anthropology phd requirements

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PhD in Anthropology

The PhD program normally requires about five years, and is completely separate from the MA program. That is, students may enter the PhD program directly following their undergraduate degree, and do not necessarily earn a master's degree (although earning the master's degree can be incorporated into the PhD program without increasing the total length of time needed). Students who have already earned a master's degree elsewhere can often receive credit for previous coursework which may shorten the time needed to earn a PhD by as much as a year. Requirements for the PhD include 72 credits of coursework; a foreign language; three of four core courses (cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, or anthropological linguistics); two quantitative methods courses (for students in archaeology and biological anthropology) or a course in field methods and a course in contemporary theory (for students in cultural anthropology); three graduate seminar electives; written comprehensive examinations; fieldwork or equivalent research; and the dissertation.

Complete PhD Requirements

Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences requirements for the PhD also apply. More information on requirements can also be found in the Anthropology Graduate Handbook . 

Advising and Supervision

A faculty advisor is assigned to each incoming student. Students are free to change their advisors at any time to a faculty member who has agreed to work with them. Students consult with their advisors on their course selections,  research and career plans; advisors monitor their advisees' progress in the graduate program.  Progress of all active graduate students is systematically reviewed by the faculty in each subdiscipline annually in the spring term. Students must petition the Graduate Studies Committee for approval of committees and at other points, as discussed below. Students may also submit petitions about other academic issues that may arise during their studies. Concerns of any kind may be discussed with advisors, the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee, and the Department Chair.

Course Credits

A minimum of 72 course credits in the Anthropology Department at the University of Pittsburgh is required for the PhD degree. Of these, at least 42 credits must be in formal courses (as opposed to readings courses, independent study, or thesis or dissertation credits). The remaining 30 credits may be any combination of formal courses, readings courses, independent study, and/or thesis and dissertation credits.

Generally, a full-time student will be enrolled in a minimum of three formal courses during fall and spring terms until the required 42 credits of formal coursework are attained. Full-time students may or may not register or take courses during the summer term. Reading or independent study courses, if taken prior to completion of the 42-credit minimum of formal courses, are generally taken during the summer term or in addition to the three formal courses that are the minimum for full-time students during the fall or spring terms.

A student may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to have courses taken outside of the University of Pittsburgh count toward the 72 credits required for the PhD. Students can transfer up to 30 credits from another approved degree-granting graduate program (12 towards formal coursework and 18 towards informal coursework).

Core Courses/Preliminary Examination

The core course system of the Department of Anthropology fills the role of the preliminary examination in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences requirements for the PhD. A broad foundation based on a general familiarity with all four subfields is considered to be highly beneficial to the practice of anthropology, and core courses are offered in the four subfields of anthropology: cultural anthropology, archeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. PhD students are required to pass (with a grade of B or better) at least three of these four core courses, one of which must be the core course in the student's subdiscipline. (Linguistic anthropology students must complete the core courses both in linguistic anthropology and in cultural anthropology.) Full-time students are expected to pass the required core courses by the end of their first year in residence.

A student with an MA from another institution, or with a strong undergraduate background in one or more subdisciplines, may present transcripts and other relevant documents to petition the Graduate Studies Committee to waive the core course in that subdiscipline(s), as long as it is not a core course specifically required for the student's own subdiscipline. If not granted a waiver, after consultation with the instructor and review of the core course syllabus, a student can take the final exam (when it is normally given) instead of taking a core course for credit. A student may opt to selectively audit a core course to remedy weaknesses in only a few areas and then take the regular final exam. It should be stressed, however, that all exams will be evaluated in the same manner as those of students taking the course for credit.

Language Requirement

Before students advance to candidacy, they must demonstrate competence in a language other than English that is relevant to the student’s research. For common foreign languages (e.g. French, German, Spanish), the student may choose either to 1) pass with a grade of B or better the level 4 or 8 course offered by that language department, or 2) pass at a level determined by this department the examination for evaluating graduate students currently offered by that language department. In the case of languages for which such avenues of evaluation are not available, the student should consult the Graduate Student Handbook and their advisor, and (if necessary) petition the Committee on Graduate Studies for alternative forms of evaluation.

Graduate Elective Seminar Requirements

Students are required to take three graduate elective anthropology seminars. (Students in cultural anthropology who began the program prior to 2022 can satisfy this requirement with Anthropology 2750 (Seminar on Contemporary Theory); students in biological anthropology and archaeology who began the program prior to 2022 are exempted from this requirement.

