UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Welcome to the Department of Anthropology at Binghamton University! This site is designed to help Anthropology students get the most of out their undergraduate experience at Binghamton. It includes information on major requirements, as well as resources available to our majors and minors. You'll also find valuable tips on career planning and envisioning your future. Be sure to use these pages as an aid to your studies in anthropology; however, the site is not a substitute for advising. We encourage you to consult an Anthropology advisor on a regular basis to assist you in course and career planning.

What is Anthropology?

Anthropology is a broadly encompassing field within the social sciences that has undergone significant change over the last two or three decades. Formerly anthropologists focused on the study of non-western societies, and most anthropologists worked in universities or museums. Today, anthropologists engage in research in a wide variety of settings, urban to rural in the United States and beyond. The majority of professional anthropologists are today employed outside the academy (i.e., universities or museums) and work in a variety of capacities in government, industry, health care and more.

In broad terms, anthropology is the study of human populations and cultures in evolutionary, historical, and comparative frameworks. The curriculum promotes understanding the variety both of past and present human groups, the processes that underlie human biological and cultural development and change, and how human society and culture are maintained. Students learn and apply the research methods and theoretical ideas used by anthropologists in investigations of peoples and their cultures. Excavation and analysis of the remains of past cultures, observation of primate behavior, and examination of global social and cultural change are a few of the approaches anthropologists use to investigate the human way of life.  See here for the Bulletin listing for anthropology.

What can I do with a degree in Anthropology?

You were probably attracted to anthropology by its subject matter, but may be wondering how a degree in anthropology will prepare you for life beyond the university. While many of our former students go on to pursue graduate study in anthropology, many more use their undergraduate studies in anthropology as a springboard for advanced studies in other fields, or as a foundation for moving into careers directly from the baccalaureate degree.

Anthropology provides an excellent foundation for a wide array of careers. Based on an alumni survey (see below) conducted by the Department in 1993, our graduates have established successful careers in administration and management, government, education, law, library science, environmental fields, cultural resource management, health care (both in research and practice), social services, human resources, computer science, publishing, advertising, and in religious fields. The alumni who responded to our survey told us how the discipline's focus on the universality of the human condition has greatly contributed to their success in many different fields.

Practical skills you will acquire

Training in anthropology contributes to an awareness of human diversity and an enhanced ability to interact with people from a wide range of backgrounds. Anthropology course work aids in the development of writing skills. Not only do students learn how to communicate effectively, but they learn how to solve problems, think analytically, and evaluate information critically. Other useful skills that students can gain through anthropological training are quantitative, language and computer skills. We also encourage students to participate in "study abroad" programs, as well as workshops on research skills. The Department offers courses on research methods, both field- and lab-based, that give students first-hand experience in how to conduct anthropological research. Internships can be arranged for anthropology credit which give students the opportunity to apply anthropological skills in a work setting. Thus, a student who earns a degree in Anthropology gains a wide range of practical skills that are applicable in many career areas.

Envisioning your future

The Department of Anthropology encourages students to plan for their futures and explore the many paths that individuals can travel with a degree in Anthropology. The Department has compiled resources to help undergraduates gain a sense of life after graduation. These include a Career Resource Library that is maintained in the Department office (SI Room 137). The library includes information on internships, field schools, career opportunities, as well as an alumni network (graduates of our program who have agreed to be part of an information network for current students.) We also offer periodic workshops and seminars on career opportunities (see below).

Career Resource Library

Although the anthropologists with whom you have daily contact are academics, over 50% of all anthropology Ph.D.'s find employment outside the academy. An even larger number of BAs and MAs find jobs outside the academy. This growing group is relatively invisible to college students. The Career Resource Library is designed to help familiarize students with the variety of possible careers open to people with anthropological training. The collection of materials is maintained in the Department office (SI Room 137) and you may browse the collection at your leisure. Materials cover careers outside the field of anthropology as well as within it. Topics covered by these titles include how to utilize anthropological skills in industry, business, management, and health research; how to teach anthropology; careers as independent consultants; ethnographic research; preparing to become an applied anthropologist; and the nature of anthropological fieldwork. The Career Resource Library is available for students to browse any time the Department office is open. You may sign titles out for a limited period, but please be considerate--return signed out materials in a timely fashion.

Field Schools

The Department encourages students to participate in field schools. Through field schools students gain practical experience and learn methodological skills. The Career Resource Library includes information on field schools within the four subfields of anthropology. This collection of materials is a useful resource for students seeking field schools in varying geographical areas offered by a variety of institutions.

The Department typically offers a summer field school in archaeological field methods. The summer session course (Anth 371-372) offers training in research design, excavation techniques, mapping, surveying and artifact management. The Field School typically focuses on a site in the Binghamton area, and daily transportation is provided from the University to and from the site. For several years, the Field School has been held at the Thomas-Luckey site, located on the Chemung River in Ashland, New York. Work here has revealed much about the settlement and subsistence patterns of Owasco peoples (the precursors of the Iroquois). Field school training is often a prerequisite for finding employment in the field of Cultural Resource Management, or going on to other field research opportunities.

