Earn an Online Certificate in Anthropology

By earning an online certificate in anthropology, you can come to understand the meaning and scope of anthropology and its main branches. Your studies can enhance an existing degree in anthropology but cover a new-to-you aspect of the subject; they can add knowledge of anthropology to an existing degree in a complementary subject, such as political science or international affairs; or they can give you an introduction to anthropology to help you decide if you like the subject.

No matter your choice, earning an online certificate in anthropology can engage you more deeply in an academic path or enhance a professional one. Also, online studies may give you the option of self-pacing your education, rather than going to school at a set time. Best of all, you can earn a certificate within 10 months to one and a half years of full-time study and by you taking just four to 12 courses.

Courses of Study in Anthropology Schools

Within colleges are different schools. As a subject, anthropology could be housed in a number of schools, or it could have its own school. It simply depends on the college. Which school you’ll study in could also depend on what aspect of anthropology you opt to study. There are four primary branches of anthropology:

  1. Biological anthropology
  2. Cultural anthropology
  3. Linguistic anthropology
  4. Archaeology

Studies in these areas could be housed across disciplines such as biology, sociology, English, or archaeology. Or they could be housed in a school devoted to anthropology. 

Within those anthropology and other schools, you could study subjects such as:

  • Introduction to anthropology: cultures and societies
  • Public anthropology and public policy
  • Sex and gender across cultures
  • Applied anthropology
  • Environmental anthropology
  • Anthropology of health and illness
  • Human rights, violence, and justice

These are just some of dozens of subjects you could study as you earn an online certificate in anthropology. After all, anthropologists ask and attempt to answer important questions about human beings: What are common behavioral patterns across cultures and regions? How do people live, make rules, and shape traditions in their societies? Accumulating the knowledge it takes to answer questions like these requires a diverse range of inquiry.

What Are My Options for Earning an Online Certificate in Anthropology? 

Some anthropology schools or other schools could offer a breadth of certificate options in anthropology. While they might appear to be in a subject other than anthropology, they’re not. They’re simply looked at through an anthropological lens. You could earn an anthropological certificate in:

  • Law and policy
  • Global studies
  • Economy and culture
  • Gender studies
  • Medicine and health

These are just some of many options.

Take the Next Step to Engage in a Study of Anthropology

What is the study of anthropology? Find out! Or, if you’ve already studied anthropology while earning a bachelor’s degree, dive deeper into an area you find fascinating. Here you’ll find programs that offer an online certificate in anthropology. See what’s available and find your perfect program.