Our graduates go on to pursues work in a variety of fields and careers. The majority of our graduates pursue academic careers in tenure or non-tenure track positions in departments of Anthropology or other university programs, such as colleges of Medicine or Public Health, and Ethnic and Cultural Studies programs. Others of our graduates find work with state and local government organizations as planners, researchers, and managers. Finally, some of our graduates use their anthropological training in corporate and non-governmental organization or community-based settings.

PhD Program Data

The Graduate College maintains admissions, enrollment, completion, and employment data for PhD programs throughout the University. For more information, visit the Graduate College's PhD Program Data page.

American Anthropological Association

The American Anthropological Association provides a Careers in Anthropology page that details career opportunities and resources.

Career Resources for UI Graduate Students

The Graduate College offers robust professional development services, including career guidance, national grants and fellowships support, and Iowa's Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). For more information on graduate student professional development services, visit the Professional Development page in the Graduate College.

Where do our graduates end up?

The following list is a sampling of where our graduate students have ended up in recent years:

Graduation year and current employer of recent Anthropology graduates
NameGraduation YearCurrent Employer
Emma Handler (Wood)2020Clinical Instructor, Anatomy & Cell Biology, and Co-Director of the Master of Clinical Anatomy Program, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa
James McGrath2020Wapsi Valley Archaeology
Ana-Monica Racila2020Postdoc, UI College of Medicine (Iowa City, IA)
Christie Vogler2020Assistant Professor, History, University of Lynchburg
Alejandro Muzzio2019Instructor, Howard Community College (Columbia, MD)
Paul Capobianco2019Specially Appointed Associate Professor,
Faculty of Media and Communication, Hokkaido University (Japan)
Theodore Marks2018Faculty member, Academic Studio,
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (New Orleans, LA)
Meredith Wismer2018Assistant Professor, Anthropology,
Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake, UT)
Toby Avalos2017Associate Professor (tenured), Anthropology, Centralia College (Centralia, WA)
Christian Haunton2017Religious Studies, University of Nebraska - Omaha (Omaha, NE)
Jill Davis2016Visiting Assistant Professor, Cornell College (Mt. Vernon, IA)
Miranda Karban2016Associate Professor (tenured) and Department Chair, Biology,
Illinois College (Jacksonville, IL)
Shelby Putt2016Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Sociology and Anthropology, Illinois State University (Normal, IL)
Jennifer Trivedi2016Assistant Professor (tenure-track),
University of Delaware (Newark, DE)
Susanna Donaldson2015Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
University of West Virginia (Morgantown, WV)
Christina Nicholas2015Associate Professor (tenured) and Associate Director for Graduate Research, Department of Orthodontics, University of Illinois - Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Tony Pomales2015Visiting Assistant Professor,
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Welfare,
Augustana College (Rock Island, IL)
Michelle Quill2015Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
Cornell College (Mount Vernon, IA)
Sarah Trabert2015Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology,
University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK)
Brandi Janssen2014Clinical Assistant Professor and Director,
Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health,
College of Public Health, University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)
Jonathan Thomas2014Research Support Coordinator, University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)
Erica Begun-Veenstra2013Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology,
Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI)
Cindee Calton2013Teacher Professional Development Specialist,
Science Museum of Minnesota (St. Paul, MN)
and Adjunct Professor, McNally Smith College (St. Paul, MN)
Jenna Grant2013Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology,
University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
Hannah Marsh2013Assistant Professor, Department of History and Anthropology,
Central Missouri University (Warrensburg, MO)
Cristina L. Ortiz2013Assistant Professor, Division of Social Sciences,
University of Minnesota - Morris (Morris, MN)
Clare Tolmie2013Senior Research Archaeologist,
Illinois State Archaeological Survey (Champaign, IL)
Alissa M. Whitmore2013Academic Advisor, World Languages & Cultures,
Iowa State University (Ames, IA)
Cerisa Reynolds2012Instructor, Department of Anthropology,
Aims Community College (Greeley, CO)
Anna Waterman2012Associate Professor of Biology (tenured),
Department of Natural and Applied Sciences,
Mount Mercy University (Cedar Rapids, IA)