Method Requirements

Students in archeology must pass with a grade of B or better Anthropology 2534 and Anthropology 2524 (Archeological Data Analysis I and II). Students in biological anthropology must pass with a grade of B or better: 1) Biostatistics 2041 and 2042 (Introduction to Statistical Methods I and II), or, for bioarchaeology concentrators =, Anthropology 2534 and Anthropology 2524 (Archaeological Data Analysis I and II). Archaeology and biological anthropology students may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to accept other courses in quantitative methods in lieu of these. Students in cultural and linguistic anthropology must pass with a grade of B or better Anthropology 2763 (Field Methods).They may petition the Graduate Studies Committee for approval of other courses to satisfy some of these requirements.

Comprehensive Examinations

After completing the core course requirement and prior to advancement to PhD candidacy, students must pass two comprehensive examinations designed to test breadth and depth of knowledge in the chosen areas of expertise. Students generally take their comprehensive examinations at the end of their third year of residence. A student who fails a comprehensive examination or who has not passed comprehensive examinations by the end of the fourth year of residence (fifth for students in the joint PhD/MPH program) may be dismissed from the program.

Each examination is designed and administered by a committee constructed by the student in consultation with the advisor or the chair of the comprehensive examination committee. The committee consists of at least three faculty members (at least two of whom must be in the department). One of these is designated as chair of the committee. Well in advance of the exam, students submit to the committee a bibliography of sources from which they intend to work. Members of the committee may recommend additional sources. The student must petition the Graduate Studies Committee for approval of the topic and committee for each examination.

The structure of the comprehensive examinations differs from subfield to subfield:

In  cultural & linguistic anthropology , one examination is in the student's ethnographic area (e.g., Africa, East Asia, Latin America, the Pacific). Students should demonstrate mastery not just of ethnographic work that is relevant to their projects, but also of the wider fields of literature that have informed anthropological study of their regions as identified by the members of the comprehensive exam committee. Reading lists should display historical depth and awareness of significant work in fields beyond cultural/linguistic anthropology. The second examination is of a more theoretical nature in a field chosen and defined by students in conjunction with their advisors. Examples are gender and sexuality, migration and transnationalism, medical anthropology, media anthropology, etc. For students focussed on linguistic anthropology, this exam should cover significant works relevant to the study of linguistic and cultural anthropology.

In  archaeology , one examination is on either a significant world area (e.g., Eastern North America, Mesoamerica, Europe) or a significant time period (e.g., the Paleolithic). The other is on the theory and history of archeology, with special emphasis on broad topics and questions of relevance to the student's research.

In  biological anthropology , one examination covers a significant world area and time period relevant to the student’s research. The second focuses on a coherent, substantive body of research with emphasis on broad topics and questions of relevance to the student’s researchIn linguistic anthropology, one examination is in the student's ethnographic area (e.g., East Asia, Latin America, the Pacific, etc.). Students should demonstrate mastery not just of ethnographic work that is relevant to their projects, but also of the wider fields of literature that have informed anthropological study of their regions as identified by the members of the comprehensive exam committee. Reading lists should display historical depth and awareness of significant work in fields beyond linguistic and cultural anthropology. The second examination is of a more theoretical nature in a field chosen and defined by students in conjunction with their advisors. This exam should cover significant works relevant to the study of linguistic and cultural anthropology.

Areas of Concentration

Students may designate cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology, or linguistic anthropology as an area of concentration, depending on which subdiscipline's degree requirements they satisfy. Alternatively, students may designate medical anthropology as an area of concentration if they have taken Patients and Healers, Medical Anthropology 1, Medical Anthropology 2, and 12 elective credits from a list of approved courses . The area of concentration will be officially recorded on the student's transcript, but does not appear on the diploma. In any case the degree awarded is not in the area of concentration but simply in anthropology.

Dissertation

Committee:  As soon as possible after completion of the core course requirements, and certainly by the third year in residence, prior to admission to candidacy, the student must establish a doctoral dissertation committee that will: 1) participate in the student's preparation of the dissertation research proposal; 2) administer the oral dissertation overview; 3) offer advice while the student is collecting field or laboratory/museum data as well as while the student is writing the dissertation; and 4) conduct the oral dissertation defense. This committee consists of at least three Graduate Faculty members from the Department of Anthropology, including the student's advisor, and at least one graduate faculty member from another department of the University or from another university. If a member of the graduate faculty of another university is selected, they must be approved in advance by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The student must petition the Graduate Studies Committee for approval of the dissertation committee.

