Anthropology is the study of humankind - in the past, present, and future - every place in the world. Different branches of anthropology focus on different aspects of the human experience. Cultural anthropology is the description and analysis of contemporary cultures around the world. Archaeology examines the material remains of historic and prehistoric cultures. Physical anthropology deals with the biological aspects of humanity, including human evolution, primatology, and modern human variation. Linguistics is the study of the great variety of languages spoken by human beings.

The aim of anthropology is to describe, analyze, and explain the different ways of life, of culture, through which human groups, or societies, have adapted to their environments. Given the increasing globalization of economies and increasing contact with people from other cultures, anthropological knowledge is essential in the functioning of most human relations fields, including law, medicine, nursing, education, government, psychology, economics, business administration, and communication media.

Students with anthropological training apply their knowledge of culture and diversity in the work place to improve the quality of human relations. Only by becoming sensitive to the cultural dimensions of human existence and learning to cope with them can human relations hope to become optimally effective. With bachelor degrees, students of anthropology pursue employment in such fields as cultural resource management and human services. With advanced degrees, anthropologists can follow a number of career routes: teaching; research; working in government agencies concerned with welfare, drug abuse, forensics, mental health, environmental impact, housing, education, foreign aid, and agricultural development; working in the private sector as personnel and ethnic relations consultants, as management consultants for multinational firms, and as staff members of hospitals and foundations.

To learn more about the study of anthropology at Western Kentucky University, follow the links below.