Bachelor of Arts [BA] Anthropology Syllabus, Colleges, Admission, Eligibility, Exams, Jobs, Salary 2023

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Ahana Bhaduri

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BA Anthropology is a 3 year undergraduate course which deals with the Science of human behaviour and social being. It is a detailed study of Sociocultural, Biological, Linguistic and Archaeological Science. 

Check Top BA Anthropology Colleges in India  here. 

The subjects that students get to study while pursuing this course include Archaeology, Gerontology, Social Cultural Change, Indian Society and Culture etc. 

To be eligible to apply to this course, students must have passed Class 12 or equivalent in a relevant discipline from a recognized board with an aggregate of at least 55% marks.

There are many colleges in India and abroad which offer the undergraduate degree of BA Anthropology. Some of the top Indian colleges among them are:-Admission to this course will be done based on the candidate's performance in the Class 12 examination. However, there are some institutes as well which offer admission based on the candidate's performance in entrance exams. The average tuition fee charged by colleges or universities for this course in India lies anywhere between INR 10,000 and 40,000 per annum. The fee varies as per the type of the institution. 

After completing this course, students will be able to find work in various private and public sectors as an Archaeologist, Tour Guide, Curator or a Manager in a museum. They may also enter the profession of teaching and/or further research.

Average initial salary offered to a Anthropology degree holder ranges somewhere between INR 3,00,000 and 8,00,000 per annum, which may increase with the number of years of work experience and knowledge in the field

On completion of this course, students can pursue higher studies and advanced academic exploration through MA Anthropology, MBA, PGDM and Law courses. This course essentially provides a solid basis for further studies and related prospects. Also check top MBA Colleges in India here

Highlights for BA Anthropology program are provided in the table given below:

Course Level Undergraduate
Full Form Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
Duration 3 years
Examination Type Semester Examinations
Eligibility Candidates should have passed 10+2 examinations with at least 55% marks.
Admission Process Entrance/ Merit-Based
Average Annual Fees INR 10,000 - 40,000
Average Annual Salary INR 3,00,000 - 8,00,000
Top Recruiting Area/Organization Publishing Houses, NGOs, Archives, Museums and Libraries, Commission for Scheduled Castes, Art Galleries, Documentary Film Companies, World Health Organization (WHO), Anthropological Survey of India, Other Backward Classes Commission.
Job Positions Tour Guide, Archivist, Culture Resource Manager, Research Scholar, Curator, Linguist, Urban Planner, Social Worker etc.

Information and details about the BA Anthropology program are as follows.

Why
  • Anthropology is the study of human evolution and the social – Cultural development of the humans with time.
  • There are various branches of Anthropology including Socio-cultural, Biological-Physical, Applied, Linguistic and Archaeological.
  • The study of Anthropology deals with various aspects of human development.
  • The BA Anthropology course curriculum includes various subjects such as Archaeology, Culture and Society, Tribal and Rural Development etc.

Why Study BA Anthropology?

BA Anthropology course is one of the most sought after courses in India in terms of personal growth and career growth opportunities. The course has many benefits attached to it. Some of the benefits and perks of pursuing this course are given below.

  • Diversified Career Options: - BA Anthropology opens various career options in different fields and organizations. The student with this course can work in the private sector like art galleries, tour guides, Curator etc. Government jobs like Archaeological survey guide or government museum manager jobs can be bagged by the BA Anthropology students. 
  • Deals with Social Problems:- NGOs and social problems can be dealt after this course. Managing birth control, juvenile delinquency and other social problems are resolved with Anthropology study.
  • Research Field:- Most of the jobs are related to research and survey of the historical documents.
  • Interesting Subjects:- The study of social and cultural aspects of human evolution and statistical methods to learn more about the behavioural aspect and historical facts make the course interesting to study.  
  • Popular Abroad:- The course is popular internationally with jobs offered in UNESCO, UNICEF and WHO kind of organizations.
  • The course offers a handsome salary package ranging from INR 3,00,000 to 8,00,000 or higher.

What is the BA Anthropology Admission Process?

Admission to this course will be done based on the candidate's performance in the qualifying examination i.e. Class 12 exams.  In merit-based selection, marks obtained by a candidate in the qualifying examinations are considered for offering admission into the course. The various steps involved in the admission process are given below.

BA

  • Registration: Registration date opens up annually and announcements are made in advance by the colleges. Registration will be done online where a profile needs to be created.
  • Filling up of application form: Once a profile has been created, login and start the application process. Fill up the application form with past educational achievements, job experience, internships and projects done etc.
  • Scan and upload documents: Documents like mark sheets, photograph, signature and transfer certificates must be scanned and uploaded online to the portal. All documents must be in a specific format and size only to be accepted.
  • Application fee: A minimal application fee has to be paid to process the application. Payment can be done using online payment methods.
  • Admission: Colleges take a couple of weeks to process applications. If a candidate meets the cut offs and all other criteria then an offer letter for admission is released.

