Ph.D. in Anthropology

The study of human beings and what distinguishes them from the whole animal kingdom is known as anthropology. The human body, their evolution, and development have always been the topic of sheer curiosity among all scientists. Even though we are human, still we know petite about the secrets of life, how we emerged from being cave people to civilized, respectable people of society. In day to day news, we usually read that apes are monkeys show great resemblance to the nature of humankind but the question that we keep asking is what resemblance and is it just apes that show resemblance to the human, or other animals possess some common characteristics with the human. There are many more questions that are still left unanswered, and scientists are still struggling to reveal the deepest secrets of the human life, which can help in a better standard of living of us all. This is where the anthropologists come in the frame; they take a broader approach which is commonly known as holism, in which they try to understand the various aspects of the human experience. In order to get a better understanding, through archaeology they consider the past, just to see how the humans’ lived hundreds or thousands years back and what worked as the vital ingredient in their survival.

Anthropologists are trying to understand not only the human life thousands of years back, but they’re trying to understand the making of the genetic and biological bodies as well as the diet, bodies and health and human. A research scholar pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology gets the option of comparing humans and other animals (commonly, other primates such as, apes, chimpanzees and monkeys are chosen for comparison) to find the similarities and what makes the humans’ unique. Apart from these topics, a person pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology gets the option of researching on how humans’ interact in their social relationships. They get to look into the various communications and dressing style of the societies. A candidate who wants to study his Ph.D in Anthropology must have completed his Master’s Degree in the same field so that he has his basics/foundation in a precise and clear form.

Ph.D. in Anthropology

Pros

• It is a highly interesting subject and, if you are interested, then no one can stop you from excelling it with flying colors.
• The future as an anthropologist becomes easier.
• Competition is high, but you have vast options, making it easier to choose your desired field.

Cons

• You need to write a lot. The research paper in Ph.D. of Anthropology needs to be highly detailed.
• According to most workplaces, anthropology is not a ‘marketable’ skill.

These are some of the pros and cons that you need to take care of before deciding to pursue your Ph.D. in Anthropology.

The career options for a Ph.D candidate in Anthropology are available in plenty and the job market is highly competitive as well for this field. They have a wide range of options to choose from like : Higher Education Lecturer, Human Resources Officer, Market researcher,Museum curator, Attorney (They can practice in the fields of international, immigration and human rights law). Careers in government – These candidates are hired often to work on Government funded projects. They may have career paths inclusive of the following : International development, legislative branch, natural resource management and defense and security sectors. Some candidates also find opportunities in Corporate and Business areas where they are employed for conducting market research and to conduct targeted focus groups. This is to understand consumer preference patterns which can otherwise not be understood through statistical or survey methods.

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