B.S. in Anthropology

The Anthropology Department at SMU prepares undergraduate students to meet the increasing demand for a scientifically trained and globally minded workforce. Students study human behavior and societies by adopting a cross-cultural perspective regarding the customs, cultures, languages, and social lives of different peoples around the world. Human populations of the prehistoric past, in places like Guatemala (Maya), Peru (Inca), and the American Southwest, are also studied. The study of the fossil record, forensics, and primates also provide clues about the origins and evolution of humans. ANTHROPOLOGY CAREERS Anthropology has been identified by USA TODAY as a "Hot Asset in Corporate America." Cultural anthropologists are employed as diversity consultants and cultural analysts, identifying potential international markets or production locations. The World Bank recently announced that it planned to hire more anthropologists because anthropologists are able to understand the needs of businesses in other countries. Corporate anthropologists understand people's needs as industry adapts products to world cultures. Applied anthropology is what anthropologists do to solve real world problems in international health, environmental protection, rural development, and poverty. Archaeologists and cultural anthropologists work in the field of cultural resource management and cultural preservation. Ethnographic methods increasingly are being applied in marketing, advertising, and commerce - e.g., Frito Lay North America is working with SMU anthropology faculty and students to learn how Americans actually shop in supermarkets.