Next Steps?
Life After Graduating from Brown with an Archaeology Degree
Archaeology Job Options
Do you like archaeology so much you want to continue its study, and maybe even make a career in the field? There are many professional opportunities for archaeologists -- from Cultural Resource Management (CRM) to nonprofits to publishing.
A special issue of the "Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology & Heritage Studies" (2015) provides a helpful perspective on a few of these many careers, with portraits of Archaeology graduates with careers mostly outside academia, at https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/jeasmedarcherstu.3.3.0238 (Note: While this article is geared toward students who have completed doctoral studies in archaeology, its insights are helpful for students at any level).
Brown University's CareerLab also has many helpful resources. For example, see their "Career Pathways to the Museum World" Video Replay (You must be logged into a gmail account to watch the video) and Handout (Note that both featured speakers were Archaeology concentrators!). Through BrownConnect, the CareerLab can also help facilitate informational interviews with Brown alumni who are working in relevant fields, which is an excellent way to learn more about career options. The CareerLab and BrownConnect are also good sources for internships that might provide experience in the summers, or winter breaks, during your time at Brown -- which not only position you well for securing a job after graduation, but also give you the opportunity to experiment with different fields and develop a better idea of what type of jobs most interest you.
Lastly, see "Archaeology Job Listings" in the Resources section of this website for some suggestions of helpful links to websites for beginning to search for jobs in CRM, museums, and other archaeological fields.
Thinking of Graduate School?
Why go to graduate school? If teaching at the secondary or university level interests you; if museum work (in curatorial or administrative positions) interests you; if Cultural Resource Management or Historic Preservation interests you — then you probably need more study time and additional degrees to succeed.
One immediate thing to keep in mind: there are more options to graduate school than simply the Ph.D. Depending on what your goals are, you may find that only one or two years of graduate work (e.g., for a Masters degree) will give you what you need.
Graduate school is a commitment: make no doubt about it. The workload can be intense. Pursuit of the Ph.D., for example, will take you several, usually at least five or six, years. Making big money is not in the cards. On the more positive side, you spend your time studying a subject that means a great deal to you, and have the opportunity to work and talk with other people who share the same passion.
More advice about Graduate School
Ask for Help!
The most important advice we can provide: Students are strongly encouraged to talk to their concentration advisor and other mentors (faculty, current graduate students, fellow undergraduates) early and often about their potential next steps.