Watch THIS Before Majoring In Anthropology (an attempt to dissuade you) | The Cons of Anthropology
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.พ. 2023
- This video is an attempt to dissuade you from majoring in anthropology. Choosing what to major in can be a big decision and anthropology is not the major for everyone. In this video, we will talk finance, job market, isolation, travel, and more. If you can look past the cons of an anthropology major, then this could be the career path for you!
Who am I? My name is Alivia Brown and I am a recent UCLA Anthropology graduate on a mission to find a career that I love. My major does not have a straight forward "path" as many would say and I am not only determined to prove that I can be successful in my major but also demonstrate my ability to find a career that brings me joy. This is my journey to expanding my global and anthropological knowledge. This is my journey to finding the best career I can. This is my journey to finding happiness. This is my journey to success.
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Keywords: UCLA Anthropology Classes, Anthropology Major, UCLA Anthropology Major, Anthropology Major requirements, College Classes, UCLA student, Anthropology student, UCLA Anthropology, biological, archaeology, linguistic, college campus, choosing a major, STEM, Math, biology, history, english, social sciences, college junior, UCLA junior, why anthropology, anthropology major, UCLA Campus, Anthropology Career, Anthropology Job, Anthropology Internship, Anthropology Job Ideas, Psychology
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I studied Anthropology, based truly on a passion for it since childhood, and have no regrets. I went to a very expensive school, but was given very good scholarships and only 2 years post grad have no debts. I now work in higher education, and while what you say is true, I always tell my students that you can work the skills of your major into any field. The ethnographic research, cultural skills, and communication skills are valuable in the job market- and I have peers who now are in law, business, nonprofit, government and diplomacy, etc as well as friends who went into CRM on the archaeology side. I do mourn myself the state of tenure and careers if you wanted to be a PHD carrying Anthropologist- bc I love the subject and would take the leap if I felt I had literally any chance for employment
As a History graduate, I feel like the cons are pretty much the same for most of the social sciences. An unfortunate truth. At the end of the day though, it's where you feel at home that matters.
Yes, there are a bunch of common threads here throughout the social sciences. Great point
The brutal reality is that as interesting as social studies are they just aren’t as useful especially from an economic perspective as science math and engineering
😅 I have friends who all studied enviro science because they were interested and cared about the natural world… now they all work for mining companies.
Money makes the world go around, unfortunately.
It is true . I am currently doing my archaeology and museology undergraduate degree and NO ONE GETS IT
I really agree with the last point in this video as a anthropology major. Everyone always asks "what is anthropology?"
Haha, right? Such a struggle
Since I want to do forensic anthropologist I just tell them it’s like the show Bones 😂
I would add that as someone who has hired 100s of people, the BA does not matter as much as everything else around it. By earning a BA in anything you prove you have learned how to learn. But you build a career with all the other things you choose to do along the way. The BA will open the door to entry level work. Then you have to do the work and grow. The exceptions are trade schools, business and computer degrees. If you are only interested in working and making money as fast as possible do one of those. Otherwise, a degree like anthropology can be as valuable as any other. It all depends upon what you build around it.
Thank you for sharing this!! It's so so true
You made some great points. I especially liked that you acknowledge that no major really prepares you for a career.
Thank you 😊 And it really is such a struggle...not sure why colleges don't require a course on career prep
@@AliviaBrown Luckily my school does, as a History major it's been really helping me create a path for myself in the difficult world of social sciences. Besides the travel part I felt like your vid applied to my major as well!
Oh wow, that's wonderful. I'm so happy to hear that. Thanks so much!
Good video at unconvincing people I had already given up on pursuing anthropology for different reasons. It’s worth remembering that most of these points apply to all university oriented majors and careers not just anthropology
Thanks so much-and yes, I see that. Definitely a lot of majors out there that can probably relate to this
46k per year is still good. If you get a job as a social studies school teacher you don't have to work as much learning new technologies as a programmer, although learning new technologies at the same time can be fun. I wish though there were more opportunities for distance learning, and we should move away from written essays to people recording debates, google searches, and AI bot conversations.
@@aoeu256 I’m not from the us but isn’t 46k barely above minimum wage? How is that good? For a field that requires advanced degrees nonetheless
@@luisfilipe202346k a year is well above minimum wage in the US
Consider a dual degree. There are a number of MD/ PhD med anthro programs. My colleagues with this degree are the most amazing healthcare providers. After my doctorate in nursing I went back to study medical anthropology. I now teach social medicine and global health courses to both nursing and non- nursing students.
