Explore Important Social and Political Questions
What makes us human? How has human culture evolved? Why are there so many cultural conflicts today about everything from abortion to civil rights to public education? You’ll explore these questions and many more when you pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology degree at the University of Michigan-Flint.
Studying anthropology initiates a broad conversation about being human – exploring the most critical social and political questions of our day. Anthropology is a vast field that uses methods and approaches from four subfields: archeology, biology, culture, and linguistics. It explores and compares all aspects of human life, making diversity visible. And it helps us discover the impact of historical moments and social context.
As an anthropology student at UM-Flint, you have a faculty mentor. Class sizes are usually relatively small, especially in upper-level courses. This combination means you get lots of personal attention, boosting your learning and providing lots of opportunities for advice and support as you prepare for a career or graduate school.
Studying anthropology helps you develop a wide range of skills that employers value. You learn how to:
- Think critically and analytically
- Analyze data
- Express yourself orally and in writing
- Solve problems
- Collaborate effectively
- Understand and participate in your community
- Learn on the job and throughout life
The skills and knowledge you develop at UM-Flint are transferable to many jobs. You’re prepared to work in advocacy, community development, consulting, cultural resource management, criminal justice, grant writing, higher education, historic preservation, human resources, international development, journalism, law, market research, medicine, museum curation, natural resource management, policy analysis, public administration, public health, scientific research, social work, user experience research, and many other professions. You also have a solid academic foundation for graduate school.
Why UM-Flint?
There are many reasons you should study anthropology at UM-Flint. Here are just a few:
- Members of the Anthropology Club, open to all UM-Flint students, discuss recent findings and studies and socialize with other students with similar interests and career aspirations.
- Annual job and career events let you network with anthropologists working in a variety of fields – many of whom graduated from UM-Flint.
- In a paid or volunteer role, you can develop your research skills while working side-by-side with faculty on state-of-the-art research in the Undergraduate Research Student Program or its summer counterpart, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, which offers full-time and half-time positions.
- Flint offers all kinds of opportunities for community engagement and local immersive experiences. For example, our students regularly visit local houses of worship in courses focused on religion. Several students participated in a nationally-circulating public art project focused on undocumented immigration in 2021.
- UM-Flint anthropology students can bolster cross-cultural and global skills and understanding through transformative off-campus and study-abroad learning opportunities, field schools, internships, and UM-Flint faculty-led courses. For example, in 2024, Professor Daniel Birchok will take students to Indonesia for a short-term study abroad course.
Anthropology Programs at UM-Flint
The Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology program and its honors version provide a broad introduction to anthropology and help you develop your abilities to analyze data, communicate, and easily adapt in new situations. We also offer an Anthropology Minor.
If you prefer a multidisciplinary focus, you can choose our Integrated Social Sciences, which results in a Bachelor of Arts degree. It lets you choose anthropology or another social science for your primary discipline and two other social sciences as secondary disciplines. Disciplines you can choose from include anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology.
UM-Flint offers an extensive selection of minors and certificates that can help anthropology students augment their skills and knowledge. Here are just a few examples:
Anthropology students, especially those who specialize in archeology, benefit from the opportunity to take courses toward a certificate in Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Technology. GIS is a high-demand, interdisciplinary skill used to address many research questions concerned with spatial dimensions.
To learn more, check out the complete list of minors and certificates offered by the College of Arts, Sciences and Education.
at UM-Flint, Elena said, “I value the teaching, expertise, and mentorship of the department’s faculty the most. Being in smaller classes, and having direct access to faculty, makes such a difference in learning course material and finding ways to develop your own interests and projects alongside structured courses and research.”
Elena Sobrino
Anthropology 2015
Scholarships for Anthropology Majors
UM-Flint provides several scholarships that are specifically for anthropology students. They include:
- Ananthakrishnan G. Aiyer Memorial Scholarship
- Ralph M. and Emmalyn E. Freeman Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice Scholarship
- The Wilfred G. Marston Civic Engagement Award
Our Office of Financial Aid also offers a variety of other scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. They’re all part of our effort to make your world-class University of Michigan-Flint education affordable.
Academic Advising for Anthropology Majors
With so many educational opportunities and career paths available to our students, we strongly encourage you to meet regularly with your anthropology faculty mentor and your academic advisor. Our academic advisors can help you choose classes, navigate program requirements, explore extracurricular opportunities, overcome personal issues, develop post-graduation plans, and more.
Megan Presland is the dedicated anthropology advisor. You can contact her at [email protected] or 810-762-3020
To help you envision what your experience as an anthropology major will look like, we’ve created a major map. It provides year-by-year details about classes you’ll take, experiences available both on and off campus, preparing for life after graduation, and more. Download the major map today and start planning your future.
Career Opportunities in Anthropology
Your Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology degree from UM-Flint will open the door to a huge range of career options. Consider these job projections for just a few possibilities from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Anthropologists and Archeologists
- Job growth through 2030: 7 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 800
- Typical entry-level education required: Master’s degree
- Median annual salary: $61,910
- Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers
- Job growth through 2030: 19 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 4,900
- Typical entry-level education required: Master’s degree
- Median annual salary: $50,120
- Human Resources Managers
- Job growth through 2030: 9 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 14,800
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $126,230
- Market Research Analyst
- Job growth through 2030: 22 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 96,000
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $63,920
- Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
- Job growth through 2030: 13 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 8,900
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $119,860
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Job growth through 2030: 15 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 18,300
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $74,000
More information about careers for anthropology majors is available from the American Anthropological Association.
Get Started on Your Anthropology Career Today
If you want a degree that provides a strong academic foundation and skills that open the door to an exciting range of career opportunities, apply to the University of Michigan-Flint’s Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology program today. If you have questions, you can contact the program’s dedicated academic advisor, Megan Presland, at [email protected] or 810-762-3020.
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