Anthropologists contribute to understanding literally any aspect of the human condition, whether very ordinary or spectacular and monumental. Different types of anthropologists —socio-cultural anthropologists, archaeologists, biological anthropologists, and linguistic anthropologists—do different sorts of things. Anthropology at UPEI especially emphasizes the socio-cultural stream of the discipline, with some additional offerings in biological anthropology and archaeology.
Socio-cultural anthropology aims to understand the social behaviours and symbolic activities of people in cultures and subcultures around the world, including Canada's ethnic diversity and richness. Although this knowledge is important in its own right, it is also an important element of many occupations. With a BA in cultural anthropology you may find yourself working in immigrant services, various educational fields, numerous civil service departments, or in many not-for-profit organizations around the globe. A degree in cultural anthropology has also been a springboard for entry into the legal and law enforcement professions. It is useful to a career in large- or small-scale industry in a consulting capacity, in human resource departments, in advertising, or even in product research and development (some corporations even have their own anthropology units). Still others prefer to work overseas in development projects, as professional consultants, or in the social aspects of medicine. The possibilities are truly many.
Archaeologists may dig up the remains of ancient civilizations (which is the imagemost people have of them), but they can also be found working for museums, in the antiques business, as consultants for indigenous peoples, or in a variety of municipal, provincial, or federal civil service jobs. Biological anthropologists can and do study human evolution, yet some work as consultants in public health, forensic specialists in law enforcement agencies, in pharmaceutical companies, or in a number of health-related occupations at home and abroad.
