Student Opportunities
UTC Anthropology students have access to numerous opportunities to gain hands-on experience and develop tangible job skills. While our core curriculum emphasizes skill development, practical experience, and job readiness, below you’ll find three additional ways UTC Anthropology students gain experience outside the classroom.
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Vann Cunningham Funded Research Positions
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Thanks to the generous support of UTC Anthropology Alumnus, Vann Cunningham, since 2022, we have been able to offer paid student research positions each semester. Through these positions, students work directly with our faculty members on innovative faculty research. While the specific work changes each semester depending on faculty research priorities, in the past, these positions have involved:
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Digitizing 18th century mortality records
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Inventorying and curating teaching specimens for biological anthropology
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Analyzing historic and prehistoric archaeological collections
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Engaging in experimental archaeology and public outreach programs
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Mortuary studies and analysis of a historic cemetery on UTC’s Campus
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Assisting with an applied cultural anthropology project on wheelchair Tai Chi
Each semester, an application form will be made available in the UTC Anthropology Majors and Minors Canvas site for interested students.
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Community Engagement Internships (ANTH 4950)
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In Fall 2023, we launched our Community Engagement Internship Program. Through the Community Engagement Internship, we place students with community partners in the Chattanooga region. Our sponsoring organizations help students gain practical job experience and learn the ropes of a particular field. At the same time, these internships involve a high degree of intentionality: through reflection and analysis, students apply insights from the classroom to their internship experience. Partner organizations include a wide variety of public, private, and non-profit institutions such as Green | Spaces, Chattanooga Design Studio, the National Park Service, and Lookout Mountain Conservancy.
To participate in the Community Engagement Internship, students must attend an orientation, meet with the Internship Coordinator, and file the application to the internship coordinator no later than the first day of registration for the semester in which the student wishes to take the course. Orientation dates will be announced through the UTC Anthropology Majors and Minors Canvas site. For more information, contact Dr. Emma McDonell ([email protected]).
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Anthropology Lab Internship (ANTH 4940)
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Each year, we support dozens of student internships in our Archaeology and Biological Anthropology labs. Through these internships students have analyzed archaeological collections, curated archaeological collections, processed data from underwater archaeological sites, worked on digital mapping projects using GIS, conducted iconographic analysis of ceremonial artifacts, and conducted archival research for historic sites. For questions about serving as an intern in the Biological Anthropology labs, contact [email protected] or [email protected]. For questions about serving as an intern in the Archaeology lab, contact [email protected] or [email protected].
Departmental Resources
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Lambda Alpha
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UTC has a very active Gamma Chapter of Lambda Alpha: National Collegiate Honor Society for Anthropology. Student members organize activities that help promote greater understanding of the discipline, provide opportunities to interact with faculty and alumni of the UTC Anthropology degree program, and allow a forum to discuss course work, research and internship opportunities, and strategies to achieve future goals (career options/graduate school).
This is a student run organization and students must apply for membership. Membership requirements:
- You must be a Junior, Senior, Alumni or Faculty member
- You must have completed 12 credit hours of anthropology courses or a combination of 6 credit hours in Sociology and 6 credit hours in Anthropology
- GPA in Anthropology of 3.0 or higher; cumulative overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Lifetime membership fee of $25.00
Dr. Morgan Smith ([email protected]) is the faculty advisor for the UTC Gamma Chapter of Lambda Alpha. All Anthropology students are encouraged to participate in Lambda Alpha meetings and activities.
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Jeffrey L. Brown Institute of Archaeology
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The Jeffrey L. Brown Institute of Archaeology (JBIA) is a non-profit archaeological research unit affiliated with the Department of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Anthropology students take lab-based courses in the JBIA and conduct independent archaeological research through the Institute.
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Anthropology Majors and Minors Canvas Site
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Our faculty are dedicated to creating a sense of community and collaboration among anthropology students at UTC, while helping students prepare for post-college life. In addition to Lambda Alpha, we maintain a Canvas site for majors and minors with professionalization resources, internship and job announcements, information about local and regional anthropology-specific events and workshops and more.
- Community Engagement Internships
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Students are placed with an organization for at least one semester under the supervision of the organization. Although the intern is a registered student at UTC and receives college credit for this program, the intern serves under the authority of the organization and must abide by the general rules and regulations of the organization that provides the internship. At the termination of the internship, the student should have acquired a basic knowledge of the organization, with a concentrated work experience in some activity in the student's particular area of interest. The student is expected to begin work at the designated organization at the start of the semester, usually on the first day of classes. The student, unless there is a special situation or problem, will remain at the same organization until the required number of hours are completed.
Students must meet the following qualifications:
- The student must have at least a 2.75 GPA
- Must be a Junior or Senior
- Must have completed ANTH 2500 and/or SOC 1510
- Complete personal interview with the Internship Coordinator (Dr. Chandra Ward)
- Receive approval of the instructor
- Must adhere to the general rules and regulation of the organization and UTC.
