Anthropology is a holistic study of the human condition in both the past and the present. The anthropological lens can bring into focus the social, cultural, biological, and linguistic diversity of humankind throughout time and space.
Anthropology fieldwork can take many directions: the search for human and non-human primate fossils, archaeological excavations of past societies, the analysis of language use and other expressive forms of culture, an exploration of cultural differences anywhere in the world, and more. Our majors learn to conduct anthropological research through course projects and summer fieldwork opportunities so that, by senior year, they are prepared to design and carry out their senior thesis research.
Bryn Mawr’s Department of Anthropology offers courses on a wide range of topics in cultural and linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. Our faculty members conduct research in the Americas, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Africa. Topically, our specialties include medicine, infertility, and reproductive technologies; the development of agriculture and political-economic organization; the evolution of modern human growth and development; music, sound, and performance; and migration, politics, and local-global economies.
What Can You Do with an Anthropology Degree?
Anthropology provides useful preparation for any career that requires understanding human experience and difference, past or present. Our graduates work in a variety of fields including medicine, public health, law, technology, policy, education, academic research, and the nonprofit sector. For more information on careers in anthropology, click to visit the American Anthropological Association's website, the American Association of Physical Anthropologists website, and the Society for American Archaeology's website.