What is the BA Anthropology Eligibility Criteria?

Students who wish to pursue a BA Anthropology course must fulfil the following eligibility criteria.

  • Candidates who have completed their Class 12 or equivalent, with an aggregate of 55% marks are eligible to enroll for this program.
  • 5% relaxation in marks will be given to candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), differently abled, and other categories. 
  • Candidates with Humanities stream are preferred for admission.

Which are the top BA Anthropology Entrance Exams?

Only a few colleges are there that offer admission to BA Anthropology program on the basis of candidate’s performance in entrance exams. The examination details are released by the colleges every year. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the examination dates have been postponed and the new dates for the same are yet to be released.

Exam Name Application Period Exam Date
CUET February 2023 – 4th week of March 2023

May 21 – 31, 2023

Reserved date: June 1 –7, 2023

NPAT December 01, 2022 – May 21, 2023  January 04, 2023 – May 31, 2023
TISS BAT To be Announced To be Announced
IPU CET March 2023 – April 2023 April 2023
JNUEE To be Announced To be Announced

How to Prepare for BA Anthropology Entrance Exams?

Some of the important points that candidates can keep in mind while preparing for BA Anthropology entrance exams are given below: 

  • Syllabus: Students must go through the syllabus of the course and make a note of all the important topics from syllabus
  • Revise important topics: Revise all the important topics from the syllabus. Make sure to solve all questions that are related to the important topics.
  • Practice Previous Year’s Question Papers: Solve previous year’s question paper so that you can get use to the question and it will also help in increasing your speed as the exam will be in online mode
  • Mock Test: Candidates can solve and give the online mock test at the official website. It will increase efficiency and speed and will boost up your confidence.

How to get admission in a good BA Anthropology college?

To secure admission into a top-ranked BA Anthropology college, a number of factors come into play. Some of the following tips will be helpful in that regard.

  • The admission process to the course is merit-based. However, there are some institutes which offer admission to this course based on the candidate's performance in the entrance exams. 
  • Since most colleges enroll students on the basis of merit, candidates are advised to procure high percentages in the papers in their higher secondary schooling.
  • Participation and certification in various extra-curricular activities such as clubs, sports, and NGO volunteering can be an addendum to the list of merits.
  • In case of entrance based selection, it is very important to perform well and score above the qualifying marks in the entrance test in order to get admission in a good college.
  • One must be well aware of the latest exam pattern. One must also know the weightage assigned to each section in the exam and prepare accordingly.
  • One must start preparing for the entrance exam a year before as this gives ample time for learning and revision.

What is the Syllabus of BA Anthropology?

BA Anthropology is a 3-year undergraduate program. Each year consists of 2 semesters. The course curriculum incorporates various assignments, presentations and projects. The detailed year-wise syllabus of BA Anthropology course is given below:

Semester 1 Semester 2
Social and Cultural Anthropology Basic Courses
Social Research Method Anthropological Thoughts
Indian Society and Culture Survey Research Method Practical
Biological Anthropology Ethnographic Fieldwork
Archeological Anthropology Comparative Anatomy & Human Evolution
Semester 3 Semester 4
Biological Anthropology Practical I Anthropological Demography
Advanced Courses Applied Courses
Advanced Anthropological Theories Complex Societies and Urban Development
Social Cultural Change Tribal and Rural Development
Medical Anthropology I Medical Anthropology II
Biological Anthropology Practical II Primitive Economy and Religion
Semester 5 Semester 6
Development Anthropology Foundations of Anthropology
Growth Development and Nutrition Practical in Physical Anthropology
Gerontology Physical Anthropology
Introduction to Molecular Anthropology Archaeological Anthropology
Advanced Archeology Culture and Society

Which books to study for BA Anthropology course?

Some of the important books that one can refer to while studying BA Anthropology course are as follows: 

Name of the Book Author
Research Methodology in Anthropology Danda, Ajit
Applications in Computing for Social Anthropologists Michael Fischer
Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology Bernard H. Russell
Statistics for Anthropology Lorena Madrigal
Archaeology from the Earth R.B.M Wheeler

Which are the Top BA Anthropology Colleges?

BA in Anthropology courses are offered by many top colleges and universities across the country. Some of the top colleges offering this course have been mentioned below with several other details.

Name of the College/ University Admission Process Average Annual Fees
St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai Merit-Based INR 5,537
Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar Merit-Based INR 4,300
Vidyasagar University, Midnapore Merit-Based INR 1,900
Cotton University, Guwahati Merit-Based INR 4,450
Dimoria College, Guwahati Merit-Based INR 2,700
Dudhnoi College, Goalpara Merit-Based INR 3,420
Gossner College, Ranchi Merit-Based INR 8,450
MVR Degree College, Visakhapatnam Merit-Based INR 3,500
Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Garhwal Merit-Based INR 14,890
Comparison

BA Anthropology College Comparison

Selecting one among various colleges can be a daunting task. This becomes more difficult when all the colleges hold a certain level of reputation. Hence, to ease the process, the top colleges offering BA Anthropology course have been compared below based on various parameters.