Campus Resources
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Student Resources
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On-campus services to help while you're at UTC.
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UTC Library
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The UTC Library services all UTC students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as the local community. The UTC Library is well equipped to support the research and scholarship needs of the UTC community with an operating budget of over 4.1 million dollars, a dynamic and engaged faculty and staff, a new library building that opened in January 2015, and a broad collection of diverse materials including 600,000 print and ebooks, over 30,000 digital journals available, 150+ indexes and databases, and more.
- Writing and Communication Center
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Everyone can benefit from getting feedback on their writing. The WCC helps students, faculty, and staff with any type of writing or communication project—including research papers, presentations, and resumes—at any stage in the process. The WCC offers individualized consultations (in person and online), workshops and class presentations, a library of writers’ resources, and a supportive environment.
- URaCE
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Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor
At UTC, the undergraduate student experience centers on inquiry, discovery, and community. Through undergraduate research experiences our students acquire the twenty-first century skills necessary to successfully navigate the global world of work or advanced study and make significant contributions to society. URaCE programs and initiatives aim to foster a robust research culture that involves the entire UTC community, while also contributing to the local environs of Chattanooga and creating dialogues with the wider global community.
- Study Abroad Office
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Mocs are studying all over the world. From Kenya to Sweden. From Thailand to Peru. Whether you join a UTC faculty-led program or venture out on your own, the Office of Study Abroad has the resources you need to succeed.
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Software for Students
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Did you know that UTC offers students lots of free software? Check out what's available.
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Center for Career and Leadership Development
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UTC’s Center for Career and Leadership Development offers resume building workshops, career planning events, and one-on-one consultations for students. The overall goal of the Center is to help students develop confidence and skills to find your purpose, thrive in your career and contribute to your communities. Through a wide array of services and resources designed to explore interests, enhance networking connections and provide personalized guidance, you will be empowered to pursue your goals, chart your own path to success and build a satisfying, rewarding career.
Professional Organizations
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American Anthropological Association (AAA)
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Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association is the world’s largest scholarly and professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and applying this understanding to the world’s most pressing problems. AAA’s website has great resources, including a great career services section.
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Society for American Archaeology (SAA)
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SAA is the leading professional association for archaeologists in the world. Their website is full of great resources from job postings to career planning resources.
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Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference (EPIC)
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EPIC is the leading organization for business ethnography, with the overarching goal of promoting the practice of ethnography to create value in industry, organizations, and communities. They have a fantastic job board with posting for jobs for ethnographers in private industry and non-profit sectors.
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National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA)
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NAPA is the leading applied anthropology professional association. It promotes the application of anthropology to practical problems by linking a network of professional anthropologists working across employment sectors. NAPA supports anthropologists in bringing real solutions to communities, organizations, and policymakers, by offering advocacy, information, networks, mentoring, and continuing education. They have a weekly job board and an excellent mentorship program.
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Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropologists (COPAA)
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COPAA is an independent consortium of university departments and programs, practitioners and organizations that provide education and training in applied and practicing anthropology. Their mission is to advance the education and training of students, faculty, and practitioners in applied anthropology. COPAA’s website has great resources for students and a list of anthropology graduate programs emphasizing applied anthropology.
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Southeastern Archaeological Conference (SEAC)
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SEAC was founded in response to the tremendous increase in federally-funded archaeological work in the Southeast during the 1930s. The organization has an annual conference each fall and offers resources specific to archaeology in the Southeastern United States.
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Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA)
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SHA Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) is the largest scholarly group concerned with the archaeology of the modern world (A.D. 1400-present). Their website has some great research resources for historical archaeology.
Cultural Sites and Museums
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Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
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Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was the site of two major battles of the American Civil War: the Battle of Chickamauga and the Siege of Chattanooga. The park also includes the Moccasin Bend Archaeological District, which features archaeological resources of American Indian settlement. The 2020 UTC Archaeological Field School took place at the National Military Park. Learn more about the field school here.
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Bessie Smith Cultural Center
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Bessie Smith Cultural Center is located just a couple blocks from the UTC campus. The Center is both a museum and performance hall with musical, performance, and education events celebrating African American History and Culture in Chattanooga.
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Red Clay
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Red Clay State Historic Park is located less than half an hour outside Chattanooga. The park was the site of the last seat of the Cherokee national government before the 1838 enforcement of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 by the U.S. military, which resulted in most of the Cherokee people in the area being forced to emigrate West (known as the Trail of Tears).
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Smithsonian Online Exhibitions
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The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. They increasingly offer a number of online exhibits and virtual resources, many of which are geared toward world cultures.
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Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
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Harvard’s Anthropology Museum, the Peabody, offers an increasing number of online materials and exhibits.
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Virtual Museum Exhibits
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There are a number of small university museums with great online exhibits. Here’s a list of some of the best ones.