Bachelor of anthropology is the study of humanity which is designed for students who are pursuing their career in arts stream. It deals with the study of relationship between culture and biology. It also spreads its areas towards other fields like life science, medical science, earth science etc. It covers the basic concepts such as Biological Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, Social-Cultural Anthropology and Archaeological Anthropology. The basic idea of this course is to enrich students with unity and diversity of the culture and the force behind is binding the humankind as one right from the Vedic era till now. It is a graduation course for a period of 3 years.

Advantages or Benefits of doing bachelor of anthropology

Anthropology offers students to pursue their career in various areas or fields of employment. The scope of this course is very wide so the students can look on for a job in their interested field. Those who wish to go for higher studies also have many opportunities as there are many post graduate courses under anthropology. As this field is a very wide one, students will get many openings after completing the course.

Eligibility Criteria for Bachelor of Anthropology

Students from arts stream can also choose their career in anthropology. It is necessary that students must have passed their 10+2 or equivalent exam, however the marks required to enrol for the course may differ depending on the college they choose for their studies. The admission will be based on personal interview and percentage of marks secured for 10+2 exam. Some colleges may conduct an entrance exam for the selection of students.

List of Colleges offering anthropology in India

Some of the colleges offering anthropology in India are:

• Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar College, Utkal University, Orissa
• Government women’s (Degree) College, Sambalpur University, Orissa
• Jawaharlal Nehru College, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh
• Cotton College, Gauhati University,Assam
• North Lakhimpur College, Dibrugarh University, Assam
• D. H. S. Kanoi College, Dibrugarh University, Assam
• Khallikota (Autonomous) College, Berhampur University, Orissa
• Sailabala Womens College, Utkal University, Orissa
• Govt. College, Sambalpur University, Orrisa
• Government women’s (Degree) College, Sambalpur University, Orissa
• Jawaharlal Nehru College, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh
• Laxminarayan College, Sambalpur University, Orissa
• Nandalal Borgohain City College, Dibrugarh University, Assam
• North Gauhati College, Gauhati University, Assam
• Ran Vijay Smarak Mahavidyalaya, Vinoba Bhave University, Jharkhand
• North Lakhimpur College, Dibrugarh University, Assam

Anthropology course curriculum

The course is designed to be carried out in the practical as well as the theoretical sections. The major theoretical papers includes the following,

• Theory
• Foundations of Anthropology
• Indian Anthropology
• Theories in Social/Cultural Anthropology
• Biological/Physical and Archaeological Anthropology.
• Research Methodology
• Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Human Growth
• Field Report/Research Methodology
• Archaeological Anthropology
• Tribal Cultures of India
• Practicals in Biological Anthropology and Archaeological Anthropology
• Anthropology of Culture Region
• Applications of Anthropology
• Fundamentals in Linguistic Anthropology
• Synthetic theory of evolution
• Fundamentals in Archaeological Anthropology
• Concept of Race, Genetic basis of Race, UNESCO Statement on Race — Ethnic GroupPopulation, Racial classification of human populations
• Origin of tool making and their evolution
• Fundamentals in Social-Cultural Anthropology
• Theories of Organic evolution
• Position of Man in animal kingdom: Comparative anatomy of Man and apes Fossil evidence of human evolution
• Human Genetics: Mendelian Principles, Genetic markers, DNA
• Law and Political organisation
• Social institutions
• Cultural and Social Change
• India as a bio-socio-cultural entity
• Evolution of Indian culture and civilization
• Indian social system
• Geographical zones of India
• Tribal population in India
• Caste
• Constitution of India
• History of Anthropology in India
• Racial, ethnic, religious and linguistic elements in Indian population
• Process of Social Change
• Human Genetics
• Laws of inheritance and theories of heredity, gene pool
• Concept of DNA, RNA
• Human growth
• Nutritional requirement for normal growth, malnutrition, under nutrition
• Archaeological data and cultural reconstructions
• Mesolithic cultures
• Megalithic cultures in India
• Practicals
• Physical Anthropology
• Archaeological Anthropology
• ABO blood grouping
• Visit to Museums, excavation sites, river terraces, stratigraphy
• Identification, sketching and description of pal eoliths, microliths, neoliths and pottery pieces

Specializations in Bachelor of Anthropology

The core papers for BA anthropology are:

• Foundations of Anthropology
• Biological/Physical and Archaeological Anthropology
• Indian Anthropology
• Social-Cultural Anthropology
• Some of the optional courses for anthropology are:
• Anthropology of  Culture Region
• Research Methodology
• Tribal Cultures of India

Course Evaluation of Bachelor of Anthropology

The course is divided into theoretical, practical and self study sessions. Exams will be conducted to test the understanding of the students regarding the subjects covered. Records are to be maintained which will be one of the criteria for grading. The overall performance of students in theory as well as practical will be taken into consideration while grading them. Students are required to obtain separate pass marks for theory and practical. A project report has to be submitted by students at the end of the course for evaluation

Anthropolgy Text Books

• Mirror for Humanity: A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (7TH 10) by Conrad Phillip Kottak
• Anthropology Matters! (07) by Shirley A. Fedorak
• Human Evolution and Culture (6TH 09) by Melvin Ember, Ember,Carol R. and Peter N. Peregrine
• Anthropology: The Human Challenge (13TH 11) by William A. Haviland
• Social and Cultural Anthropology : A Very Short Introduction (00) by John Monaghan and Peter Just
• Essence of Anthropology (2ND 10) by William A. Haviland
• Applying Cultural Anthropology : Intro. Reader (8TH 09) by Aaron Podolefsky
• Invitation to Anthropology (3RD 09) by Luke E. Lassiter
• Essentials of Physical Anthropology (8TH 11) by Robert Jurmain
• Window on Humanity (4TH 10) by Conrad Kottak
• Anthropology (8TH 96) Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember
• Anthropology - Study Guide (5TH 04) Raymond Scupin

What to do after BA Anthropology?

After BA anthropology students can either go for job or can do post graduation also. Some of the courses are:-

• M.A. Anthropology
• M.Phil Anthropology
• Ph.D Anthropology

Job and Career options after anthropology

A Person with anthropology as their field of study is always in high demand. The scope of anthropology is very wide and therefore students have the choice of selecting their interested field of employment. Some of the common fields where in a person with anthropology as his /her back ground can work in are given below:

• Employment Areas
• Commission for scheduled castes
• Art galleries
• Conservation organizations
• Documentary film companies
• Criminal investigation departments
• Historical societies
• Insurance companies
• Libraries
• Museums
• Planning commission
• Publishing houses
• Commission for schedule tribes
• World health Organization (WHO)
• Archives
• Indian Civil Service

Job Types after Bachelor of Anthropology

• Research scholar
• Curators
• Survey manager or data supervisor
• Film director
• Sub - inspector (CID)
• Archaeologists
• Policy manager
• Librarian
• Tour guides
• Urban planners
• Social workers in media houses
• Culture resource managers
• Linguists
• Archivists
• IAS, IPS & PCS officer

Remuneration after BA anthropology

The students after completing their Bachelors of anthropology course can draw a very good salary. The general trend in career field seen today is to go for engineering or medicine. So the competition there is very high. Anthropology is the field which is very wide and it has started attracting many students as the job opportunities in this field are very huge. The candidates at the entry level can draw a salary of Rs. 8000 to Rs. 10000 per month.