Parameter St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar Vidyasagar University, Midnapore
Location Mumbai Sagar Midnapore
Overview St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai is a private roman catholic college which is affiliated to the University of Mumbai. The college offers Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Certificate, and Diploma programs in the fields of Arts, Science, Business and Commerce. It is a central university and is the oldest university in Madhya Pradesh. It offers a variety of courses in the field of arts, science, engineering, journalism at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.  Vidyasagar University offers various UG, PG and Research level courses to the candidates. 
NIRF Ranking 90 151 151
Eligibility Criteria Passed Class 12 or equivalent from a recognized board.  Passed Class 12 or equivalent from a recognized board.  Passed Class 12 or equivalent from a recognized board. 
Admission Process Merit-Based Merit-Based Merit-Based
Average Fees INR 5,537 INR 4,300 INR 1,900
Average Salary INR 4,00,000 INR 3,70,000 INR 2,80,000
Top Recruiting Areas Neural Science, Public Health, Linguistics, Medicine, Cognitive Psychology, Anthropology Departments etc. Art Galleries, Curators, Publishing Houses, NGOs, Archives, Museums and Libraries etc. Commission for Scheduled Castes, Art Galleries, Documentary Film Companies, Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Conservation Organizations etc.
St, Xavier

BA Anthropology Distance Learning

Sometimes, due to several reasons, one cannot pursue the desired course through regular learning mode, in such cases distance learning mode comes to their rescue. Students can pursue a BA Anthropology course through distance mode as well. Before taking admission, Students must check for the validity of the course and the college in distance or correspondence mode.

  • In order to be eligible for this course through correspondence mode students need to pass the higher secondary examinations from a recognized board with a minimum aggregate of 50%.
  • The minimum duration required to complete this course from distance mode is 3 year and the maximum duration of the same is 5 years.
  • Admission to BA Anthropology course through correspondence mode is merit-based.
  • The average fee for the course ranges from INR 10,000 to INR 50,000 annually.

Given below are some colleges which offer this course through distance mode.

College/Institute Admission Process Fees per Annum
IGNOU, Delhi Merit-Based INR 26,400

BA Anthropology vs BA (Hons) Anthropology

BA Anthropology and BA (Hons) Anthropology are similar kinds of courses, however the course structure is very different for both the courses. BA (Hons) Anthropology is a more specific and in depth course. Also check out the top BA (Hons) Anthropology Colleges in India.

Let’s find out the major differences between these two courses:-

Parameters BA Anthropology BA (Hons.) Anthropology 
Qualification Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (Honours)
Course Overview BA Anthropology is a 3 year undergraduate course based on a semester system which deals with the Science of human behavioural and social being. BA (Hons.) Anthropology is a 3 year undergraduate course also dealing with the Science of human behavioural and social being. However, this course is more detailed with specialised subjects.
Eligibility 10+2 examination from a recognized board 10+2 examination from a recognized board
Admission Process Entrance/ Merit-Based Entrance/ Merit-based
Average Fees INR 10,000 to 40,000 INR 25,000 to 60,000
Average Salary INR 3,00,000 to 8,00,000 INR 4,00,000 to 8,00,000
Recruitment sectors Anthropology Departments, Epidemiology, Art Galleries, Curators, Publishing Houses, NGOs, Archives, Museums and Libraries, Commission for Scheduled Castes, Art Galleries, Documentary Film Companies, Departments of Corporate Houses and Industries etc.  Archeology, Research, Medicine, Teaching etc. 
Top Job Profiles Tour Guide, Archivist, Culture Resource Manager, Research Scholar, Curator, Linguist, Urban Planner, Social Worker etc. Anthropologist, Linguistic analyst, Researcher, Teacher etc. 
BA
BA

What are Job Prospects and Career Options after BA Anthropology?

  • This course opens doors for the students in various sectors. There are ample job opportunities and a number of fields where an Anthropologist can work. 
  • There are decent jobs after BA Anthropology in conservation, community development, healthcare, and government sectors.
  • After completion of BA Anthropology course, one can work in government organizations, NGOs, research institutes, government agencies, schools, colleges, and universities. Anthropology research at both centre and state level are conducted by students with Anthropology specialisation.
  •  The prime recruiter for Anthropology graduates is Anthropological Survey of India. There are various international organizations like UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO and UN which hire Anthropology graduates.
  • Fresh graduates of this course can easily expect an initial salary of INR 3,00,000 to 8,00,000 per year. The salary offered is proportional to the experience earned in the field. The salary offered increases with increase in the experience in the field.

