National Organization Internships
| Smithsonian Institution | A comprehensive website, listing internship opportunities at 13 different museums, 8 research centers, and 9 outreach programs, all associated with the Smithsonian Institution. |
| U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | HUD, a federal agency, offers a variety of programs tailored to professional development, some for college credit and tailored to your academic interests. |
| Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage | The Washington, DC-based arm of the Smithsonian Institution offers year-round internships in cultural anthropology, folklore, ethnomusicology, museum studies and arts administration. Internships are oriented towards the annual Smithsonian FolkLife Festival. |
| The Student Conservation Association | The SCA offers paid internships at national parks throughout the country, many involving cultural interpretation. Pay includes travel to and from the site, room, and a modest weekly stipend. At the end of your commitment you are eligible for Americorps grants applicable to student loans. |
| Center for World Indigenous Studies | Internships in administration, outreach, and research in Olympia, WA, require an application fee. |
| National Association of the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) | A unit of the American Anthropological Association NAPA provides a Mentor program for student anthropologists seeking practical advice on their next career steps. The “Students” page (tab at the top of the site’s homepage) has links to both internship and field study opportunities. |
| Society for the Applied Anthropology (SfAA) | SfAA “promotes the integration of anthropological perspectives and methods in solving human problems throughout the world”. The SfAA website’s “Student” section includes a Student Web Forum with information on internships and field study schools, resources available to attend conferences, grants and fellowships, and ongoing discussions of issues in applied anthropology. |
| American Anthropology Association (AAA) | AAA has an extensive database of Anthropology Jobs, Career Advice, and Resources that can be narrowed down by keyword, and most importantly, location. |
Volunteering in the United States
| Paper Airplanes (Virtual) | Paper Airplanes is a nonprofit organization registered in the USA that matches conflict-affected individuals with personal tutors for 12-16 week sessions conducted via Skype and other video conferencing platforms. They have five programs, all formed in response to student demand. |
| The Refugee Response (Virtual and In-Person) | Resettled refugees are expected to acculturate, acquire English language skills and become self-sufficient within three months of arriving – a daunting task for many refugees. The Refugee Response (TRR) was formed to help refugees adjust to life in Northeast Ohio. Through their unique programs, they are working to empower Northeast Ohio’s growing newcomer population, particularly those there between three months and five years by providing opportunities for them to learn the skills they need to succeed in their new communities. |
| US Together (Virtual and In-Person) | “As a Refugee Resettlement Agency and an affiliate of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, we welcome refugees from all over the world who are forced to seek refuge in another country due to the inability to stay in their native country. Services are provided in our Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo offices. We serve people who came from many countries where their rights and very lives are in danger. They are starting their lives anew in the United States”. |
International Internships and Volunteering
The organizations listed below offer internships and volunteer opportunities in countries around the world. Be certain to research a specific program carefully before signing on – analyzing their website and claims, email responses to your questions, asking for testimony from prior participants.
| Earthwatch Institute | This non-profit organization offers students to pay to assist scientists on research projects, throughout the world. While primarily ecological in orientation, some projects involve cultural anthropological methods and theories. |
| Idealist.org (Action Without Borders) | This site offers a comprehensive listing (over 57,000 organizations) of volunteer/internships/job offerings, both in the United States and abroad. You can search for internships by region or by country, and receive personalized updated listings by email. |
| GoAbroad | This commercial website provides links to all kinds of international internships – the link above emphasizes organizations with research and/or applied anthropology components. |
| Global Service Corps | “GSC has been providing challenging and life changing service-learning volunteer work, internship, and student experiences in seven countries since 1993. Join us on a Sojourn, through our Cambodia programs. This is your opportunity to make a difference in our global community!” |
| Projects Abroad | “Projects Abroad is the world’s largest provider of international volunteering, internships, and meaningful travel experiences. We’ve been running for over 25 years and have been trusted by over 120,000 participants who’ve joined our award-winning trips. As champions of Responsible Travel, all our volunteer projects work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This means you’re helping to work towards a better and more sustainable future for all”. |
| Openmind Projects | “Giving poor village girls, boys and their parents from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Nepal better learning opportunities.