Nice, thank you for this!
As someone thinking about majoring in both psychology and social anthopology (I'm swedish which makes the process a lot easier) this really made my day!
Great "meeting" another nurse-anthropologist!
This video hits the nail on the head, lots of friends in anthro and this has been there exact experience and mine as well
Thanks so much, I'm glad other people feel the same (but also not glad because these are a bunch of cons lol!)
Thanks for this video. I would add as a PhD candidate in anthropology from France, that when you're an individual researcher, you will probably have to learn everything on your own and overcome every challenge on your own since research directors are themselves mostly so overwhelmed with their own research, teaching, and bureaucratic work that they do not have the time to guide you properly...
To me most of the points you mentioned specifically about research and isolation could be avoided to some point if there were better opportunities to work in teams.
Thanks for providing a space to exchange about our passion and work 🙏
As about part 2, it'd definitely be a great watch!
And yeah, I still love anthropology and will probably never give up on that. But the points you've mentioned are worth to keep in mind for sure!
Aw yay! I'd love to make a part 2! Gotta get to brainstorming...
@@AliviaBrown thank you for your kindness!
I feel like this could be said for the Social sciences & humanities as a whole, but at the same time relying on a University for skills and knowledge alone & financial preparedness & security wouldn't be a strategic approach. In every career though I'd recommend focusing on skillsets like being able to Write, and narratives. Build your circle of connections in other disciplines, as outside in our careers we are likely to be collaborating in all kinds of feilds. In terms of finances, developing your financial literacy no matter your income prior and during the experience of university is key & from what I understand skills are transferable. In any career if you want to pursue it, there is always more nuance to learning & application than a curriculum. I love watching anthro students though & your path to making it more accessable is wonderful content.
This is amazing advice, thank you!
My university offered a professional development course required for anthropology. It was very helpful on how to market yourself, build your resume, and advocate for yourself. I would’ve been lost without that course 😅
Great video, I’ve seen similar issues with my degree in Social psychology ended up going back into aircraft maintenance, but have recently looking into the university of Montanas anthropology linguistics degree.
Don't study anthropology unless you will have next to nothing in student loans after school, I regret studying it
Wonderful videos starting off strong, heard the finance part and immediately got turned off. Thanks for the no-nonsense video and good luck to those who truly want to pursue this field 😊❤
i'm still pretty interested. having just finished my ascociates in cybersecurity, ive been looking into what would interest me for a bachelor's. i am glad I stumbled across you. ive been debating for the better part of the last few months about what I should go for. thank you for giving me better information to help with that. :)
The fact that I still want to do it despite all the reasons you mentioned 🤭
In response to your question at the end, I still want to study anthro because of my love of history and culture. Its my passion to try and stay open minded and learn about different peoples and their histories and to uncover the mysteries and wonder of our past. I served 10 years in the military as a mechanic and am hoping to use those skills with a degree to be able to find a balance between financial stability and doing what im passionate about. This video made me a little nervous but my professor gave me a ton of resources to get involved with different anthro communities and conferences.
I agree with pretty much all you have said. I have a Phd in cultural anthropology - finished in 1993.
I don't regret it but I didnt really do a lot to position myself in a full time job (my fault)- so I adjunct in sociology and anthropology. The salary you cited is pretty accurate and that is with a lot of sweat and tears. The climate in social sciences in academia today is pretty bleak as well. Even so I still love anthropology - I would like to think that there are still potential applications of it in more applied areas- we do have worthwhile skills that are needed!!
I had a similar experience, ending up as a middle school teacher and eventually social studies curriculum supervisor. I got to explain anthropology to a lot of people but never actually worked as an anthropologist. The funny thing was that I ended up making more money than my anthro profs with about the same level of stress (ie. summers off).
The anti-capitalism rhetoric is huge is this field of study and I don't undrstand why people would complain about making money given this fact.
As an anthropology major with a Master's degree in Intercultural Conflict Management, I can validate everything said here. A BA in any social science, arts or humanities is a wonderful base for graduate school. And you will learn many important things and "learn how to learn." So, you will qualify for many different entry level jobs that are looking for a BA. But actually becoming an anthropologist is a very long road that requires years of education and has very few opportunities. That said, adding a graduate degree to a BA in anthropology will open lots of other doors. Nonprofits and social work in general are very open as entry level jobs for those with a BA. And if you are interested in being a leader then management and above positions are filled with folks who started in anthropology. You just have to get that MA in a field you are interested in and good at.
And this as well, thanks so much for sharing!!
