ANTH398N: Career Development for Anthropology Majors (1 credit)
Mondays, 11:00-11:50, Key 0119 (or Woods Hall 1102)
Erik Hanson, Woods Hall 1111A, (301) 405-1436, ehanson@umd.edu
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am- 4:30 pm
I. Course Overview:
Anthropology majors develop a set of skills that can be used both in the workplace and in the processes of finding
meaningful employment. This small seminar course is designed to guide you to reflect upon yourself, your Anthropology
education, and work opportunities available to you. Through short lectures, student presentations, and facilitated
discussions, this course will push you to think about how you will use your Anthropology education to form a career. It
is open to any Anthropology major.
II. Learning Objectives
a: To understand your own identity and how that understanding can help you identify your career path
b: To gain exposure to many possible ways of developing a career path
c: To increase your self-confidence in tailoring your career path to your own needs and wants
III. Evaluation based upon
3 Assignments:
#1: Potential Employer list (10pts.)
A = 90-100%
#2: Graduate Program Investigation (10)
B = 80-89%
#3: Cover letter & final resume (20)
C = 70-79%
5 In-Class Presentations:
D = 60-69%
#1: Personal Wandering Map (10)
F = 59% or less
#2: Networking exercise report (10)
#3: Recent Anthropology Graduate Interview (10)
#4: Faculty interview (10)
#5: Professional Interview (20)
IV. Schedule
**Please note: This course requires attendance at events outside the regular class time. (If you have an unavoidable
conflict with one of these times, let me know and alternative assignments can be made) **
1- One of the Anthropology Professionalization Series brown bags noon- 1pm in Woods Hall 1102:
September 17, 24, October 8, 15.
2- Attendance at one meeting of the Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists (typically, the 2 nd
Tuesday of a Month, 5:30-8:30 pm)
Week 1 (August 31)
Class introductions: How have your career aspirations changed over time?
Syllabus review
Week 2 (September 14)
Reading Due: Brooks, 1-27, Spradley p. 1-16 (available on Canvas) ,
Discussion: Anthropological perspective on Career Education; Linear and non-linear career paths
In-class activity: Develop your Wandering Map
Week 3 (September 21)
Reading Due: Brooks 27-44 (available on Canvas)
Discussion: What kinds of work do anthropologists do in the world?
In-class activity: Begin analysis of Wandering Maps
Week 4 (September 28)
Presentation #1 Due: Your Wandering Map & analysis
Discussion: What does your map have to do with your anthropology degree and career development?
Week 5 (October 5)
NO CLASS MONDAY
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 5:30-8:30 PM, WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS MEETING
Charles Sumner School, 1201 17th St NW, Washington, DC
Week 6 (October 12)
Presentation #3 Due: Report on your professional networking experience
Discussion: What kinds of work do Anthropologists do in the world? What’s networking for?
Week 7 (October 19)
Career Center Visit
Meet at 3100 Hornbake
Week 8 (October 26)
Reading Due: Omohundro, 1-15 (available on Canvas)
Assignment #1 Due: List of 10 places where you might like to work
Discussion: An Anthropology degree and paid employment, Guest speaker: Betti Gregus UMD ANTH ‘13
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 12-1pm 1102 WOODS HALL
Using Ethnographic Skills in the Job Interview and the Workplace - Tony Whitehead, PhD
Week 9 (November 2)
Reading Due: Omohundro, 16-41 (available on Canvas)
Presentation #2 Due: Recent Anthropology Alum Interview: What has it been like looking for work with an Anthropology
degree? What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate?
Social Networking and Organizational Research
Week 10 (November 9)
Reading due: Omohundro, 42-52, 68-82 (available on Canvas)
Transcript, Resume exercises
Week 11 (November 16)
Presentation #4 Due: Faculty Interview
Reading Due: Omohundro, 53-67(available on Canvas)
Graduate programs
Guest Speaker: Nadine Dangerfield
Week 12 (November 23)
Assignment #2 Due: Graduate Program Review
In-class interview exercise with John Tomlin
Week 13 (November 30)
Resume and cover letter clinic with John Tomlin
BRING DRAFT OF COVER LETTER AND RESUME
Week 14 (December 7)
Presentation # 5 Due: Professional Interview report
Assignment #3 Due: Final cover letter and resume for internship or job.
V. Resources (No purchases necessary)
Recommended Texts:
Bolles, Richard N. (2010). What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Guide for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers.
Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press
Briller, Sherlynn and Amy Goldmacher (2009). Designing an An Anthropology Career: Professional Development
Exercises. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press
Brooks, Katherine. (2009). You Majored in What? Mapping your Path from Chaos to Career. New York: Plume, the
Penguin Group
Ellick, Carol J. and Joe E. Watkins (2011) The Anthropology Graduate’s Guide: From Student to a Career. Walnut
Creek,CA: Left Coast Press
Gwynne, Margaret A. (2003). Anthropology Career Resources Handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Gwynne, Margaret A. (2003). Applied Anthropology: A Career-Oriented Approach. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Nolan, Riall W. (2003) Anthropology in Practice: Building a Career Outside the Academy. Boulder, CO: Lynn Rienner
Omohundro, John T. (2001) Careers in Anthropology, Second Edition. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing
Ryan, Alan (2002). A Guide to Careers in Physical Anthropology.
Stephens, Richard W. (2003) Careers in Anthropology: What An Anthropology Degree Can Do for You. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon.
Strang, Veronica (2009) What Anthropologists Do. Oxford: Berg Publishers.
Websites:
Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists www.wapadc.org
Society for Applied Anthropology www.sfaa.net
American Anthropological Association www.aaanet.org
Shovelbums (Archaeology Jobs) www.Shovelbums.org
Idealist (Nonprofit Work Opportunites) www.Idealist.org
Smithsonian Internships http://intern.si.edu