Overview:  Before actively pursuing dissertation research, the student makes an oral presentation of the intended project to the dissertation committee. The student gives the members of the committee a proposal at least one month ahead of time. The overview should not be the first discussion of the project between the student and committee members. If the committee members approve, their recommendation is forwarded to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. For research involving human subjects or animals, IRB or IACUC approval must be obtained before the student can be advanced to doctoral candidacy. A student who has not passed the dissertation overview by the end of the fourth year in residence (fifth year for students in the joint PhD/MPH program) may be dismissed from the program.

Dissertation Format: In addition to the standard dissertation format, students have the option to write their dissertations following the three-article format. 

Three Article Dissertation

Students should decide at the time of their overview examination whether to pursue the three-article dissertation format. This decision must be made in consultation with the members of the student’s dissertation committee. All members must unanimously agree to the student’s plan to complete a dissertation in the three-article format. Students can also choose the three-article format after the overview, or switch from this format to the regular dissertation format with committee approval.

This dissertation format will be comprised of three full-length articles of publishable quality within a peer-reviewed journal, an introduction, and a conclusion.

The articles are expected to develop various aspects of an overarching theme presented in the introduction. Additional papers may be added above the minimum of three if approved by the committee. The student must be the sole author or lead author on all articles. The student should be responsible for the conceptualization, data analysis, and writing of the articles.

Only one of the three articles can be an article that has been published or accepted for publication prior to the student’s overview at the discretion of the committee. If the article is co-authored, the student must be the first author. The published article must represent work undertaken while the student was enrolled in the PhD program and be related to their dissertation project. The student is responsible for securing necessary permissions from the copyright holder and other authors. See the Pitt Library for questions and assistance.

The goal of writing an article-style dissertation should be to publish the articles that appear in the dissertation. Journals to which articles are being submitted must be approved by the dissertation committee. Serving as an “editorial board” for the student, the committee will help select journals that will challenge the student and offer a reasonable chance of publication success. Dissertation papers can be submitted for publication while the student is ABD. If a paper is rejected by a journal during the dissertation process, the student may submit to another journal approved by the committee. In the case of a “revise and resubmit” during the dissertation process, major revisions to the paper that change the paper’s overall relationship to the dissertation topic must be approved by the dissertation committee. After the successful dissertation defense, any new submission or resubmission, including changes in the authorship or article content, will be at the discretion of the PhD graduate. 

The introduction of the dissertation should clarify the rationale for grouping the three articles together. It is expected to include a summary of the research problem the three articles tackle, the methodology used to answer the research question(s), the significance of the research, the theoretical foundations of the research introduced in the context of an overview of pertinent literature.

The conclusion should summarize the dissertation’s major findings. It should also reinforce the linkages between the chapters, tying together the three articles into a cohesive body of scholarship. The conclusion is a place where the student can restate and reinforce the through-line that connects the individual chapter. The conclusion might also present a plan for future research on the research problem(s) engaged in the dissertation.

Large datasets and specific methods discussed in a published paper but not presented in their entirety, or presented in supplemental sections, should be (if permissible) included as appendices as appropriate.

Public Presentation:  Each student presents a formal colloquium to the department based on the dissertation research. This may form part of the dissertation defense, or it may come at an earlier stage so that the experience may be of benefit as the ideas in the dissertation take shape.

Defense:  By the time of the oral defense of the dissertation, students will have prepared and presented to their committee members a final version of the dissertation. It is expected that there will be sufficient interaction between the student and the committee members that revisions subsequent to the defense will be minimal and minor. All members of the doctoral dissertation committee should be present at the defense. The procedures for the final oral examination are outlined in the requirements for the PhD degree of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.

Policy on scheduling comps and defenses for summer months : Please note that graduate students are required to be registered during the academic term in which they take their comprehensive and overview examinations and defend their dissertations. Scheduling comprehensive examinations, overview examinations, and dissertation defenses for the summer months (May, June, July, and August) is strongly discouraged. Faculty are not obligated to facilitate or participate in milestone events in summer months.

Statute of Limitations

Dietrich School regulations stipulate that the PhD must be completed within 10 calendar years of initial matriculation (8 years for students entering with a Master's degree). They also stipulate that comprehensive examinations must be retaken if they were originally passed more than 7 years before completion of PhD requirements.

MA Degree (as part of PhD study)

An MA degree may be awarded during the course of a student's PhD program after completion of: 1) 30 course credits; 2) the language requirement; 3) the core course in the student's area of concentration; 4) course(s) that satisfy the MA method/theory requirement (see MA requirements); 5) an acceptable MA paper; and 6) fulfillment of all Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences regulations (e.g., at least 12 credits of course work, not including readings or independent study, must be at the 2000 level). The student selects at least three graduate faculty members (at least two of whom must be in the Department of Anthropology) to participate on the MA advisory and evaluation committee. The Graduate Studies Committee should be petitioned for approval of the committee composition and the MA paper topic well in advance of the expected date of completion.