This is a great channel and I say that as a professional anthropologist. She is providing excellent information and what she is saying is worth considering. We emphasize methods training, quantitative and qualitative, field schools, undergraduate research, and internships. There is also a difference between archaeology and cultural students. There are more jobs available for students with archaeology training. We encourage students to apply what they learn. I know anthropologists who work in Human Resources, social services, non-profits, government employment. We also have tweaked our major so it is easy for students to double major, or add anthropology as a minor. In the end, your education is more than a career but whatever path you choose, ask these questions up front. If you apply to graduate school for a Masters in Anthropology, before you accept ask them specifically for their data on job placement after the MA is earned. I would not recommend a PhD in Anthropology unless you have a non-academic career track, and many do. This is due to changes in academia including the loss of tenure-track positions. PhDs are expensive and you could easily graduate and be unable to find employment to pay back student loans.
Oh wow, this is so validating, thank you! And than you for your input!
The average Entry Level Engineer salary in the United States is $62,072 as of , but the salary range typically falls between $48,974 and $81,136. That’s after a 4 year degree. Then it increases rapidly with experience.
I was an engineer, but my daughter wanted to study marine biology. I tried to convince her it was a degree in unemployment (only 1 out of 14 graduates actually work in marine biology). She worked as a whale watching guide and now in a fish packing business. She is making today what I was earning in 1985.
I chose to study social work. I graduate this fall with my Bachelor of Social Work and I absolutely cannot wait. I'm pursuing my MSW in Spring of '25. Part of me feels like this final year is going to be hard work and dedication to make this happen. Were you nervous about your senior year? My grades are perfect. My GPA is 3.30 and I hope to finish with university honors if I can raise my GPA enough.
"Not everywhere to travel to will have great conditions" haha oh man, you should see some of the hostels I stayed at in my field research...
Oh wow, really? How long were you doing your field research?
@@AliviaBrown I'm still on it, but not in India anymore. I'm on a trip to see if this crazy guy Copernicus was right about the earth being round and turns out the universe doesn't revolve around me. (Don't tell the Pope)
Good morning, Alivia! Thank you for an honest and realistic approach in the video 😊
Of course!! So happy you enjoyed!
i swear to God, it's really frustrating being an "introvert" but also student of anthropology .
True, however few students were warned in advance
Did not scare me off but I dont chose out of financial need and I already live a pretty isolated existence 😂 going wherever calls or has the need. You pretty much explained my life already. Will see where the study takes me and I already see myself as a lifelong learner. Here we go. 😂
Anthropology and history were my favorite subjects in college but I could not major in them because of the finance.
That is completely fair-there are certainly other majors with more financial security
I've described you as an honest lady. Thank you for sharing this information 🙏 and I am watching from South Florida.
she is 100 percent spot on. she is not wrong
Actually i didn't choose anthropology,but they accept me in it.
I can change it ,but the other options isn't good too.
In my country even If you study and become a doctor, engineer, etc, you won't got a job not even after 5 years of graduate and yes with anthropology it's even more difficult.
Any way i didn't take any lecture yet ,but i will enjoy studying it.
I am not kind of people who hopes to find a job in their own field, I can work in other business so I feel good with it and I like it.
Thank you for being honest with us.
I wish you a very happy life
Wow, this sounds like quite the challenge. Where are you from?
@@AliviaBrown
I live in Jordan ,but I'm from Palestine.
about to start college as an anth major and i see this NOW
When I came up to my brother and said him that I still love the field of anthropology (even tho I already have a degree in teaching) and that I want to go get bachelor's and go further in the future the first thing he brought up was the financial side.
Same with my parents
@@Joy-wd9ez I feel you
Yeah finance is a big one...I think it comes down to finance vs career fulfillment. For me, it's worth it to make less but enjoy every day of work :)
@@AliviaBrown That's great! In the long run, it's definitely better to have a job that brings joy rather than just money ^^
@@mural_bakh Haha, I completely agree!
You definitely hurt my soul about the money part😂. You should’ve put that one last, everything else was okay
i am thinking of pursuing this path... idk anymore TT it is really hard that social science programs are usually seen as unimportant or bad due to finances or such.
Isolating for sure! And I'd say that for me it's been tough dealing with curriculum that isn't quite up to speed to today's world. Like, why are my instructors still calling Franz Boas, Papa Boaz?! Yuck. And so much of what I've been reading is ironically through a white lens even when about other cultures. Decolonizing anthropology has a long way to go, at least in my experience!
