Choosing a B.S. in Anthropology
Thinking about a career in any of the nearly 100 health sciences? Medicine? Nursing? Forensics? Or perhaps you’re excited about contributing to evidence-based public policy, or maybe law. What major should you choose for any of these careers?
Think outside the box, and you’ll discover that an Anthropology B.S. may be the perfect choice for you.
“Teaching anthropology from a biological perspective has offered me the opportunity to gain a holistic understanding of human kind.”
– Deborah Ojigho, Undergraduate Student, Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humans, both present and past, here in the U.S. and around the globe. It is one of the broadest of all disciplines, spanning a range of theories and methods, from the life and natural sciences to the humanities. The UCLA Department of Anthropology offers courses that reflect this great breadth, with classes in biological anthropology, archaeology, psycho-cultural/medical anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology.The Department offers two degrees, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Sciences. Both degrees give students the opportunity to take classes from across the full range of the discipline, while also allowing you to emphasize those areas that most interest you. The required Anthropology classes are the same for both degrees; the B.S. degree differs from the B.A. in that it also includes classes in Life Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, and Math. The B.S. thus constitutes an outstanding, rigorous foundation for careers in which you’re either practicing science, or using science to help others. Anthropology B.S. majors stand out from the crowd of applicants to professional and graduate schools. Sure, all applicants to med school understand the Krebs cycle, but do they also know why humans are so prone to lower-back injuries? Or how cultural differences affect access to healthcare? Plenty of students working toward careers in public health or public policy know that teen pregnancy has adverse consequences, but how many of them can explain why kids who grow up in poverty reach sexual maturity earlier? Study anthropology, and you won’t just stand out from the crowd – you’ll see people in a whole new light.
