Anthropology is one of the few areas of study to combine fascinating course work with practical career training. The study of "who we are and how we came to be that way" not only provides a well-rounded Liberal Arts education but also gives students an edge on many careers and jobs in today's globally competitive world. In these times of narrow specialization, anthropological study is refreshingly broad. Another tangible benefit of taking anthropology courses is the training you will receive in a distinctive data collecting method known as participant-observation. You will learn to observe, record and describe complex social behavior as it happens. Many anthropology courses, and especially the anthropology field terms in Tasmania and Fiji, incorporate hands-on research, involving active participation in the community. Such cross-cultural experience is increasingly attractive to many employers, from social service organizations to multinational corporations.
Union's anthropology faculty have conducted research in and have first-hand knowledge of a broad range of societies including Papua New Guinea, Barbados, England, Ireland, Corsica, Fiji, Japan, Mexico, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the United States. Within these societies we have studied tribal peoples, Native Americans, university faculty, the urban poor, the elderly, peasants, fishers, migrants, entrepreneurs, itinerants and Gypsies, sumo wrestlers, and professional baseball players, to name a few.