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Review of Student Progress

Procedures for Satisfying the PhD Comprehensive Examination Requirement

List of Courses for Medical Anthropology Concentration

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PHD Program Guide

Graduate training in anthropology in governed by requirements set both by the Department and the University. However, the most critical mediating role in the implementation of these requirements and in the achievement of the goals of graduate training is the relationship of each student to their faculty advisors.

Students with questions about program requirements and milestones should contact Americia Huckabee ( [email protected] ), Anthropology Student Affairs Administrator. Students may also contact Brett Baker ( [email protected] ), Associate Dean of Students in the Social Sciences, and Amanda Young ( [email protected] ), Director, Graduate Student Affairs in UChicagoGRAD. 

The graduate program can be divided into five overall phases. The first phase is the initial year of study and involves introductory work. During the first year, all graduate students will be introduced to the Development of Social and Cultural Theory and to the scholarly interests of the faculty of the Department. They will also take courses in particular specialized areas of ethnography, archaeology, and theory, with a view to defining or refining their own research interests and preparation for their dissertation projects. Depending on their particular interests and in consultation with their first-year advisor, they may also take relevant courses in other departments, or special language training.

The second phase of training is a continuation of the first, but is directed toward acquiring a deeper knowledge of the special area and theoretical topics on which a student’s research will be focused, as well as a broader anthropological understanding in preparation for the PhD Qualifying/Oral Examination and in completing a Master’s paper.

At the end of the second phase students are expected to complete their Master’s Degree. The department requires a Master’s paper/degree as a prerequisite for admission to candidacy for the PhD. For students entering without a previous MA, the degree will be awarded upon completion of the Phase I (First-year) course requirements (9 courses) plus the acceptance of a written research paper. Work on this paper may begin during the summer following the student’s first year, but it will normally be completed under the supervision of a faculty member with whom the student registers for an MA.

Preparation for the Qualifying Examination. Along with preparation of the MA paper, students begin preparing, in consultation with their advisory committee, a reading list covering the special theoretical and ethnographic areas that will be the foci of the Qualifying Examination. Ideally, the Examination takes place some time in the 3rd year.

The third phase in a student’s graduate career may be considered a pre-research training period during which he/she will be putting the finishing touches on a dissertation proposal and grant applications, and will be developing the necessary advanced research skills. Continued study in a variety of areas in this and other departments may further extend the student’s knowledge and effectiveness as an anthropologist.

Proposal Preparation Seminar. Anthropology 52200: Proposal Preparation is required of all students preparing for field research. Completion of the MA is a prerequisite for this course. Ideally, students should also have finished the Qualifying Exam, or at the very least, have their reading lists assembled and an exam date scheduled so that they have a firm grasp of the relevant bodies of literature necessary to develop the research question for their project. This course is typically taken in the third (or possibly the fourth) year.

The fourth phase is dissertation research. For most anthropology dissertations, long term fieldwork is expected. But dissertation research may also involve research in a library, archive, or museum.

Requirements for Dissertation Research. Although preparatory work on the dissertation (preliminary field trips, language study, exploration of archival sources, etc.) may have been undertaken earlier, Phase 4 research will not formally begin until the student has been admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree.

Phase five is dissertation write-up. The production and interpretation of a body of research material is a continuous process, never so clearly marked as the traditional notions of “field research” and “write up” suggest. Even so, the actual writing of the dissertation is a distinct phase of the training process, in which analysis and presentation of the research material becomes the focus of each student’s attention.

Residence in Chicago. Students are strongly urged to spend the write-up period in Chicago, unless otherwise agreed by your advisory committee. With each annual cohort dispersing in the research phase, returning students represent an important sub-community within the Department. Students reporting on their research can reinvigorate intellectual discourse in Haskell Hall. Reciprocally, their interaction with each other, as well as with the faculty and other students, can greatly facilitate and enrich the writing process.

First year advisors are appointed at the beginning of the year in consultation with the interviewing committee. The second-year advisor is selected by the student and serves as the student’s mentor until such time as the student selects a formal committee chair. Each advanced student is advised by a committee that consists minimally of three members, at least two of whom, including the chair, must be active, current faculty of the Department. It is the student’s responsibility to seek out members for the committee and to secure their written consent. Committee Forms (obtainable in Haskell 119) and any correspondence regarding constitution of the advisory committee should be deposited with the Administrator for Student Affairs. If appropriate, additional committee members may serve as readers of proposals and theses. 

