Undergraduate Careers

UConn anthropology alumni find success in a variety of professional fields and are employed all over the world. Many of them continue their education at some of the top graduate schools in the U.S.

Below, you’ll find information about what you can do with an anthropology degree and resources for life after UConn.

Need help narrowing down your options? The Department of Anthropology advisors and the Center for Career Development can help you explore classes, internships, field training, and other ways to grow professionally.

Where Our Alumni Work

Anthropology majors gain valuable insights into cultures and societies while developing professional skills like communication, critical thinking, and teamwork. Many of our students pair their anthropology degree with a second major or minor, helping them develop a complementary skill set that they can apply to a variety of careers.

A degree in anthropology can give you a solid foundation for jobs in education, research, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations. Anthropology can also provide pre-medical and pre-law students with a wider perspective that they can bring to their graduate school applications and careers.

Below are some examples of job roles and industries where our recent graduates work. Visit the Major Experience's anthropology page for a list of sample job titles and employers of UConn alumni.

Job Roles

  • Administrative Support
  • Archaeologist
  • Business Analyst
  • Cultural Anthropologist
  • Customer Service Representative
  • Doctor/Medical Professional
  • Financial Services Advisor
  • Human Resources/Talent Acquisition Specialist
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Lawyer/Attorney/Legal Services Professional
  • Marketing/Communications Professional
  • Medical Anthropologist
  • Museum Technician/Archivist
  • Program Coordinator/Manager
  • Professor/Teacher
  • Sales/Brand Representative

Industries

  • Aerospace and Defense
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
  • Construction
  • Cultural Resource Management
  • Education
  • Engineering and Consulting
  • Financial Services
  • Government
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education
  • Journalism
  • Library/Information Services
  • Military
  • Museums and Historical Sites
  • Nonprofit
  • Retail
  • Technology

86%

of UConn anthropology alumni report positive outcomes* 6 months post-graduation.

*Employed, continuing education or service; based on a 5-year average of UConn Huskies Moving On survey responses.

Prepare for Graduate School

Roughly a quarter of our undergraduate students pursue a graduate degree in fields like anthropology; computer and information systems; international relations; law; public health; security, intelligence, and strategic studies; and social work.

Students interested in pursuing a career as a professional anthropologist typically continue on to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology. There are many exciting professional opportunities for those interested in post-doctoral careers in anthropology. Examples include:

  • Anthropologists are essential members of planning teams; some have become professional consultants.
  • Archaeologists work with local, state, and federal agencies to gather legally-mandated information about the history and prehistory of areas scheduled to be altered by new superhighways or other large-scale construction.
  • Medical anthropology is one of the fastest growing subfields within anthropology. Students in this specialty go on to work in health services and policy development.
  • Environmental anthropology offers a way to integrate a human perspective with either a societal-based or environmentally-based response to climate change.

Job Resources

Center for Career Development

UConn's Center for Career Development partners with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) to prepare students for success in today’s workforce. The Center offers:

  • One-on-one coaching sessions for help with résumés, interviewing, jobs and internships, graduate school applications, and more.
  • Online tools for connecting with alumni mentors as well as companies looking to recruit UConn students.
  • In-person and virtual events that help students explore their career options and prepare for professional success.

External Resources