Some of the most common job profiles that a BA Anthropology student can opt for along with job description and salary package are mentioned in the table below.

Job Profile Job Description Average Annual Salary
Tour Guide Tour Guides help the visitors to guide in information oriented trips with groups of tourists or individuals to show them important places. Historical, cultural or regional places of interest tours can be led by a tour guide. Educating about destinations to tourists, vacationers, and students is their major work study. INR 3,50,000
Archivist The collection and management of the historical documents are done by the Archivists. An individual, organization or government agency can hire an Archivist. INR 6,60,000
Cultural Resource Manager Managing arts and heritage using the cultural resources is done by the Cultural Resource Manager. The person employed as Cultural Resource Manager uses skills of cultural heritage, traditional and historical management for managing them. INR 7,52,000
Urban Planner The job of an Urban and Regional Planner is to develop plans and programs to utilize the land in the best possible manner and providing maximum usability. They help create communities, accommodate and adjust population growth and revitalize physical facilities in urban towns, rural settings, cities, countries, and metropolitan areas. INR 5,00,000
Curator A Curator collects the museum and art exhibits and builds a collection of the antiques. The assembling and managing og cultural collections are done by a curator.  INR 5,75,000
Linguist Linguists interpret, translate and study forensics, historical documents and languages. INR 4,85,000
Annual Average Salary vs Job Profiles

What are the Future Scope of BA Anthropology?

BA Anthropology is a holistic and interdisciplinary course. The person with BA Anthropology can choose from a lot of options for future prospects and career options. Some of them are:-

  • MA: If one wishes to continue in the same field of education, the first program of choice is a MA Anthropology. It is a two-year course and the eligibility criteria include having a BA in Anthropology. 

Check out the Top MA Anthropology Colleges in India.

  • MBA: A large number of BA graduates opt for the management route by choosing to pursue a PGDM or MBA course. Admissions are offered through a national level entrance test. Check out top MBA Colleges and PGDM Colleges in India.
  • Competitive examinations: Another route that graduates can go for is to prepare for competitive examinations. Examinations that are meant for job opportunities in Government sector organizations are most popular. Jobs in this sector are secure with assured high pay and regular increments.

BA Anthropology FAQs

Some of the most frequently asked questions pertaining to BA Anthropology program are as follows: 

Ques. What is a BA in Anthropology?

Ans. BA in Anthropology deals with human evolution with time in terms of social, cultural, linguistic and archaeological studies.

Ques. What can I do with a BA in Anthropology degree?

Ans. After BA Anthropology, one can work in the private or government sector as a Researcher, Museum Manager, Curator, Archaeological Surveyor etc. There are various jobs in Abroad after completing this course. Moreover, one can go for higher studies like MA and PhD as per their preference and interest.

Ques. Is BA Anthropology a tough program?

Ans. Anthropology is a diverse subject with various aspects to study. It is an integrated course and needs a research knack of mind to carry forward the course. Moreover, it needs a lot of field work at faraway places, so at times is considered a bit hard. However, the person interested in the historical research would love to study this course.

Ques. Which is better: BA Anthropology or BSc Anthropology?

Ans. BA Anthropology is more of a behavioural and social study of human evolution and BSc Anthropology deals more with the scientific factor involved in the evolution of humans. Both are good and the choice totally depends on the interest of the individual.

Ques. How to become an Anthropologist in India?

Ans. To be an Anthropologist, one needs to complete either BA or BSc in Anthropology. The further studies like the postgraduate and the doctorate course can brush up the skills for an anthropologist.

Ques. How common is BA Anthropology course?

Ans. BA Anthropology is not very common in India but is gaining popularity with time. However, BA anthropology holds a significant importance internationally.

Ques. What are the career prospects for an Anthropologist?

Ans. In India, Anthropology is gaining importance with time. It is estimated by various agencies that the growth of this field is likely to be doubled in just 10 years. Hence, an Anthropologist is likely to earn more with time.

Ques. Which colleges in Delhi offer BA Anthropology?

Ans. There are various colleges under Delhi University which offer BA Anthropology like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Hansraj College, Miranda House etc.

Ques. What is the basic fee structure in BA Anthropology?

Ans. The average annual fee for BA Anthropology course varies from INR 10,000 to 40,000 based on the college.

Ques. What documents are required for admission to the BA Anthropology program in Indian Colleges/ Universities?

Ans. The following documents are required for admission to the BA Anthropology course: 

  1. Migration Certificate
  2. Passing certificate/ Degree certificate
  3. Age proof
  4. No objection Certificate

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Bachelor of Arts [BA] (Anthropology) Colleges IN INDIA

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St. Xavier's College
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NIMS University
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Shia PG College
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