at my school.

If you asked me before i went to college if I would have breastfed (especially extended BF), that would have been a resounding no way in hell, as it really squicked me out. Wouldn't have worn my babies, probably wouldn't have homebirthed, most likely wouldn't have co-slept either... good chance I would have circed, etc.

i'm not entirely sure there is a future in anthro for me that is compatible with raising my kids for the next 20 years, but... I'll still be young enough to return to if I feel the call after the kids are out of the house.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Dar

I'd figure out who you want to work with, and then find out where they are and check out the programs. Whose articles inspire you? Whose research interests you?

Well, let's see.. so far I know of 4 universities that have professors that are doing what I want to do. Those are Oregon State (Melissa Cheyney a medical anthropologist who is also a homebirth midwife, and studies birthing, reproduction, breastfeeding, etc), Washington State in Pullman (many professors who focus on mother/infant areas), Notre Dame (James McKenna, an anthropologist studying mother/infant sleep patterns), and University of Delaware has Katherine A. Dettwyler, a breastfeeding anthropologist. I am pretty certain that I can convince DH to move to Oregon or Washington.. I am not so sure about Illinois or Delaware.. they are really, really far, lol.

ETA: Never mind of Notre Dame.. looks like they don't have a masters program, only undergrad

[Dar]

Well, Kathy Dettwyler's not actually breastfeeding anymore... I think her youngest is in his twenties now.

It sounds like you're more interested in the biological side of med anth, which is not me... I know a lot of people working more in the cultural domain of birth and fertility issues. I also know one professor (not at my university) working in this area whom I would NOT want to work with - she's nowhere you've mentioned so far, but she does do more biological stuff...PM if you want more info.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Dar

Well, Kathy Dettwyler's not actually breastfeeding anymore... I think her youngest is in his twenties now.

It sounds like you're more interested in the biological side of med anth, which is not me... I know a lot of people working more in the cultural domain of birth and fertility issues. I also know one professor (not at my university) working in this area whom I would NOT want to work with - she's nowhere you've mentioned so far, but she does do more biological stuff...PM if you want more info.

LOL.. I didn't mean she is an anthropologist who is currently breastfeeding, I meant an anthropologist who has studied and focused on breastfeeding.

I would rather do my emphasis on the cultural aspect, but would consider biocultural too.

PMing you

[Unoppressed MAMA Q]

Must de-lurk to say hey!

I'm back in school this semester to finish my (cultural) anth BA. Unfortunately, it is really kicking me hard, and the adjustment to school-as-major-priority is not going well for me. I stuck my homeschooled babies into school so I could make it happen, but it's still sucking me dry and I'm a major caffeine junkie.

I'm telling myself 'one semester at a time', like I'm in AA or something. But my work is crap and I'm faking it to make it, for sure. I am really, really not feeling the pull in so many different directions. I want to quit, but then I'd be miserable, too. Waaahhh. I wish I had signed up half-time, that would have made more sense, but I want to graduate, dammit!

My baby-daddy has an anth BA and manages to keep us alive financially as a shovel bum, but it's not glorious. I tell my fellow classmates that if you want to do that route, you might consider buying an RV and mating with a fellow shovel bum. You can rad unschool the kids by following each other around and alternating jobs, so everyone keeps their brain sharp and is never far from their babies for long. I'm not into the archaeo aspect of things so much, I'm fully intending to incorporate my DIY childbirth ambitions into a senior project and beyond. As late as last month I figured I'd go to grad school soon, but now I don't even want to think about it until my kids are grown.

I miss my babies just being in class two nights a week. I feel so torn, like my intellectual needs are at war with my instinctual needs to care for my offspring.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Unoppressed MAMA Q

Must de-lurk to say hey!

I'm back in school this semester to finish my (cultural) anth BA. Unfortunately, it is really kicking me hard, and the adjustment to school-as-major-priority is not going well for me. I stuck my homeschooled babies into school so I could make it happen, but it's still sucking me dry and I'm a major caffeine junkie.

I'm telling myself 'one semester at a time', like I'm in AA or something. But my work is crap and I'm faking it to make it, for sure. I am really, really not feeling the pull in so many different directions. I want to quit, but then I'd be miserable, too. Waaahhh. I wish I had signed up half-time, that would have made more sense, but I want to graduate, dammit!

My baby-daddy has an anth BA and manages to keep us alive financially as a shovel bum, but it's not glorious. I tell my fellow classmates that if you want to do that route, you might consider buying an RV and mating with a fellow shovel bum. You can rad unschool the kids by following each other around and alternating jobs, so everyone keeps their brain sharp and is never far from their babies for long. I'm not into the archaeo aspect of things so much, I'm fully intending to incorporate my DIY childbirth ambitions into a senior project and beyond. As late as last month I figured I'd go to grad school soon, but now I don't even want to think about it until my kids are grown.

I miss my babies just being in class two nights a week. I feel so torn, like my intellectual needs are at war with my instinctual needs to care for my offspring.

Hey, welcome! That sounds like a fun gig to be a shovel bum with the family.. but I hear you, I am much more interested in cultural than Arch.

Sorry you are having a rough go at it.. how old are your kids? Mine are 3 and 1... my 3yo is in preschool and my 1yo stays home with DH during my classes and seems to be handling it very well so far. I was pretty worried.
-------------------

In my news, I should be getting into the Anthro Honors program at my school! And the professor that I met with was super pleasantly surprised by me and my interests (His field is anthro of childhood) and is going to be my mentor I am soo excited and also VERY VERY nervous about the extra work and the senior thesis!

[Hoopin' Mama]

I have a B.A. in Anthropology and I took the archaeology field school. I have a career as a research analyst with an excellent cultural resource management firm in the Southwest. I focused on fieldwork until I had ds, and then was given the opportunity to train for an analyst position.
I love my job and where I work. I do not make enough money to support my family on my income alone, although many people here with higher degrees do.

Unless you have a spouse who has a flexible job or stays at home, fieldwork with children can be difficult. It's just not a schedule that is flexible like being in the lab, it's a rigorous schedule with firm deadlines. I miss it

[Ianthe]

You know, I think this thread can become a really great resource! I love how there are different levels of Anthropology represented in here: undergrads, those still in grad school, and those out in the field or post-grad. I love it!