The advisory committee chair (or first- or second-year advisor, or an agreed upon substitute) will advise you on your course registration, sign Plan of Study Forms, and keep a continuous record. Any changes in advisory committees (whether initiated by the student or by a faculty member) must be recorded by submission of additional Committee Forms available in Haskell 119. Changes of committee after admission to candidacy are generally undesirable, and will be permitted only under exceptional circumstances.

Although the role of the advisory committee (or first- or second-year advisor) is central, a role may also be played by the Director of Graduate Studies, by other faculty, or by the Department Chair, who in addition to having final approval on various matters, is also directly available for consultation. Aside from the formal petitions and reviews variously specified in the Guidelines, issues may occasionally arise which students or advisors may wish to refer to the Committee on Graduate Affairs or the Chair. In any case where some special interpretation of Departmental or University guidelines may be required, it is a good idea to raise the matter in writing.

Although we assume that most issues relating to your graduate education can and should be addressed through regular departmental channels, beginning normally with your advisor, we recognize the possibility that there may be certain kinds of problems, either of a personal or interpersonal nature, which can best be handled through some other means. If such problems or difficulties arise, you should feel free to speak with the Department Chair, members of your advisory committee, members of the Student-Faculty Liaison Committee, the Graduate Student Mentor, or anyone else in the departmental community in whom you have confidence.

Outside the Department there are also both formal and informal channels through which to raise issues of this sort. The Division of the Social Sciences has established policy to assist students who are seeking resolution of difficult interpersonal conflicts through informal and formal grievance procedures. These procedures consider complaints about academic impropriety that arise as a result of the actions of a member of the faculty or administration, or a Department or Program committee, regarding academic matters; students interested in learning more about the Grievance Process can meet with the Dean of Students in the Social Sciences or with the Associate Director for Graduate Student Affairs in UChicagoGRAD, Students can also consult with the Student Ombudsperson , and the University Equal Opportunity Programs , including Title IX and Sexual Misconduct ; Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment ; and Accessibility programs.

Prior to admission to doctoral candidacy (i.e. before you begin field research), all doctoral students must meet the Departmental requirement of demonstrating competence in a language in which there is a substantial and relevant scholarly literature. Although you are encouraged to satisfy this requirement at an early point in your work by passing an examination in one of the customarily specified languages (e.g., French, German, Spanish, Russian), your advisory committee may require additional language training, depending on your research interests. To satisfy the Departmental Language requirement, you must receive a “High Pass” P*/P+ on a university administered language exam . (A grade of “Pass”/“P” will not suffice.)

With similar concerns in mind, the advisory committees may in certain cases decide that a student’s career requires a demonstrated competence in some formal research method.

Your academic record, including course grades, are an important basis for recommendations written to prospective funding agencies and employers. While arrangements to take Ps (“passing”) and Rs (“registered”) are sometimes appropriate, a record filled with these grades is not a useful indicator of the quality of work. We therefore encourage (and in the first year require) students to take courses for quality grades (A or B).

More specifically, the program requires a total of 18 courses to be taken for quality grades prior to admission to candidacy: 9 in the first year (8 for grades of A or B and Intro to Chicago Anthropology which is taken for a P), and another 9 prior to the Proposal Hearing. Of the 18 courses, Intro to Chicago Anthropology and Proposal Prep are taken Pass/Fail. As a rule of thumb there should be no more than 2 more of the 18 courses taken for “P.” The Reading Course used for the MA paper should receive a grade of A or B subsequent to completion of the paper.

The distribution of Quality Grades (for A or B) should be as follows:

• 8 courses in the first year
• MA Reading/Research course
• At least 5 more courses taken prior to admission to candidacy

This totals 14 courses taken for quality grades; 10 of those must be in Anthropology (ANTH)

For grades of “P”:

• Intro to Chicago Anthropology
• Proposal Prep
• No more than two others of the 18

It is advisable that, with the exception of the MA Reading/Research course, most of the other 12+ courses taken for grades of A or B be regular, substantive courses, not Reading/Research courses. Basic courses in French, Spanish or German taken for purposes of preparing for the language examination may not be used to meet the 18-course requirement. Once the 18-course requirement is met, students still in Research Residence must continue to register for at least one course per quarter for a grade of P, A/B, or (least preferably) R.

