Social Anthropology - using your degree

From CareersWiki

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Student / Alumni Profiles 3 Where Our Graduates Go 4 Where Our Postgraduates Go 5 Popular Jobs for Social Anthropology Graduates Nationally 6 Summer Internships & Work Experience 7 Employability Profile 7.1 Skills 7.2 Social Anthropology Careers/Employability Link 8 Links to Useful Resources

Introduction

A degree from Scotland's first university is an excellent start to any future career. St Andrews has a reputation for excellence and the ability to attract the brightest students world wide. With this as a starting point you are well on the way to impressing future employers.

Social Anthropology graduates have characteristics many employers seek (see Employability Profile) and a Social Anthropology degree provides openings to a wide range of careers.

• Private Organisations: can use the skills of Social Anthropologists doing research for urban planning, working with health organisations, doing market research for advertising companies, training employee who will be working in international divisions, or working inhuman resource departments.
• Government Agencies: can employ Social Anthropologists as policy researchers, research analysts, evaluators, mangers, planners and policy makers.
• International Organisations;can employ anthropologists in projects in various countries around the world as researchers and cultural brokers.
• Non-profit Agencies; can employ Social Anthropologists as advocates, administrators, evaluators and researchers.
• Graduate Employers; 70% of graduate jobs are for students from any discipline, Social Anthropologists successfully move into teaching, law, finance, HR, marketing, PR etc.

Well known St Andrews Social Anthropology graduates:

• Saba Douglas-Hamilton - wildlife conservationist & BBC presenter,
• Nicolas Argenti - anthropologist
• Alexander Schulenburg - historian, independent scholar and activist for the British overseas territory of St Helena
• Nicholas Barker - journalist: winner of The Independent Young Journalist of the

Year

Well known people who studied Social Anthropology:

• Kurt Vonnegut - writer
• Thandie Newton - film actor
• Gillian Tett - financial journalist
• Steve Riggio - founder of Barnes and Noble
• Anthony Gormley - artist
• Yo-Yo Ma - musician
• Mario Vargas Llosa - writer and politician
• Tracey Chapman - musician

Student / Alumni Profiles

Saba Douglas-Hamilton is a Social Anthropology graduate from the University of St Andrews. She is a wildlife presenter and documentary film producer. Read her profile.

More Social Anthropology profiles.

Where Our Graduates Go

Year	Organisation/Company	Position	Soc. Anthr. Required
2011	John Lewis	Buying Administrator (Graduate Scheme)	Not directly
2011	Royal Bank of Scotland	Communication and Marketing Graduate Trainee	Not directly
2010	Royal Mail	HR Trainee	Not directly
2010	Headline Publishing Group	Marketing Assistant	Not directly
2009	New Star Foreign Language Training Center	English Teacher	Not directly
2009	Edinburgh Tattoo	Promoter	Not directly
2009	Fenwick	Graduate Buyer	Not directly
2009	Indigenous People	Arts Events Officer	Not directly
2008	Breakthrough Breast Cancer	Supporter Fundraising Administrator - case study	Not directly
2007	Survival International	Campaigner - case study	Not directly
2007	Survival International	Researcher	Yes
2002 (CAN)	Visit Scotland	Development Quality Advisor	Not directly
2001 (CAN)	Horwath Clark (London)	Accountant	Not directly
1993	BBC Natural History Unit and Freelance Work	Wildlife presenter and documentary film producer - case study	Not directly
1993 (CAN)	BMRB	Market Research Director	Not directly
1990 (CAN)	World Bank (Washington, USA)	International Economic Development Consultant - case study	Not directly

Careers Alumni Network (CAN) indicates these alumni are willing and keen to be contacted to help St Andrews students with their careers search.

Where Our Postgraduates Go

Year	Organisation/Company	Position	Social Anthropology Required
2011	Zentrum Moderner Orient	Research Fellow	Yes
2010	Technological Educational Institute Of The Ionian	Teacher	Yes
2009	South Korean Government	English Language Assistant	Not directly
2007	University Of Edinburgh	Research Fellow	Yes
2005	Luther Pendragon	Public Relations Consultant	Not directly

Popular Jobs for Social Anthropology Graduates Nationally

A 2010 HESA survey of 2009 graduates indicates that six months after graduation, just over 50% of anthropology graduates were in UK or overseas employment. Of these, around 20% found jobs in retail, catering, waiting and bar staff, more than 14% work in clerical and secretarial occupations. Around 8% of those surveyed had entered into both the marketing, sales and advertising sector and the social and welfare sector, with a further 12% in other unspecified occupations.

Anthropology graduates work in a wide range of occupations, many unrelated to their course of study, as employers value the range of skills they possess.

Only a tiny proportion of graduates become anthropologists, as academics or researchers. The remainder enter a diverse range of careers due to their broad mix of skills and experience.

Some graduates choose careers which build directly on anthropology, including research, social policy and teaching, work for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development/overseas agencies. Anthropology graduates also pursue roles in advertising, sales and marketing, positions in museums, conservation, and heritage management and careers in areas related to health and social work.

Source:Prospects

Summer Internships & Work Experience

It can be very valuable to gain experience of work in various areas, but particularly in those areas that you are considering as a future career.

