The questions that everybody seems to have on their mind about anthropology are:

“What is it?”
“What can you do with it”?

Put simply, anthropologists try to “make sense” of how people “make sense” of the world and each other. Our department focuses on an applied approach to anthropology which means that we take this knowledge and use it to solve real world problems. Understanding the way people see things can be used in any career field that values social knowledge. So, what we do with anthropology cannot be limited by one career or job. The question then, really isn’t about “What career can you have with anthropology?” Instead, it is a question of “What can you do with anthropology in any career?”

Below, you will find career ready resources that will help you navigate career options by telling you how to translate and leverage your anthropological thinking into valuable transferable skills. You will also find examples of how our alumna are applying their anthropological training in jobs straight after graduation as well as in more established careers.

The Anthropology Career Readiness Network (ACRN)

ACRN is a volunteer organization comprised of anthropologists working in academia as well as industry. We are anthropologists who want to help support young anthropology students on their career journeys. It is the best “one stop shop” for resources on the kinds of careers anthropologists do, as well as tools and resources for how to leverage your skills into a successful and fulfilling job.

Website: https://anthrocareerready.net/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anthrocareerready/about/

For Anthropology Students

In addition to taking advantage of the resources compiled by ACRN, there are steps and opportunities that UNT anthropology majors can begin taking right now, even before they graduate!

Internships in Anthropology

The Department of Anthropology is happy to offer majors the opportunity to pursue internship experiences with academic credit towards their major requirements. We help our majors facilitate experiential learning opportunities with a vetted and invested pool of internship partners. Click here to learn more about the requirements and the process for securing an internship. If you would like us to keep you updated about upcoming info sessions and forthcoming application timelines, then submit an interest form here.

The following are requirements for students applying for consideration of academic credit:

Completion of ANTH 2300
Minimum UNT G.P.A. of 3.0
Junior Classification (60hrs.+)
15+ hours of ANTH Credit Completed
Declared Anthropology Major
Projected commitment of at least 100 total hours during the credit-earning semester

Students seeking course credit with an approved Spring internship will be enrolled in the Spring semester's ANTH 4920 Internship in Anthropology course seminar with Professor Nelson for 3 credit hours (NB! Homework Hotline interns will be mentored by Dr. Nuñez-Janes). Note that internship applications must be approved PRIOR to the Spring semester.

Students seeking an approved independent internship experience in Fall or Summer semesters are responsible for securing an anthropology faculty mentor on their own and reaching out to the Department of Anthropology.

The next "Internship in Anthropology" course seminar will be offered Spring 2026. Click here to complete an interest form so we can keep you updated with details about info sessions and the upcoming round of internship applications. Adding your name to this form only tells us that you are interested, it is neither a commitment to, nor guarantee of, an internship.

Faculty Mentored Research and Learning

The Department of Anthropology offers anthropology majors the opportunity to enroll in customized learning experiences with anthropology faculty. This learning opportunity counts for full advanced course credit and can be applied in one of two ways. 1) Students can request a "directed study" with a faculty member where they have a one-on-one class dedicated to a topic of their choice or 2) Students can apply to conduct their own undergraduate research project under a faculty member's mentorship. Either application is a wonderful opportunity for students to gain specialized knowledge and skills in terms of what is important to their own professional development. In addition, this is a fantastic way to establish a solid working relationship with a faculty member that can later translate into a strong and meaningful professional reference. To learn more about the process for conducting undergraduate research click here.

Memberships in Professional Student Organizations

Are you interested in being more involved in the Anthropology department? There are a variety of ways that you can connect with peers and faculty. As an undergraduate student you are able to join the Undergraduate Anthropology Student Association and/or the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society. As a Department Services Program (DSP) partner, the Department of Anthropology is able to offer all of their undergraduate majors free membership into the American Anthropological Association (AAA), the premiere national professional organization for anthropologists. This complimentary membership, which is part of the AAAs Undergraduate Cohort Program, also includes a free subscription to the National Association of Student Anthropologists (NASA) and the AAA Annual Meeting registration. Contact the department at anthropology@unt.edu for information on how to register for your free membership.

The Padawan Society

The Padawan Society is a departmental initiative that pairs undergraduate Junior and Senior anthropology majors with graduate student mentors. The purpose of the Padawan Society is to provide support and guidance for undergraduate students who are curious about applying to graduate school. Click here for more information.

Student Leadership Roles

Serving in a student leadership role gives students the opportunity to develop valuable professional and transferable skills as well as the chance to work closely with departmental staff and faculty. The Department of Anthropology nominates two ambassadors to the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences to represent us amongst a college-wide body of student ambassadors. We also have two student leadership positions that are unique to our department: 1) Undergraduate Community Coordinator and 2) Student/Faculty Liaison. For more information on these roles and the students that are currently carrying them out, click here.

Practicing Anthropology

Below is a list of selected alumna who have graduated in the past 3 years with a BA in Anthropology from our program. They are immediately leveraging their anthropological training into positions that will set the pace for their longer career goals.

Tori Aldrich (2025): Peace Corps
Ciara Hendricks (2025): Intern at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Nel Klimas (2025): Parks
Adrian Jaramillo (2025): Internship Mexico
Ellen Christensen (2024): Employed with the American Anthropological Association as an administrative assistant where she focuses on advocacy and education. Linkedin:
Lucille Gradillas (2023): Employed in the non-profit and government sectors having worked with AmeriCorps VISTA where she created a teen volunteer program for the S’edav Va’aki Museum in Phonix, Arizona and served as Program Director for Teen Volunteers, facilitating Title 1 participation in cultural institutions by building the Cholla Buds: Pen Pal Program. They are currently starting a job with the State of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety.
Tam Do (2022): Employed as a Cultural Steward with Montana State Parks Americorps.
Mia Rogers (2022): Enrolled as a law student at Georgetown Law School.
Jordan Mitchell (2022): Peace Corps

The following include a selected list of veteran alumna that have graduated from our undergraduate program and are continuing to apply their anthropological training in established careers. Check back often as we will periodically change our featured profile.

Anthony Defreece (2021): Archaeologist

Sarah Richardson (2020): Art & Non-Profits
Grant Spelce (2016): Grant Specialist, Highway Patrol

Karla Trevino (2013): Senior Manager

Kendra Hayes (2010): Librarian

Shari Karonika: Health Programs

Dr. Joshua Aaron Roberson (1997): Academic
April Kelly: Conservation Wild (find out graduation year)
Chris Ice

Career Impact