• Development of Social/Cultural Theory 1 & 2 (two-quarter double-course) (required of all students)
• Proposal Preparation (required of all students)
• Modes of Inquiry-1 and 2 ("1" required of Sociocultural/Linguistic anthropology students; "2" strongly recommended)
• Archaeological Theory & Method (double-course) (required of Archaeology students; part I required, parts 2 strongly recommended)
• Archaeological Data Sets or another approved statistics course (required of Archaeology students)

Prompt completion of course work is indispensable if the instructor and Department are to be able to adequately evaluate student performance. Students should be aware that fellowship decisions, both within and outside the University, take a student’s ability to complete courses into account. The Office of the Dean of Students reserves the right to withhold stipend checks from students with excessive numbers of incomplete.

Specific regulations regarding incompletes:

• Incomplete grades are NOT permitted in required courses (Development of Social/Cultural Theory; Anthropological Methods; Archaeological Theory and Method; Statistics/Archaeological Data Sets; Proposal Preparation; and Archaeological Research Design)
• In all other anthropology courses, you have one-year maximum to complete incomplete course requirements. Students with overdue incompletes will not be allowed to register until the course requirements are completed. First year students should make every effort to clear all incompletes prior to registering for the second year.

Early in the spring quarter of each year, every student in the Department is asked to submit two academic progress reports. One is required by the Dean of Students; the other is intradepartmental and provides information for our Annual Review. In preparing these reports, you are encouraged to check that your departmental records are up to date.

Every year, late in the spring quarter, the faculty reviews the progress of each student in the Department. We take into account the results of all examinations, reports on hearings, coursework, writing projects (including Master’s papers), and detailed faculty comment on all of these. It is in your interest to see that copies of papers and reprints of any publications are deposited in the departmental files. At the spring review, the faculty make recommendations concerning continuance in the program and University financial aid. A statement of the faculty evaluation is sent over the summer to each student in the program, with a copy placed in the departmental file. You are encouraged to discuss these with your advisor, or with the Department Chair, if there are issues that appear to need further clarification. Although the Department is required to make preliminary recommendations about continuation of fellowships early in the spring quarter, these recommendations are always contingent upon the outcome of the subsequent Annual Review.

When students are not making satisfactory progress, they will be placed under Academic Probation within the department. Academic Probation is activated when:

• 2 or more incompletes have accumulated.
• The dissertation committee is not formed by the end of Fall Quarter of Year 3.
• The MA thesis is not approved by the end of Spring Quarter of Year 3.
• The qualifying exam has not been passed by the end of Fall Quarter of Year 4.
• A draft of the dissertation proposal has not been approved by the end of Fall Quarter of Year 5.
• When students fail to show adequate progress post-candidacy.
• Or by the failure to defend the dissertation within the 8-year deadline (extendable to 9 years by petition).

Probation status means that registration for new courses must be approved by the main advisor or committee chair, as well as the DGS. Students who are placed on academic probation will receive a letter from the department that details the reason for the probation, a clear plan for lifting the probation, and clear deadlines for realizing this plan. The faculty advisor will also be alerted. In addition, the student must meet with the DGS once a month (in person, via skype/zoom, or by phone) until the status is cleared.

Once a student has been placed on academic probation, there is a one‐quarter grace period for resolving the condition.

Each student may be placed on academic probation only twice during their enrollment in the program. Incidents of probation are cumulative (i.e. missing two consecutive deadlines results in two separate incidents of academic probation). A third incidence of academic probation will result in a student’s removal from the program.

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The PhD in Anthropology program empowers students to apply anthropological concepts to contemporary social problems. Through rigorous coursework and independent research, students hone their communication and academic expertise. 

Doctoral students work in small cohorts under faculty mentors. They explore ethnographic questions and complete original research that integrates archaeology, gender studies, ethnography, international affairs, museum studies and more.

The PhD in Anthropology has no formal concentrations but is primarily focused on sociocultural anthropology and the archaeology of biologically modern humans (applicants interested in the study of human evolution should apply instead to the  PhD in Human Paleobiology ). All students are strongly encouraged to complete an  internship  at one of Washington, D.C.’s many cultural institutions and museums.

GRE scores are not required for application to the MA, MS and PhD programs and, if submitted with the application, will play no role in our departmental admissions decisions. The department of anthropology values building a thriving intellectual community that is diverse, equitable and inclusive. We do not consider GRE scores to be a valid predictor of intellectual promise —  indeed we believe the GRE often promotes injustices that are contrary to our values.

