Studies & Degrees in Anthropology
Anthropology Study Programs
Anthropology is the study of human beings: how people live, organise their societies, speak, believe and make things, and how the human species evolved. The University of Chicago describes it as the intensive study of human diversity across time and space. Its characteristic method is fieldwork. Anthropologists spend time with the people they study and collect information through observation and interviews, or they excavate and analyse what past societies left behind.
The four fields
In North America the subject is usually divided into four sub-fields, and a bachelor's degree includes courses in each of them, as at Binghamton University:
- Sociocultural anthropology: contemporary societies and cultures, studied through ethnography
- Archaeology: past societies, studied through their material remains
- Biological anthropology: human evolution, biology and health
- Linguistic anthropology: language in its social and cultural setting
In Spain and much of continental Europe the degree is narrower. It is called Social and Cultural Anthropology, and archaeology and human biology are taught in separate degrees. In the United Kingdom both models exist: social anthropology on its own, and combined degrees with archaeology.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree. In the United States, anthropology is a major within a four-year BA or BS. At the University of Chicago the major consists of twelve courses and the minor of six. The University of Washington offers BA and BS options that include Medical Anthropology and Global Health, Human Evolutionary Biology and Archaeological Sciences. In the United Kingdom a bachelor's degree normally takes three years: the University of Southampton lists its BA Archaeology and Anthropology at three years, or four with a year abroad. In Spain the Grado en Antropología Social y Cultural has 240 ECTS credits over four years, like other Spanish bachelor's degrees.
- Master's degree. One or two years of specialisation, for example in medical anthropology, development, museum studies or archaeology. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that master's programmes usually take two years, and some universities, such as Binghamton, offer a combined bachelor's and master's route in five years.
- Doctorate. A PhD based on long fieldwork is the route to university teaching and research.
Fieldwork is part of the training at every level. Binghamton University, for example, runs a six-week archaeology field school each summer, and the Spanish distance university UNED includes ethnography and fieldwork practice subjects and a 15-credit final project in its degree.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 204 active schools for anthropology. The United States has by far the most, with 122. Spain, Canada and the United Kingdom have 13 each, followed by Colombia with 4 and India, New Zealand and Denmark with 3 each.
In the United States the list includes large research universities such as the University of Michigan, Stanford University, The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Washington and The University of Chicago, and small liberal arts colleges such as Lawrence University. In Canada, examples are the University of the Fraser Valley and the University of Prince Edward Island. In the United Kingdom, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Southampton teach the subject, and in Mexico the Universidad de Guadalajara.
Teaching is in English in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and India, and in Spanish in Spain, Colombia, Mexico and Chile. Admission rules differ by country: for the United Kingdom, Southampton's typical offer for Archaeology and Anthropology is BBB at A level, and each university publishes the equivalent for international qualifications.
Careers
Few graduates work under the job title "anthropologist". In the United States the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 10,200 jobs for anthropologists and archaeologists in 2025 and projects growth of 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. These posts typically require at least a master's degree. The largest employers were consulting services (28%), research and development in the social sciences and humanities (23%) and the federal government (19%).
Most graduates use the degree more broadly. The University of Washington lists cultural resource management, user experience (UX) research, healthcare, education, non-profit organisations, museum curation, marketing and human resources. The University of Chicago notes that its anthropology graduates find careers in medicine, business, technology, museums, education and government.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between anthropology and sociology?
Both study human societies. Anthropology grew out of the comparative study of cultures and relies on long fieldwork and ethnography, and in the four-field model it also covers archaeology, human biology and language.
Do I need a master's degree to work as an anthropologist?
For posts as an anthropologist or archaeologist in the United States, typically yes: the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that at least a master's degree is usual and that some positions require a PhD. A bachelor's degree leads to a wider range of jobs.
How long does a degree in anthropology take?
Four years in the United States and in Spain (240 ECTS), and normally three years in the United Kingdom.
Is archaeology part of anthropology?
In the United States and Canada, yes: it is one of the four sub-fields. In Spain it is a separate degree, and in the United Kingdom it can be studied separately or in a combined degree.