Applied Anthropology: Courses, Career Scope, Salary

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applied anthropology

In order to address problems within communities, anthropological research is used in the field of applied anthropology. As an anthropologist working in this field, you need to have a diverse skill set as you will get to work at multinational corporations, governmental organizations, museums, and community organizations. It might be easier for you to discover the ideal position for yourself if you are aware of the many responsibilities and sectors in the field of Applied Anthropology. Therefore, let us look at the important information about Applied Anthropology that will help you immensely! 

Course Name Applied Anthropology
DurationBachelor’s – 3 years
Master’s – 2 years
Job positionsMarket Analyst, Anthropology Professor, Archaeologist, etc.
Average SalaryStarting Salary – INR 2 Lakh – INR 3 Lakh
Senior Level Salary – INR 4 Lakh and above
Top Recruiters UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO
FieldsNGOs, Government organisations, Environmental Institutions, Private and Business Agencies, etc.

Why Study Applied Anthropology? 

Having a career in Applied Anthropology can be quite rewarding. The points mentioned below will help you understand the perks one gets after becoming an Anthropologist.

  • Anthropologists enjoy a high salary as the degree of the work is dependent on the type of job position and experience a candidate has.
  • Anthropologists enjoy stability and can easily find a suitable job position for them in almost every field. They are known to work in corporate sectors, businesses, and private agencies. They also work for individual clients and others. 
  • Working as an Anthropologist means that you will get to enjoy the element of personal satisfaction as you will get the opportunity to understand people from different backgrounds and ethnicities.
  • Anthropologists get to explore a lot in their professional journey and look out for ways to fit different pieces together. 

Also Read: How to Become an Anthropologist? 

Applied Anthropology

Bachelor Courses in the Field of Anthropology 

The following table represents various Bachelor’s courses that will help you pursue a career in Applied Anthropology:

BSc SpecializationsBA Specializations 
AnthropologyAnthropology
Archaeology Sociology
MuseologyArchival Studies and Manuscriptology

Also Read: Social Anthropology Course and Careers

Postgraduate Courses in the Field of Anthropology 

The table below contains various postgraduation courses in the field of Applied Anthropology:

MA Specialisations MSc Specialisations
AnthropologyMuseology
SociologyArchaeology 
Archival Studies and Manuscriptology Sociology
Anthropology

Also Read: Branches of Anthropology

Eligibility Criteria 

To pursue a career in Applied Anthropology, the student must complete their class 12th either in Arts or Science stream. Although it is generally advised that the students should prefer the Science stream in class 12th in order to take up Anthropology course in their graduation as many universities and colleges offer BSc Anthropology which involves a lot of Science-related subjects. Following are the general eligibility criteria that candidates should fulfil in order to enrol for the Anthropology course.

  • The student must have completed their class 12th from a recognized board in India with at least 75%. Although the minimum percentage required may differ from category to category and in the case of merit-based admission the student should always aim for a high percentage.
  • Some colleges may also specify age criteria. Therefore, you should always go thoroughly with the criteria mentioned by individual universities and colleges on their official website. 

Top Global Universities for Anthropology 

The table below represents the list of best universities in the world offering Anthropology courses:

University Name QS Rankings 2023Location
University of Cambridge 2Cambridge, United Kingdom
University of Oxford4Oxford, United Kingdom
Harvard University 5Cambridge, United States
University of California, Berkeley 27Berkeley, United States
The Australian National University 30Canberra, Australia
UCL 8London, United Kingdom
The London School of Economics and Political Science56London, United Kingdom
Durham University 92Durham, United Kingdom
Stanford University 3Stanford, United States 

Top Indian Universities for Anthropology 

The table below represents some of the best universities and colleges in India for Anthropology: 

College / University Name FeesLocation 
Hansraj College, Delhi UniversityNADelhi
Miranda House, Delhi University INR 32KDelhi
Amity University, Noida INR 1 Lakh – INR 3 lakhNoida
NIMS School of Humanities and Social Sciences INR 60K – INR 90K Jaipur, Rajasthan
Stani Memorial P.G CollegeINR 58K Jaipur, Rajasthan
University of RajasthanINR 4KJaipur, Rajasthan 
University of Lucknow INR 20K – INR 1 LakhLucknow, UP
Savitribai Phule Pune University NAPune, Maharashtra
Calcutta University INR 12kKolkata, West Bengal
Banaras Hindu University INR 10kVaranasi, UP

Books and Study Material for Anthropology

Before taking up a subject it is very important to know about the discipline thoroughly. Anthropology is a very vast subject with elements from other fields as well as different methodologies. There are many books out there related to Anthropology. The table below represents the list of books that will help you gain important insights into Anthropology. 

Book NameAuthor
How to Read EthnographyHuon Wardle and Paloma Gay Blasco
The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic SocietyMarcel Mauss
Beyond CultureEdward T.Hall
Discipline and PunishMichel Foucault
Anthropology and the Colonial EncounterTalal Asad
(YouTube source – Alivia Brown) 

Different Job Roles for Applied Anthropologists

Following are some of the job roles in the field of Applied Anthropology that you can pursue:

  • Anthropologists
  • Scientists
  • Education / Academic Anthropologists
  • Field Investigator
  • Economic Anthropologists
  • Medical Researcher 
  • Environmental Specialists
  • Market Analyst 

Salary of an Anthropologist

Salary is one of the important factors to look out for while choosing a career. According to the trends and salary reviews submitted by people working in the field of Anthropology, this field is quite rewarding. According to Economic Research Institute, the average annual salary of an anthropologist working in India is around INR 11,85,000. An anthropologist makes around INR 570 per hour while the average bonus is around INR 29,000. Take a look at the following charts to gain important insights relating to the salary of an anthropologist:

                                          Source: Economic Research Institute
Source: Economic Research Institute 

Different Fields Where Anthropologists Work 

It is quite surprising that Anthropologists can find a job in almost every field because of which they enjoy a great degree of stability throughout their career. Following is the list of the fields which requires the expertise of an Anthropologist-

  • NGOs
  • Environmental Organisations 
  • Private and Business Agency
  • Law / Criminal Justice
  • Administration Management
  • Educational Universities / Institutions
  • Healthcare Services
  • Tourism / Heritage
  • Government Sector
  • Community Development
  • Public Sector Undertakings 
  • International Development / Affairs 

FAQs

1. What are the 3 areas of applied anthropology?

Ans- There are 4 subfields of Anthropology:- Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology and Archaeology. 

2. What is applied anthropology and why is it important?

Ans- Simply put, Applied Anthropology is the practical use of the theories of Anthropology for doing analysis and providing solutions for problems. 

3. What does applied anthropology focus on?

Ans- Applied Anthropology focuses on ethnography, participant observation, snowballing, interviews and other related areas. Anthropologists use various empirical methods like textual analysis, archival research, surveying, etc. to help in policy-making and to market products. 

4. Who is the father of applied anthropology?

Ans- Franz Boas is regarded as the father of Modern Applied Anthropology. He contributed greatly to the field of Applied Anthropology as he was the pioneer in applied research methods and practices. 

This is everything you need to know about Applied Anthropology. Make sure you follow Leverage Edu for more such informative articles. Also, are you planning to study abroad? We at Leverage Edu are all about helping students to realise this dream which can open the door to many career opportunities. To get assistance in your application process, just register on our website or call us at 1800-572-000.

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