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| World Endeavors | “Our world is big. Very big. But the steps required to connect and engage within our global community can be surprisingly small. World Endeavors provides connection-seekers a chance to intern, volunteer and gather together in group programs abroad. Affordable, meaningful, customized programs for travelers, adventurers, scholars, and peacemakers.” |
Archeology Opportunities
| The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) | The SAA represents archaeologists working in the public and private sectors as well as those teaching in the academy. While it does not provide internships specifically, the site does contain valuable information for working archaeologists. |
| Archaeological Institute of America | American Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin online, searchable by area and type of fieldwork. |
| Center for American Archeology, Kampsville Archeological Center | CAA offers a summer field school for high school students and adults 18 years and older and a family dig, as well as hands-on activities in basketry, ceramics, flintknapping, and village reconstruction for grades 2-12. The field school takes place at a nearby Middle Woodland Hopewell village site. |
| Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center | Conducts research in the upper Mississippi River valley, offers archaeological field work and other educational opportunities for teachers and students. |
| Jennifer Palmer’s archaeologyfieldwork.com | This site includes a listserv on archaeology issues, as well as sources of job, field study, and volunteer possibilities. |
| Passport in Time — USDA Forest Service | Volunteers work in the national forest, assisting historians and archaeologists. No fee to participate. |
| The Student Conservation Association | The SCA offers paid internships at national parks throughout the country, many involving archeological work. Pay includes travel to and from site, room, and a modest weekly stipend. At the end of your commitment you are eligible for Americorps grants applicable to student loans. |
| Crow Canyon Archaeological Center (Colorado) | Non-profit institution specializing in Southwestern archaeological research and education. Programs for adults, teens, educators, families, and school groups offer participants to learn about archaeological field methods, laboratory techniques, and excavation. Crow Canyon offers domestic and international travel opportunities. |
| Cyber Pursuits | Lists world-wide archaeological fieldwork opportunities and schools, providing web pages to sites and projects, organized by geographic region and discipline (i.e. underwater archaeology). |
Physical/ Biological Anthropology Opportunities
| American Association of Physical Anthropologists | Has many resources for understanding current events and career paths in biological anthropology as well as a student programs section. |
| Primate – Jobs Website | This website lists internships, volunteer opportunities, field assistant positions, etc. for students of various backgrounds interested in primate behavior/biology. |
| The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute | There are a variety of internships and fellowships listed here for ecological research in Panama. Some students have used these opportunities to study primates. |
| American Museum of Natural History | The AMNH has an Anthropology Internship program in many fields of Anthropology, including Human Biology. |
| The California Academy of Sciences | This program is broadly constructed under the heading systematics (and also biological illustration). |
| NetVet Veterinary Resources – Zoo Animal Sites | Provides links to zoos and animal parks around the world. |
| American Board of Forensic Anthropology | FAQ for students pursuing/interested in forensic anthropology. |
| American Academy of Forensic Sciences | Includes a page long list of resources for those interested in forensic science as well as much information about the field. |
Linguistic Anthropology Opportunities
Linguistic anthropologists are social scientists who study the origin and use of language. In order to study languages, they design and conduct various types of research. Some linguistic anthropologists work for governments, and corporations; they create new research, analyze data, write and present papers, teach, travel, and consult . For this reason, developing as a linguistic anthropologist encompasses studying new languages, working as a translator, studying abroad to immerse yourself in a new language etc.
| Indigenous Language Links | Directory of resources and projects regarding indigenous and endangered languages. |
| Indigenous Language Institute | Hosts language teaching workshops, resources |
| Our Mother Tongues | Raising awareness of indigenous languages |
| Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization Program | The Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization (CILR) program provides a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to develop practical strategies for local language revitalization initiatives—initiatives that are responsive to the unique needs of each Indigenous nation and organization partnered with. |
| Translation Work | Connecting you to translation work. |
Field Schools
Anthropology field schools are opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in your classes and gain practical experience in the field. Many of these occur during the summer, and applications will be due a few months to half a year before the start of these programs.