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Admissions and Funding

All students admitted into the program receive a fellowship that provides tuition, a stipend and a teaching assistant salary. These packages provide support for five years, one year of which will be a University Fellowship that does not include teaching responsibilities. Students are expected to apply for external funding to support dissertation research and writing. At least one student may be partially supported through funding from the  GW Institute for Ethnographic Research  while working as an assistant editor for the journal Anthropological Quarterly .

While the Anthropology Department primarily accepts full-time students into the PhD program, in exceptional circumstances, part-time students may be considered. Please contact the director of graduate studies (DGS) before submitting any application materials. Note that part-time students are not eligible for University funding.

We recommend that students  contact faculty  with whom they have an interest in working to further discuss whether our PhD program is well suited to their interests. Of  the required application materials , the most important component is the statement of purpose. The statement should convey the student’s scholarly interests, intellectual questions and literature with which they engage. The program considers both applicants who have already completed a Masters degree in anthropology as well as those who have only completed an undergraduate degree. Credit transfer for students with an MA is considered on a course by course, and case by case basis.

The PhD program's application deadline for admission in Fall 2024 is December 15.

Questions? Contact the  director of graduate studies for the PhD program .

Research Area Highlight

Welcome  Dr. Diana Pardo Pedraza  to the Anthropology faculty! Take a look at the video created by our G Street neighbors, the  Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute , to learn a little more. 

Watch the video on Vimeo

Areas of Interest

The PhD in Anthropology program encourages prospective students with scholarly interests in public life to discuss their research interests in these focus areas during the application process:

• The social world of  public policy , both in centers of power and in the diverse range of places where these policies are formulated, contested and put into practice. Washington, D.C., provides unique access to such institutions.
• The complex work of  governance  at global, national and local scales. This research area asks questions about the discourse and practice of scientific, bureaucratic and religious authority.
• The role of  materiality and material culture  in the various dimensions of social life. In this focus, students explore how things are made, consumed and circulate through time and space.
• The role of the  digital  in our world, and how it constitutes, transforms and disrupts the contemporary human experience. Digital ethnography examines the internet’s role in our lives, as well as how it affects “offline” categories such as kinship, labor, gender, power, mobility and inequality.
• The social model of  disability . In this area, society and not the individual is responsible for disability. Research explores how societies create and classify impairments, and how disability reverberates through kinship, politics, religion and aesthetics. What does one community view as deviant, and another view as expected?

Course Requirements

Requirements for the first phase of the program

All students must demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language; an additional language may be required if it is needed for fieldwork or archival research. An internship in anthropology and public life at an institution responsible for communicating anthropological knowledge to diverse audiences is recommended.

Requirements for the second phase of the program

In the second phase, students prepare a research proposal that meets funding agency guidelines and take the general examination in at least three major areas (e.g., a general field in anthropological theory, a geographic area, and a thematically defined field). Following successful completion of the general examination, an oral defense of the student’s research proposal is held. Those who pass advance to candidacy for the PhD and engage in completion and defense of the dissertation.

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of Anthropology

Ph.d. in anthropology.

The Department of Anthropology offers a Master of Arts (MA) and a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Anthropology. Most students accepted to our graduate program pursue a Ph.D. Students entering the program without a master's degree in anthropology or an equivalent discipline, as approved by the Graduate Committee, fulfill additional requirements to complete a joint MA/Ph.D. track.

Apply to the Program

Program Overview

At UConn, the Department of Anthropology recognizes and provides graduate education in subfields that are closely tied to our faculty members’ research strengths:

• Archaeology
• Critical biocultural anthropology
• Cultural anthropology
• Environmental anthropology
• Evolution, cognition, and culture
• Human rights
• Medical anthropology

Students identify their own area(s) of specialization and work closely with their major advisor to develop a program of coursework and research training. The program should be tailored to the student's interests and should fulfill the degree requirements described below.

Graduate Academic Regulations

Registrar's Graduate Forms

Degree Requirements

Below are general guidelines for the anthropology Ph.D. and MA/Ph.D. tracks. The requirements conform to the Graduate School policies as outlined in the Graduate Catalog.

The UConn Department of Anthropology Graduate Program Handbook lists full degree requirements and guidelines for the Ph.D. and MA/Ph.D. tracks. Please email the Director of Graduate Studies for a copy of the handbook.

Ph.D. Track

Students entering the Ph.D. program with a Master of Arts in Anthropology or an equivalent discipline, as approved by the Graduate Committee, complete the requirements below to earn the Ph.D. Work for the doctoral degree can usually be finished in six or seven years, and must be completed within eight years, in accordance with Graduate School policy.

Courses and Credits for the Ph.D.

