University of Hawaii at Manoa

What you'll study

The undergraduate Anthropology curriculum provides broad training in cultural, archaeological, linguistic and biological anthropology, with optional pathways and elective modules that concentrate on organisational anthropology and applied practice. Core subjects typically include introduction to cultural anthropology, ethnographic methods, anthropological theory, research design and ethics, and qualitative data analysis. Organisational anthropology–focused modules explore topics such as the anthropology of work, institutions and bureaucracy, organisational culture, leadership and power, applied ethnography in business and public sectors, and comparative studies of workplaces across Pacific and Asian contexts.

Students will usually complete methodological courses (participant observation, interviewing, and mixed‑methods approaches), a statistics or research methods component appropriate for social sciences, and a senior capstone project or honours thesis that applies ethnographic methods to an organisational problem. Practical learning is emphasised through fieldwork, practicum placements or internships with local organisations, NGOs, government agencies or private firms, and through opportunities to collaborate with interdisciplinary programmes such as Pacific Islands Studies, Business, Human Resources, or Communication.

Entry requirements

Admission is at the undergraduate level and requires a recognised secondary school leaving qualification or equivalent. Typical entry expectations include a competitive academic record in secondary studies with strength in social sciences or humanities subjects. International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency through accepted tests or recognised qualifications if their prior education was not in English.

Applicants may also be considered on the basis of recognised experiential or mature‑student entry routes. While no specific portfolio is required for the anthropology major, successful candidates often demonstrate interest in social research, community engagement, languages, and cross‑cultural communication. Any additional programme‑specific guidance or prerequisite coursework will be outlined by the university’s admissions office and the Department of Anthropology.

Career prospects

Graduates with a BA in Anthropology specialising in organisational anthropology move into a range of careers that value ethnographic insight, cultural literacy and qualitative research skills. Common career paths include human resources and organisational development, user experience (UX) and customer research, management consulting, public policy and programme evaluation, community engagement and stakeholder relations, and roles in non‑profit and international development organisations.

Other options include continuing into postgraduate study (MA, PhD) in anthropology, applied anthropology, business anthropology or related social sciences, and working in cultural resource management, museum or heritage sectors where organisational understanding is important. The emphasis on fieldwork, communication and analysis also prepares graduates for careers in marketing research, recruitment, training and education, and corporate social responsibility.

Why study at University of Hawaii at Manoa

University of Hawaii at Manoa offers a distinctive setting for studying organisational anthropology because of its location in Honolulu and its deep engagement with Pacific and Asian communities. Students benefit from faculty expertise in applied and Pacific‑focused anthropology, opportunities for community‑based research across the Hawaiian Islands and the wider Pacific, and interdisciplinary collaboration with centres such as Pacific Islands Studies.

The department supports hands‑on learning through fieldwork, internships with local government, non‑profits and businesses, and access to regional archives, oral histories and cultural resources. The multicultural environment of Hawai‘i provides a rich laboratory for comparative studies of organisational life, Indigenous governance, labour and transnational workplaces, making the programme especially suitable for students interested in practice‑based social research with a Pacific and global perspective.