• The University Careers Centre has information on vacation jobs and internships in the US
• If you'd like to stay in St Andrews over the summer, you might want to apply for the St Andrews Summer Internship Scheme.
• Remember to network with students in more senior years, tutors, family and friends they may have suggestions and contacts.
• The Undergraduate Research Internship Programme (URIP) was launched in 2008 by the University of St Andrews. Under the URIP scheme, the University funds 20 undergraduates to carry out research over ten weeks during the summer vacation. The students work on independent projects under the guidance and supervision of a member of academic staff. Look out on the website for application forms which normally have to be returned by the end of April.
• Talent Scotland TalentScotland offer summer internships and graduate placements in a range of areas including IT, market research, marketing, international expansion, human resources and environmental management, all with small Scottish firms.
• Several penultimate year students have been successful in getting a paid summer internship with the Saltire Foundation. These are global experiences in USA, Japan, Cayman Islands and others.
• If you are interested in teaching or other work with children the University runs schemes in partnerships with local education authorities which give students access to school pupils. To find out more contact the staff involved by e-mail, schools.access@st-andrews.ac.uk .More Schools are offering the UK Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme, which requires students to spend up to 25 hours working within a Primary or Secondary school or Science centre. The module is assessed and contributes towards the final degree outcome.
• Anthropological Summer School project in Malta: held annually on Gozo, The Malta Summer School offers a unique opportunity to acquire some 'in the field' experience. Various field research available including a variety of architectural and religious sites as well as the study of tourism and ethnic relations.
  • further information
  • Scholarship details

• Washington Navy Yard Internships have openings in the archivist, collections management, curatorial (museum and Naval Art Collection), historian, librarian, museum education, and public relations areas. In addition to Washington, DC, there are internships in Newport, RI, Carderock, MD, Patuxent River, MD, and Keyport, WA. Applicants should email an application form (from Washington Navy Yard), an academic letter of reference, a single-spaced writing sample >1,000 words (ideally an academic paper), and an unofficial transcript

The table below aims to give some examples of the experiences of History students.

Year of graduation	Organisation/Company	Position
2013	Virgile Avocats/LPLG Avocats	Internship case study
2010	World Relief	Intern/Representative - case study
2009	Amazon Watch	Research and Development Intern - case study
2009	University of Oslo	Research Assistant - case study

Employability Profile

Over the course of your degree you develop a good mix of subject specific and transferable core skills (communication, team work, time management, presentation etc). Consider these alongside your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

Skills

The profile below identifies the skills that can be developed through the study of your discipline based on subject benchmark statements developed by UK higher education academic communities.

This table is able to help you to identify the valuable skills that you can offer to potential employers.

A graduate in Social Anthropology typically will have the ability to:	Evidence:
Understand how human beings are shaped by and interact with their social, cultural and physical environments, and appreciate their social, cultural and biological diversity.	Most modules do this. Honours years dissertation fieldwork project especially important in this regard.
Engage with cultures, populations and groups different from their own while retaining their personal judgement	most modules do this, but also achieved through reading anthropological research, presentation and analysis of ethnographic film. [Available for lending from anthropology video library] and through Honours dissertation fieldwork project.
Read and interpret texts within their historical, social and theoretical contexts.	Module tutorials and reading groups especially useful here.
Recognise the politics of language, indirect forms of communication, forms of power, theoretical statements and claims of authority, and analyse them.	At centre of module work, but also raised in discussion forums on anthropology weekends away.
Apply their knowledge of anthropology to practical situations, personal and professional.	Subhonours mini-fieldwork project & honours dissertation fieldwork project; debates and discussion forums through seminars for visiting speakers & through student-led Anthropology Society.
Plan, undertake and present scholarly work showing an understanding of anthropological aims, methods and theoretical considerations	should pervade all aspects of undergraduate & postgraduate study.
Demonstrate an understanding of their subject of study, and exercise qualities of mind associated with intellectual reflection, evaluation and synthesis.	Student-led forums for discussion: tutorials, workshops & debates
Express ideas in writing, summarise arguments and distinguish between them.	Core features of module work.
Make a structured argument, reference the works of others and assess historical evidence.	Module lectures, workshops & tutorials, but referencing tips outlined in module handbook & dept website.
Think independently and apply analytical, critical and synoptic skills.	Pervades teaching of anthropology & requirements of course work; also taught in tutorials & supervisions.
Apply learning and study skills and use statistical and computing techniques.	Core lesson of module work.
Apply information retrieval skills to primary and secondary sources of information.	Core skill of final year dissertation work.
Use skills in information technology and oral and written communication.	Module coursework, but also verbal presentations in tutorials & lunchtime dissertation seminars.
Apply time planning and management skills.	Tutorials & honours supervisions.
Engage in group work including constructive discussion.	Tutorials, lunchtime seminars, workshops, debates & discussion forums on anthropological away weekends.

Social Anthropology Careers/Employability Link

Each School has a Careers/Employability Link who "champions" employability. Yours is Dr Adam Reed. If you have any information you consider important for your fellow students please let him know. Alternatively you can contact the Employability Coordinator for the University, Pamela Andrew,at pea1.

Links to Useful Resources

• Destination Statistics of St Andrews graduates
• Prospects: Options with Anthropology
• Mapping Your Future - Employability for Anthropology students - Pamela Andrew
• Introduction to Social Anthropology at St Andrews - What is Social Anthropology,Careers,Learning - Dr Paloma Gay y Blasco
• Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK and Commonwealth
• Royal Anthropological Institute
• Society for Applied Anthropology
• Research Gate research jobs