Choosing a Path to the Ancient World in a Modern Market: The Reality of Faculty Jobs in Archaeology

Abstract

Durante los últimos 30 años, el número de doctorados en antropología ha aumentado en un 70%, pero no ha habido un aumento correspondiente en la disponibilidad de nuevas plazas docentes. Como consecuencia, hoy los arqueólogos con doctorado se enfrentan a más competencia que nunca al solicitar puestos de profesor. En este artículo examinamos las instituciones de origen de los docentes en arqueología antropológica en Estados Unidos y Canadá y las universidades donde eventualmente terminan enseñando. Usando los datos derivados del

Market share and recent hiring trends in anthropology faculty positions

“…We recently examined the realities and prospects of obtaining a faculty position in anthropological archaeology at BA/BS, MA/MS, and PhD institutions in the US and Canada [ 1 ]. Here we expand the study to include the other subdisciplines of anthropology to track and compare each of them, as well as evaluate the discipline as a whole with respect to job prospects at BA/BS, MA/MS, and PhD institutions in the US.…”

“…Here we expand the study to include the other subdisciplines of anthropology to track and compare each of them, as well as evaluate the discipline as a whole with respect to job prospects at BA/BS, MA/MS, and PhD institutions in the US. As we outlined in our Archaeology faculty jobs study [ 1 ], repeated here to provide context for the current study, the statistics surrounding Anthropology and Archaeology career prospects provided by most outlets are not positive. In 2012, both Kiplinger Business Forecast and Forbes ranked Anthropology and Archaeology “as the worst choice of college majors with an unemployment rate of 10.5% and a median salary of $28,000 for recent college graduates” [ 2 – 3 ].…”

“…More recently, Speakman and colleagues [ 1 ] examined academic tenure-track job placement at BA/BS, MA/MS, and PhD institutions for programs producing anthropological archaeology doctorates in the US and Canada. This study determined that a small number of graduate programs in the US and Canada account for a majority of the total market-share.…”

Are careers in biological anthropology sustainable?

“…However, advising faculty may not always consider the viability of a future career for these students as part of this process. Similarly, when attending graduate programs, few graduate students consider their potential career options after graduation (Sauermann and Roach, ; Speakman et al, ).…”

“…Recently, Speakman et al (: p 9) argued that within the United States, tenure track faculty positions in archaeology are highly unsustainable, available to only ∼20% of those that have graduated with a doctoral degree since 1995. This is not surprising, as the academic job market in anthropology is often described as “bleak” (Speakman et al : p 3). However, not all doctoral graduates seek academic positions, and not all of those that do, desire tenure track positions.…”