1999 Summer Field School at French Azilum

Internships

Practical knowledge and experience can also be gained through internship positions. Some interns earn money while they gain experience, while other internships involve voluntary service. Internships can help you sort out the kinds of careers that interest you, and equally, those that don't. You may think that a career in museums, human services, or health care is for you--an internship can help you sort out whether this is really the case, and if so, give you a clearer sense of the kinds of skills and training required to find employment in your chosen field. The Career Resource Library in the Department office includes some information on internships in anthropological fields, but you need to be creative in finding or creating internship opportunities.

Some students have located internships on the World Wide Web; you should also check with the Career Development Center; and the OCC offers competitive internships in a variety of community settings.

You can arrange to receive anthropology credit for an internship by registering for Anth 495. Four credits of Anth 495 may be counted toward major requirements. Internship projects can be arranged with an institution, program or agency, but must have an anthropological focus to qualify. To receive Anth 495 credit, the internship must be conducted under the guidance of an anthropology faculty member.

The Honors Program

Students who maintain an overall grade point of at least 3.2 and an average of at least 3.5 in their anthropology course work may apply to pursue the Honors Program in Anthropology. Honors are achieved by completing an Honors Thesis during the senior year. The thesis reports on an independent research project conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Honors is a good option for students planning to pursue graduate studies in anthropology because it helps you to develop research and writing skills that are valued by graduate schools, and will help you in future as you prepare theses and perhaps publications. More information on the Honors Program is available.

The Alumni Network

Another way to envision your future is to talk with people who have been in your situation--alumni of the Anthropology Department who have gone on to graduate school, or made careers outside of anthropology. In 1993 Anthropology students mailed questionnaires to graduates of Binghamton University's Department of Anthropology. This questionnaire generated a database of alumni who are willing to correspond with current undergraduates. The database--available in a binder in the Career Resource Library in the Anthropology Department Office (SI-137)--lists alumni's current jobs, their advice to current students, and their perspectives on how anthropology has contributed to what they are doing today. Take the time to read through the `Advice Bank' section of the Alumni survey for tips from people who have been where you are! This information is helpful in deciding the kinds of courses you should take while here, and in envisioning life beyond the university. We encourage you to take advantage of this resource, which we plan to update periodically.

Speakers and Presentations

Each year the Department of Anthropology hosts speakers from both within and outside the University. Students are welcome to join such talks to learn about the work of anthropologists and individuals in related fields. Undergraduates are encouraged to attend these talks, some of which are oriented toward career issues. For those of you who are graduate school bound, we offer annual workshops on: how to select a graduate program; develop a curriculum vitae (the academic equivalent of a resume); as well as panel discussions led by current graduate students. We periodically invite speakers who have a background in anthropology but who work in fields such as health care, education, social services and so on, to talk with students about their career trajectories and how anthropology contributes to what they do today. We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to help you envision your future.

The Department also holds a "brown bag" series. Within this forum, faculty and students in the department discuss their current research. This is an excellent opportunity for students to get to know their peers and mentors, and learn about ongoing research in the Department. Undergraduates are welcome at all such Department events.

Volunteer Research Opportunities

A final way to envision your future and gain experience in anthropological research is through volunteer participation in faculty research. Many of us have ongoing research projects and can accommodate volunteers to help with data processing, data entry and more. These opportunities provide valuable research experience, enable you to get to know faculty members on a one-to-one basis, and may lead to independent research projects, and sometimes opportunities for honors research. Look to the Undergraduate Newsletter for faculty who are seeking assistance, or simply approach faculty members or the Directors of the Public Archaeology Facility or Archaeological Analytical Research Facilityto inquire about volunteer opportunities. If you have archaeological experience, you might, for example, volunteer on the Community Archaeology Program, a two-week program which operates during the summer and offers non-archaeologists over the age of 15 an opportunity to participate in excavations alongside trained archaeologists. Occasionally graduate students look for undergraduate volunteers to assist in research as well. Members of the Anthropology Graduate Organization (AGO) can help you get in touch with students looking for volunteers.

Department Facilities

The Department is home to two research facilities, the Public Archaeology Facility and the Archaeological Analytical Research Facility.

The Public Archaeology Facility (PAF)
Public Archaeology is primarily a research facility associated with the Department of Anthropology (SI-146). It plays an important role in student training as well. The Director of the Facility is Dr. Nina Versaggi, an alumna of Binghamton University. PAF oversees and administers cultural resource management projects throughout New York and Pennsylvania, projects that involve field and laboratory research, as well as production of reports for state and local officials. PAF may have opportunities for volunteers, internships, and some undergraduates who have taken the archaeology field and lab courses have worked for PAF on a part-time basis.

Archaeological Analytical Research Facility (AARF)
The Archaeological Analytical Research Facility supports archaeological research in the Department. The AARF laboratory (SI-201 & 205) houses research and teaching collections, with an emphasis on zooarchaeology. Laboratory based classes in zooarchaeology draw on the facility's collections, and volunteer and internship opportunities are available to students through AARF. Contact Dr. Peter Stahl, Director of AARF.

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