Yes that is such a relevant point! Anthropology started in a completely problematic way and since thats what the field was founded on, it's hard to shake. Long way to go, but slowly getting there!
I really enjoyed this video, I'm in my junior/sophomore year at coastal Carolina debating my options atm maybe whenever you get some time I'd like to chat more about this. I mean I could write some stuff here I just also thought maybe I could get like email you or something.? just with my interest and all I just had a few questions.
I'm so happy to hear this! And feel free to ask in the comments or over email. My email is in the about tab of my yt channel :)
Hi Alivia! I actually have a MD in Cultural Anthropology with a fieldresearch in Latin American Studies (in Mexico) and.. your video didn't persuade me to leave this career dream =D yuhuu... This year I'm trying to enter a PhD Program but... I am italian. Do you know if there are scholarships for euorpeans and could you help me finding applications dates for Berkeley and Stanford university? Also which one is better for Latin American Studies and cultural ecology themes? Both seems prestigious as I know. Please let me know
Hi! So glad this video didn't persuade you! And as far as scholarships for Europeans, this is something I am not sure of. However, PhD programs are almost always paid, so the institutions (including stanford or berkeley) would be paying you to attend. And in regards to which is better, it usually comes down to the advisor, not the university. So my recommendation is researching anthropology professors/advisors at the schools you want to attend, reading their research, and learning about which advisor is the most aligned with you and your interests. Does this help? Good luck!!
What's hilarious about your last point is that I literally came in here thinking Anthropology was something completely different than it is, and as the video went on I was just like "... I've misunderstood something" XD
I wanna be an archaeologist but I'm confused should I study anthropology or archaeology directly. Currently I'm in high school and study history in India what should I do to study anthropology in usa
The Army ROTC at my university accepted Anthropology as a science. So, a degree in Anthropology will let you enter the Army (Reserve) as an officer.
Im confused about the average 61,000 a year. Is that the whole average of what people who got a degree in anthropology make including the people who ended up doing a different work than anthropology with their degree; or is that number specifically for people who got an anthropology degree and are now are practicing anthropologist.
Hi! My bad for not clarifying! The 61,000 only applies individuals who work as "anthropologists." This is for anyone who is a practicing anthropologist and not those who studied anthropology but are working in a different field. (so theoretically, someone who got an undergraduate degree in political science but a PhD in anthropology who becomes a practicing anthropologist would be considered part of this category)
I want to learn anthropology by myself. I am more interested in biological side of the topic so here is a question. Should I first read the general anthropology textbook or is it okey for me to start with reading biological anthropology? Thank you.
I think it would be okay to jump right in! And if you end up having some challenges, back track to the anthropology textbook. My guess it it will depend if you have any background in biology. Having some evolution knowledge will help a lot :)
@@AliviaBrown Thanks.
I am going to graduate in anthropology next year from India. I am thinking about pursuing a masters from abroad..... What are the things I should keep in mind I really enjoy the subject but am confused about the path
I have interest in anthropology as well but yeah the finance is the main order probelm, so me going with zoology 🥲
Me just wanting to be hobbyist, and loving Physics and Computer science: I'll Still watc, for Y E S .
I want to study archeological heritage but some people tell me this subject doesn’t have many job opportunities, Please give me successions
If you work hard enough for it, and it's really what you wanted to do, I suggest you throw everything you've got at it.
im considering getting a BA in anthropology and continue onto my master's of library science. Has anyone in the comments done this? if so what was your experience like?
definitely interested in what other ppl have to say cause these are my long term goals. I'm switching over from a journalism major and just wanting to see what's in store for me
I only went for my bachelor's. But it seems I'm not going to make any money unless I go for my phd.
When you said 'nobody understands you' I spit out my drink because I laughed so hard. That is spot on! Good list for sure.
I would add that if you graduate and are thinking about graduate school, there seems to be a want for anthropologists to be balanced in the 4 subfields when you really may just want to have a focus. How badly do you need to know about Sahelanthropus tchadensis if you're into linguistics and the culture of health? I also feel like anthropologists are looked at as 'woke' and are almost stigmatized by assuming we all vote blue and are out to prove there is no god. People may assume things about you and your liberal arts education, lol. Great video, as always
Haha omg I’m so glad someone else relates to that! And I can just imagine the water spit ahahaha. And thanks so much for your thoughts on grad school! This is something I’m less knowledgeable about so I’m sure people will appreciate this comment!
The sad part. An individual cannot be an anthropologies unless you come from a family with money. For those into the anthropological curiosity should try and be a Psychotherapist and then transition to Anthropology. If you come from low income family.
