Anthropology
Anthropology
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
Concentrations Offered
Forensic Anthropology, Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology
Top 5 Reasons to Study
Core
Skills
- Learn how to collect data through diverse methods ranging from excavating archaeological sites and building missing persons profiles to designing surveys, and analyze these data to identify meaningful patterns.
- Identify questions about human lives and experiences, and design research to better understand and help solve real-world human problems.
- Develop keen problem-solving and critical thinking skills for managing, evaluating, and interpreting big data about human experiences, past and present and around the globe.
- Comprehend human behavior, biology, and culture through designing and conducting both quantitative and qualitative research, from interviews to biological profile and archaeological excavations.
- Strong and clear writing, great attention to detail, rich observation, analytical reading, and cross-cultural understanding, as well as creative, outside-the-box and clear-thinking.
Sample
Jobs
- Archaeologist: Median salary: $64,910 (exceeds US median wage by more than $15,000) (US job growth: 3.7%)
- FBI Special Agent: Median salary: $137,933 (U.S. job growth: 5%)
- Global health program manager: Median salary: $152,000 (U.S. job growth: 18%)
- Forensic anthropologist: Median salary: $81,000 (U.S. job growth: 4%)
- Cultural strategist and User experience (UX) researcher: Median salary: $113,000 (U.S. job growth: 7%) (All data: U.S. Department of Labor)
Top
Employment
Industries
- Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management
- Corporate and Business: Market Research, Product Development, Business Consultant and Cultural Strategist
- Health: Community Health, Public Health, Global Health and Epidemiology
- Museums, Research Laboratories, and K-12 Schools and Colleges
- Government and NGOs: International Development, Natural Resource Development, Defense and Security and Community-Based Organizations.
Brag
Points
- 5th Best Science Job (Anthropology) according to U.S. News and World Report 2024-2025 Rankings.
- The job outlook is stable: Corporations will continue to need anthropological research to better understand consumer demand, while archaeologists will be needed to ensure that construction builders and organizations correctly preserve artifacts.
- Most people with careers in anthropology are happy and highly satisfied—because their jobs are meaningful, enjoyable and well suited to their personalities—compared to more than 75% of all other professions.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
All your anthropology classes will include hands-on and problem-based learning to develop widely applicable technical skills and a richer understanding of human experiences, past and present. These learning opportunities include designing and conducting small-scale research projects that translate into research presentations and virtual reality and the 3D handling of artifacts and replicas of human and primate skeletons. You'll directly participate in the activities of human communities to gain rich and evidence-based cross-cultural understandings. Anthropology also offers you hands-on, field-based courses each summer to gain vital skills in archaeological and biological anthropology methods, like excavation, that translate directly into employment. Each faculty member in anthropology offers research experiences for our undergraduate students in the labs and within their research projects.
Anthropology
2025-2026 Major Map
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
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Alumni
Success
- Consistent placement of BA graduates in employment in the area of their choosing and training soon after graduation.
- Numerous undergraduate students regularly conduct independent research and present their findings at national and international professional conferences.
- BA graduates are reliably admitted to MA, Ph.D., DPhil, JD, and DTh advanced degree programs at top-tier universities, in the U.S. and internationally, and with full funding for the entire time of their study.
- Multiple BA graduates have won state, regional, and national-level professional, service, teaching and research awards in their fields.
- Many undergraduate students have published their research in journals and books and co-authored research with graduate students, staff and faculty in the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures.
Student
Testimonial
"From the time that I joined the anthropology department at MSU, I was not only receiving a personalized education in my field of study but working with federal agencies of multiple nations to conduct important archaeological research spanning the breadth of human history. From creating databases of local Mississippi cultural resources to excavating the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens in Morocco, my time with MSU's Anthropology Department gave me pivotal experience for my career in the public sector of archaeology and for my recent acceptance--and full funding or 'free ride' as a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan, the number one program in the country."
-Jesse Weaver
"Without the knowledge and experience I gained from the professors and staff, I would not have been a successful, prepared and accomplished student."
- Larra Diboyan
“As a first-generation, non-traditional student and veteran, the Department of Anthropology at Mississippi State gave me the foundation and support to succeed in archaeology. I completed both my undergraduate and master’s degrees there, and that training prepared me to go on to and complete my Ph.D., and step into a faculty position at a university.”
- Jim Strawn
"My training in the Department of Anthropology, including hands-on archaeological fieldwork, provided me with a strong foundation for graduate study at Northwestern University, where I am now getting my Ph.D. Additionally, the close mentorship and collaborative relationships between faculty and graduate students helped me to understand the expectations of academia and how to navigate challenges with confidence. These experiences have been especially valuable in shaping my academic journey and contributing to my success in graduate school."
- Racheal Oyundoyin
"My undergrad experience was a direct contributor to all of my graduate and career successes. The program and professors provided me with the education and experience in the lab, the field, and classroom to prepare me for graduate school or the job market and excel in any situation. The professors were always engaged with the students and trying to uncover unique opportunities to further students' successes and individual academic goals."
- Cody Carr
"As a BA student in Anthropology, I was supported by a wonderful community of faculty and staff who are invested in their students' success. From AMEC undergrad, to my master's program and working in CRM archaeology, my former professors have helped me tremendously on my academic journey."
- Nikki Wu