What is Anthropology?
Anthropology is a Social Science which explores human biological and cultural diversity, origins and development. The anthropologist embraces biology, ecology, demography and socio-cultural perspectives to construct and deconstruct meanings of our antiquity, history and the state of contemporary societies. The singularity of Anthropology lies in the fact that we look at both our evolutionary and cultural development and their interrelationships from an examination of our earliest near relatives to our rich biological and social variability as members of the human species in virtually every part of the world. From taking field notes of people living in various cultural and political settings to examining the fossil remains of our early ancestors, we present our students with a rich vista of study of peoples past and present.
What makes Anthropology at UTSC unique?
UTSC students can chose from two distinct yet complementary streams: Sociocultural (BA) and Evolutionary (BSc).
Skills of Anthropology Grads
- Go beyond one’s own cultural and physical reality to appreciate the richness of human diversity at the global level in terms of traditions, language, life style, belief and political systems, religion.
- Acquire transferable skills to succeed in the ever- increasing competitive marketplace by developing excellence in writing and critical thinking.
- Apply knowledge derived from experiential learning in qualitative and quantitative research.
- Acquire deep thinking skills beyond simple memorization of facts and learn methods to process and solve problems.
- Develop research skills that are grounded in traditional scholarly resources, yet embrace the emerging knowledge bases that continue to develop daily in our virtual computer-based world.
Entry-Level Jobs for Bachelor Grads
Common employment destinations include:
- Research Analyst in Education
- Scientific Affairs Liaison in Pharmaceuticals
- Public Policy Analyst in Government
- Program Coordinator in Museums
- Associate Product Manager in Biotechnology
- Interviewer in Human Resource Services
- Market Researcher in Advertising Agencies
- Junior Associate in Information Technology
- Journalist in Newspaper Publishing
- Underwriter in Insurance
Anthropology Grads from UTSC have gone on to:
- McCain Foods (HR Generalist)
- Sunnybrook Research Institute (Communications Coordinator)
- Articling student (Ministry of the Attorney General)
UTSC Anthropology graduates are working in Human Resources, Social Services, Research and Education.
Graduate & Professional Studies
Popular further education opportunities include:
- Anthropology – Master (of Arts or Science)
- Education – Bachelor or Master of Education
- Labour Relations – Master
- Business Administration – Master
- Public Administration – Master (MPA)
- Law School – JD (Juris Doctor)
- Human Resources – Post-Grad Certificate
Examples of Fields that ‘Fit’ the Skills of Anthropology Grads
- Education (Universities & Colleges)
- Think Tanks and Advocacy
- Marketing Research
- Government (Federal, Provincial, Regional, City)
- Research & Consulting
- Heritage & Culture
- Media & Communications
- Software Development
Your 4-Year Career Exploration Action Plan
1. Do Your Research
The databases below provide you with details about job prospects, nature of work, educational requirements, working conditions, pay and related career paths:
- Career Cruising: Log into cln.utoronto.ca, click on Resources, and click on Career Cruising to be logged in automatically
- O*Net: online.onetcenter.org (U.S. site)
Attend our workshop Discover Your Skills and Career Options, meet with a Career Counsellor, and use our resources to get to know your skills, values, personality and interests.
Use the advice on our tip sheets for gathering information:
- Information Interviews
- Working On-Campus
- Internships
- Volunteering
2. Explore Career Options & Get Experience
Gain exposure to your options in the world of work and make connections while you’re a student via campus events and programs listed on cln.utoronto.ca and ccr.utoronto.ca:
- Extern Job Shadowing
- In the Field
- Explore It! (course-based)
- Partners in Leadership (4th year students)
- iLead, uLead, weLead (Department of Student Life)
- Employer Information Sessions
- Career & Volunteer Fairs
- Departmental Student Association Events
Apply for Work Study jobs in CLN in Fall and Spring! You might also find work via the SCSU.
Find networking opportunities, internship programs and entry-level jobs via websites like TalentEgg and Charity Village.
As an upper year student (14+ credits), attend UTSC’s Get Hired conference and participate in Jobs for Grads.
As a graduate, explore internships and other trainee programs like Career Edge.
3. Build Your Network
Explore professional associations and get involved! Volunteer for their events and get to know people in your industry of interest. These are your future mentors, supervisors and colleagues!
- Anthropology and Health Studies Association
- Canadian Anthropology Association
- Canadian Association of Physical Anthropology
- Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
- American Anthropological Association
- American Association of Physical Anthropology
- Society for Medical Anthropology
- Canadian Museums Association
- Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative
- Anthropology Resources on the Internet
Please note: This information is a starting point for your further research into career options in this field of study. For more information on this program and course requirements, please visit the Department of Anthropology website.