Anthropology

Introductory courses recommended by faculty. Include at least one of these in your schedule:

Anthropology-Evolutionary Exploration Course(s) recommended by faculty. At least one of these will be included in your Fall schedule:

Your first year of college is an opportunity for you to explore fields of interest to enhance your understanding of yourself, the world around you, and your main academic and career goals. Think of your schedule as including courses you must take (English, courses to explore potential majors, etc.) and courses you can take (everything else!) All courses are part of your degree - if necessary, review the components of the SAS degree on this page.

Through these degree components, you will curate your own unique educational experience - but we understand that this level of flexibility and freedom can feel overwhelming for new students. Like a recommendation based on a book or TV show you enjoyed, the information below can help you identify related courses to consider in your first semester.

The Schedule of Classes provides information about the courses being offered in a particular semester. There are literally thousands of courses offered each semester at Rutgers, and you may find it helpful to narrow down your options by looking for courses in subjects related to your potential major or minor. Use the recommendations below to find possible introductory courses in other subjects. 

To find potential courses in other subjects related to this one:

1. On the Schedule of Classes, select the current term, location "New Brunswick" and level "undergraduate". Click continue.

2. In the Search By box, click the "search multiple subjects" link. Select the following departments:

History (510, 508, 512, 506)

Linguistics (615)

Geography (450)

Students considering this discipline are strongly encouraged to also incorporate the study of a world language into their Rutgers degree. This can be starting anew language or continuing a language per your World Language placement test results!

3. In Section Status, deselect Closed

4. In Level of Study, deselect 300 and 400. In general, 100 and 200 are appropriate for first-year students, 300 and 400 are often more appropriate for students with more familiarity with the subject. If you are interested in registering for a 300 or 400 level course, consult with an advisor before registering. 

Review these courses for possible inclusion in your first-semester schedule, or to consider for future semesters.

The Department offers 3 field summer field schools:

• Fez Ethnographic Field School Morocco
• Primatology, Wildlife Ecology, and Conservation in Kenya
• Primates, Ecology, and Conservation in Indonesia.

The Department also grants credit for several Rutgers-run field schools, or for outside field schools with pre-approval.

The Department currently runs four labs, including: ALMA – Department of Anthropology Laboratory of MicroArchaeology (Dr. Dan Cabanes) and Paleoenvironmental Research Laboratory (Dr. Craig Feibel). Many students gain experience through work in these labs.

Internships are encouraged. With pre-approval, students can pursue outside internships for credit, by registering for our 3-credit anthropology internship course and completing the arranged assessments.

The department runs a strong honors program. In the first semester, students conduct research with the supervision of an advisor; in the following semester they prepare and defend a thesis, as well as presenting their work in an honors symposium (an event which has run for 10 consecutive years). They earn honors levels according to the quality of their work.

Anthropology provides good preparation for jobs that involve people skills and require an understanding of cultural differences. Acquired observation and research skills lend to many different careers. Gaining relevant work experience through internships, practicum, part-time jobs, or volunteer positions is critical. Typically students take a general curriculum as an undergraduate and specialize through graduate studies. Employment opportunities with a bachelor’s degree are increased by minoring or double majoring in another career-compatible field such as sociology, business, urban planning or public administration.

Recent graduates have gone on to work in many areas, including research on bones at Ground Zero, field research in Africa, a position at the UN University in Europe, Forensics Director, Research Assistant in the Department of Anatomy at Midwestern University in Arizona, joint project between A&M’s Institute of Nautical Archaeology and the University of Zadar to excavate the Gnaliç shipwreck.