With a growing demand in the current job market for men and women with skills revolving around history and anthropology, the University’s graduate programs for each of these fields provide students with just the right amount of experience both inside and outside of the classroom to help them get to where they want to be after they earn their degree.
With students who have ended up working for the National Park Service, the American Red Cross, the American Museum of Natural History, the Port Authority, and a number of other various state and county agencies, it is clear that the University’s History and Anthropology programs are the perfect way for students to prepare themselves for the real world.
“Students leave with research, writing, and critical thinking skills,” said Richard Veit, Chair of the History and Anthropology Department at the University. He continued to explain that although most classes in the program are small seminars, many hands-on courses are also offered to the students enrolled, particularly those that are focusing on archaeology.
There is an Ancient Technology class, for example, in which students recreate ancient technologies, “from fire and flintknapping to plowing with mules and shearing sheep,” said Veit. Experiences like those offered by that class in particular create a clear picture of the kind of work that students will be conducting after they graduate.
Those involved in the Anthropology program also “learn how to use geographic information systems (GIS, a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface), address anthropological questions, how to carry out ethnographic fieldwork, and for those who are archaeologically inclined, they learn the lab and field skills necessary to secure a job in cultural resource management,” Veit explained.
Nick Triozzi, who is currently working as a Mapping and Photographic Specialist at the American Museum of Natural History, graduated with his Master’s degree in Anthropology in 2013. “Monmouth’s Anthropology MA program kickstarted my career by providing me with a challenging academic environment and the flexibility to balance classroom and experiential learning,” Triozzi said. “The faculty acted as my most vital resource, giving me the guidance that budding anthropologists thrive on.”
Students working to earn their Master’s in History are able to choose from three different specializations: World History, History of the United States, and European History. “Each specialization is designed to enhance competence in the field, increase professionalism, and develop leadership,” according to the University’s website.
“By offering a variety of helpful workshops, one-on-one interaction with professors, and a wide array of classes, Monmouth University has proven to be a wonderful community of scholars, all dedicated to supporting student success and advancing the study of history,” said Lindsay Maruska, who graduated with her Master’s in History in 2015.
Whether a student intends to pursue a career in the field of History or Anthropology, the University’s programs truly are great options when it comes to acquiring all of the expertise and experience necessary to find a job in their desired career path.
Students looking to earn their degree in Anthropology, for example, are given the opportunity to conduct research abroad. “Today, this includes projects examining resource extraction in Latin American countries, health care in Eastern Europe, and archaeological research around the Circum-Caribbean region,” according to the program’s informational brochure.
Those enrolled in the History program are also given the opportunity to present their research at various conferences held both on and off campus. In the past, topics such as race and the U.S. criminal justice system have been covered, as well as the school-to-prison pipeline and even white male privilege in academia. Regardless of which area of these two fields students are interested in, the University’s History and Anthropology programs are a perfect fit for anyone looking to start a career revolving around either academic area.
“Our program is one of the most vibrant in the Middle Atlantic regions,” Veit explained. “The program provides students with the skills and knowledge to secure employment right out of graduate school and to move into supervisory positions.”
