Certificate in Applied Anthropology

Certificate in Applied Anthropology

Anthropology’s Certificate in Applied Anthropology (CAA) is designed to help students in all majors learn practical skills and concepts that will be useful for careers in government, business, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), etc., as well as in graduate school. The CAA requires students to take upper-division courses in Ethnographic Methods (ANT 400) and Applied Anthropology (ANT 420), but the rest of the Certificate requirements are based on individual student interest, involving one elective (from a choice of more than 30 options in 13 different disciplines) and an intensive 6-credit summer internship in a location arranged by the student and his or her mentor. ANT 400 and 420 give students the skills they need to conduct qualitative research for in-depth knowledge of a situation, and to apply that knowledge for problem-solving in a number of areas. The internship and elective allow students to specialize in particular career areas of their choosing.

To provide just three possibilities of fulfilling the requirements for the Certificate in Applied Anthropology: 

A CAA participant hoping to work in the medical field, for example, will choose a mentor from among the Anthropology faculty, and fill out an application for the Certificate. If accepted, they would take ANT 400 (Ethnographic Methods), an elective like PSY 367 (Health Psychology) or AHS 330 (Health Care: A Global Perspective), spend the summer doing a 6-credit internship at a West Michigan health clinic, then finish the CAA by taking ANT 420 (Applied Anthropology) the following fall.

A CAA participant hoping to work in refugee resettlement, for instance, will choose a mentor from among the Anthropology faculty, and fill out an application for the Certificate. If accepted, they would take ANT 400 (Ethnographic Methods), an elective like PLS 316 (Human Rights in International Politics) or PA 360 (Volunteerism and the Nonprofit Sector), spend the summer doing a 6-credit internship at a local refugee resettlement agency (like Bethany or Samaritas), then finish the CAA by taking ANT 420 (Applied Anthropology) the following fall.

To provide one more illustration, a CAA participant hoping to work in cultural resource management will choose a mentor from among the Anthropology faculty, and fill out an application for the Certificate. If accepted, they would take ANT 400 (Ethnographic Methods), an elective like ECO 345 (Environmental and Resource Economics) or GPY 335 (Globalization and Development), spend the summer doing a 6-credit internship at a CRM consulting firm, then finish the CAA by taking ANT 420 (Applied Anthropology) the following fall.

Program requirements

Those interested in the Certificate in Applied Anthropology (C.A.A.) must:

  • Enrolled in a degree-seeking program at GVSU
  • Have at least a 3.0 GPA overall
  • Find an Anthropology faculty member to serve as an advisor
  • Submit a written application to the department by October 15 (fall) / March 15 (winter).

Learn more about Student Learning Outcomes

Once admitted, a student must take:

  • ANT 400 - Ethnographic Methods (3 cr)
  • ANT 490 - Practicum: Career Service (6 cr)
  • ANT 420 - Applied Anthropology (3 cr)
  • One elective in an area of specialty

Students must be degree seeking students to receive the certificate. The certificate will be awarded at the same time as the degree is awarded. All undergraduate certificates have received Higher Learning Commission approval, and students are eligible for financial aid because they are seeking a degree.

We welcome applications! Please contact Kristin Hedges at [email protected] with any questions you may have.

FAQ's



Page last modified April 19, 2022