OFO No: 263201

Other names for Anthropologist:

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Youtube clip – The Career of an Anthropologist

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What is an Anthropologist?

Anthropologists examine, analyze, report on and compare different cultures and how they grow, develop, and interact. How people live offers insights into modern life and how significantly (or, more often, how little) we have changed and how similar we are in our basic systems of interaction.

Anthropologists can travel to exotic lands and spend time in primitive conditions or work in developed countries comparing regional concerns.

For example: Cultural Anthropologists may compare the culture of the medical world to that of the financial world, or the culture of professional athletes to that of legal professionals.

Some Anthropologists take a cross-disciplinary approach by studying linguistics, chemistry, nutrition, or behavioural science, and apply the methodologies of those disciplines to their study of culture.

What does an Anthropologist do?

• writes
• edits
• does fieldwork
• teaches
• consults with other professionals
• produces papers for professional journals

Athropologist usually rely on grant funding for income. Successful Anthropologists quickly learn successful grant-writing skills, find areas of unexplored anthropological concern, and publish articles, essays, and books as early and as often as they can. Most Anthropologists are employed by universities. They teach and review others’ work.

Are you . . . ?

• non-judgmental?
• interessted in different people, their cultures and beliefs?
• inquisitive?
• in good health?
• able to work long hours away from home?
• patient?
• able to work on your own?
• able to write well?
• analytical?

How do I become an Anthropologist?

One usually studies a BA or BSocSc programme with a Major in Social Anthropology.

A variety of universities in SA offer this course.  

Here are a few examples:

•     UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
•     UWC
•     UNISA
•     UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

Anthropology is a competitive field, and those who want to succeed in it must find creative ways of having their skills recognized.

Minimum requirements: National Senior Certificate endorsed for a Degree

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Antique Dealer or Palaeontologist

Is becoming an Anthropologist the right career choice for me?

OFO No:

What is a Curator?

A Curator usually work in a museum. Curators can also work in libraries and at other historical sites. They are the person whose job it is to keep all the records and artefacts (items in a museum) safe, up to date and in a good condition.

Curators can work in a:

• Natural history museum
• Specialised museum: aerospace, coin, funeral, medical, engineering, mining, fashion etc etc.
• Art museum
• Library etc
  

What does a Curator do?

• does research
• organises the acquisition of new items for the museum
• makes sure storage is safe and perfect for the items in the museum
• designs and arranges the ‘scenes’ in museums
• makes or orders some of the ‘scenes / sets’
• decides themes for exhibitions
• decides which items go on exhibition
• makes sure all the cataloguing and record keeping is up to date
• does frequent checks of the building making sure maintenance is up to date
• train staff
• plans, negotiates purchases, loans or exchanges of items
• conducts tours of the museum
• facilitates workshops
• attends conferences

Are you . . . ?

• passionate about working in a museum or library?
• highly organised?
• responsible?
• inquisitive?
• good at research?
• creative?
• detail orientated?
• a person with managerial qualities?

How do I become a Curator?

This will depend on the kind of Curator you want to be. Wherever you work, you will need a qualification.

For instance, if you want to work in an aerospace museum, a background or skills in esaropsace would be an advantage. If you want to work in an art museum, a background or qualfiicaiton in fine art / art history would be extremely beneficial.

• UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN: MICHAELIS SCHOOL OF ART

Offers a Honours programme in Curatorship

You will need an undergraduate degree in visual arts, humanities or the sciences to enter this course.

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Anthropologist or Art Historian

Is becoming a Curator the right career choice for me?

OFO No: 263301

What is a Genealogist?

A Genealogist studies and researches the history of families.

They may work for one family or for specialised organisations like museums etc.

Some Genealogists may specialise in a particular group or families which have the same surname.

One of the jobs that Genealogists do is that they draw up family trees.

What does a Genealogist do?

• does tons and tons of research

1. online
2. at museums in cities and tiny towns
3. libraries
4. church records
5. government archives etc

• interviews people related to the research
• analyses the data
• draws up family trees
• creates notes and reports

Are you . . . ?

• interested in research?
• detail orientated?
• organised?
• a good communicator?
• interested in history?
• good at comprehension?
• patient?

How do I become a Genealogist?

A qualification would be extremely advantageous.

Degree: BA at most universities, with subjects such as Sociology, History and Languages is recommended.

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

• GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA (GSSA)

http://www.ggsa.info/

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Curator or Marriage & Family Counsellor

Is becoming a Genealogist the right career choice for me?

OFO No: 263204
 

What is a Sociologist? 

Sociology is a science. A Sociologist studies the ‘functions’ of society.  

For instance:

• Human Interaction (relationships etc)
• Populations
• Social Class
• Religion
• Criminality and Law
• Tribes / Races
• Political Groups
• Labour
• Culture etc.

Some Sociologist specialise in one or two fields. 

What does a Sociologist do?

• does lots of research
• gives lectures
• specialises in particular studies
• writes papers
• attends conferences

Are you . . . ?

• interested in human behaviour?
• curious?
• analytical?
• good at research?
• intelligent?
• a people’s person?
• a good communicator?
• able to speak and write well?

How do I become a Sociologist? 

Sociology can be studied at all SA universities.
This can be done through a Bachelor’s of Arts degree (BA) with a major in sociology or as part of a degree in Commerce, Economics or Administration.
There are postgraduate degrees in this field as well.

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Genealogist or Linguist

Is becoming a Sociologist the right career choice for me?