In Greece, an anthropologist can become teacher in the public system of education. Isn't that possibility in the US?
You'd still need a teaching certificate/education and would probably need to go back to school again after getting your Anthropology degree.
Yes, I believe @widogast puts it best. As long as you also have a teaching credential you should be able to!
I Invested so much time into getting my degree I can’t give up now
Hahaha-I felt this. I definitely don't want you to give up! Anthropology rocks!
Same here. Got my bachelors and still looking for a job in the field. It’s hard out here
Dumb question but can you do anything related to business with an anthropology degree?
Not a dumb question at all! There are actually many opportunities in business with an anthropology degree :) Some include User Experience work, UI design work, management consulting, ethnographic fieldwork in the business space for betterment of businesses, and so much more!
Theres also "Business Anthropology." Here's a link to an article if you're interested :) oxfordre.com/anthropology/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190854584.001.0001/acrefore-9780190854584-e-4;jsessionid=EE6661FFD9FCD41BF5C790F823A1DACE#:~:text=who%20studied%20business.-,Simply%2C%20business%20anthropology%20is%20the%20use%20of%20anthropological%20constructs%2C%20theory,of%20the%20anthropology%20of%20business.
@@AliviaBrown thank you so much! 😁
@@elementaljedi9335 of course!
I just want to point out that the realities of studying anthropology can be very different depending on where you’re from.
Although some parts of this video do apply where I’m from, some things do greatly differ. For context, I am a freshman in anthropology in the Philippines (so I’m mostly reiterating things I’ve heard from upperclassmen and professors).
First of all finances. Social sciences are severely underfunded here (plus many other factors) so the estimated yearly wages are definitely lower, probably less than what is needed for a comfortable life.
Next, travel and the anthropology job market. I chose anthropology to study cultures from different places but very, very quickly realized how understudied and neglected many cultures are here in the Philippines (and there are so many of them). For a Filipino anthropologist, I believe there is a surplus of research that can be done. You don’t have to go anywhere else to find fieldwork. The big problem is the budget. Again, social sciences here are severely unfunded. I don’t know if this is the case anywhere else but in my university, you have to fund your own thesis to get your bachelor’s degree. When it comes to going forward in this profession, we are literally told that we will mostly have to fund our own research.
And there are more downsides to this field in this country. Honestly it seems that passion and a love for the cultures are the only things that make Filipino anthropologists stay.
ANYWAY tl;dr the truths about anthropology may be different depending on where you’re from and being a social science academic in the Philippines sucks :)
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing this perspective! I did not know all of this about the Philippines. Thanks for adding this :)
My interest in anthropology came about when I discovered that I was the victim of a particular nasty and evil study that involved me being promised a new life in Cambridgeshire, England, only to discover I was being covertly drugged with what I think were experimental psychotropic drugs.
What about doing UX research?
UX research is a great option. I would recommend to anyone interested to start getting experience as early as they can (internships, etc) so you have the best chance!
Where do I sign up 😂
I think Cons was a typo
Imagine if it's hard in the USA, how can it be in Latin America...
People need to doing stuff for 💰
I personally dont see any reason that schools should be preparing us for a "career" I dont think that's what the university is for
That’s literally the point of university’s. Ideally it is more specific knowledge related to the field you plan on pursuing. I’m confused as to why you think they should exist, I’ve always understood it this way please elaborate on your position so I can understand it better
You need passion for anthropology
No one understands you. Super accurate
Too late...
Indeed it was never a good option for finance.
Antroopology is good, exactly to understand why are you presenting this short, bad and irrelevant video. Thank you.
Look at jobs in museums
These are all pros lol
What a damaging video and still image. It's the second video that pops up searching for anthropology for me. It's such a rich study providing a unique view on life. I see you're trying to provide 'honest information' but to me it's just damaging to the image of anthropology.
No,she is right. I study as an undergraduate student social antropology in eastern europe and she is 100% on spot.
@@Dragosflash and I've studied anthropology both bachelor and master and she's wrong.
Maybe the most left leaning field in academia. 🤣A few papers surveyed how left leaning certain fields were. Anthro was top one in most of them along with race studies and gender studies. Major stufy by a group with Jon haidt didn't find a single professor in the field that identified as conservative or even libertarian in thousands of collages. 🤣.
Since the reflexive turn, Anthropology has taken up a more positive view of non-white, not western cultures, which is incompatible with much of contemporary conservative world views...
"Your own family mighy not know what anthropology is" my dad who is an archaeologist 🧍♂️
THATS AWESOME