Students must complete:

• A total of 15 course credits.
• ANTH 5500 (Professional Development) in the first or second year of the program.
• A total of 15 credits of doctoral dissertation research (ANTH 6950).

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of six credits each semester to be considered a full-time student. One course is typically equivalent to three credits.

In order to ensure timely progress through coursework and toward the degree, we recommend that students complete their required course credits within the first two years of graduate school. Students are encouraged to take three courses (nine course credits) in some semesters, although we generally advise students to take only two courses (six course credits) in the first semester of year one, to help students ease into the program as they are transitioning to graduate school at UConn.

Students should generally enroll in courses at the 5000 level or higher, but up to six course credits may come from courses at the 3000 or 4000 level.

Major Advisor and Advisory Committee

A member of the Graduate Faculty in the Department of Anthropology is appointed to serve as the major advisor for each graduate student. The major advisor works closely with the student to develop a program of coursework and research training that fulfills the degree requirements and is tailored to their specific interests. The major advisor is also responsible for coordinating the supervisory work of the student’s advisory committee. Occasionally, it may be desirable or appropriate for a student’s degree program to be directed by two co-major advisors.

If a change of major advisor becomes necessary for any reason, the student must notify the Director of Graduate Studies and file a Change of Graduate Major Advisor form , bearing the signature of the new advisor, with the Office of the Registrar.

Each student also has an advisory committee to help guide their graduate work. The advisory committee should be formed before the student has completed 12 course credits and shall then supervise the remainder of the student’s degree program.

The advisory committee is formed after consultation between the major advisor and the student, and includes the major advisor and at least two associate advisors, one of whom must hold a current appointment to the Graduate Faculty in the student’s field of study or area of concentration.

In addition to these members of the advisory committee, the Dean of the Graduate School may appoint another person to the advisory committee – such as a member of the Graduate Faculty outside the student’s field of study but in a related field. If deemed appropriate by the student’s major advisor, the major advisor may request that a suitably qualified external (non-UConn) associate advisor be appointed to the student’s advisory committee. Such requests must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Ordinarily, not more than one external associate advisor is appointed to the advisory committee.

Ph.D. Plan of Study

After completing 18 course credits, each student prepares a Ph.D. Plan of Study in consultation with their major advisor. The Plan of Study lists the coursework and dissertation research credits that will be used to complete the doctoral degree, and must be approved by each member of the student’s advisory committee before being submitted to the Graduate School.

The Plan of Study should consist largely of courses at the 5000 (graduate) level or higher, but a limited number of credits (six or less) at the 3000 or 4000 level can be included.

Up to 12 credits of advanced coursework taken while the student was an undergraduate or non-degree student at UConn may be included as long as:

• The coursework was completed within the time limit for completing the Ph.D. requirements (i.e., coursework that would be more than eight years old when the Ph.D. is completed should not be included on the Ph.D. Plan of Study).
• Inclusion of the coursework is approved by the student’s advisory committee.
• The coursework meets any additional criteria described in the Graduate Catalog .

A limited number of credits from graduate-level academic coursework completed at other accredited institutions may be accepted in transfer and included on the Ph.D. Plan of Study. Classes that were used to fulfill a currently held degree are not eligible to transfer for the doctoral degree. Transfer credits must be:

• At an appropriate level for the Ph.D.
• Associated with a grade of B- or higher.
• Completed within eight years of when the Ph.D. will be conferred.

The student’s major advisor must approve the transfer of credits and sign off on the Transfer Credit Request Form , which should be submitted to the Graduate School with the Ph.D. Plan of Study. Transfer credits must also meet any additional criteria described in the Graduate Catalog .

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

All Ph.D. students at the University of Connecticut are required to pass a Ph.D. General Examination. In anthropology, this exam is referred to as the Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam.

After a student’s Advisory Committee has been formed and their Plan of Study approved, the Ph.D. comprehensive exam should be undertaken. This exam is designed to assess the student’s mastery of the literature most relevant to their Ph.D. research, so the content is unique to each student. The exam is different from an MA final exam, which evaluates a student’s mastery of the foundational literature in their subfield of anthropology (e.g., medical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, etc).

For the Ph.D. comprehensive exam, the examining committee consists of at least five faculty members, including all members of the student’s advisory committee. The examining committee determines the specific content of the Ph.D. comprehensive exam, with the contours shaped by input from the student and the student’s major advisor.

To prepare for the Ph.D. comprehensive exam, the student and their major advisor identify three to five topical areas that are closely related to the student’s developing dissertation research. These topical areas may encompass theory, methods, history, an ethnographic or geographical focus, specific areas of empirical research, etc. For each topical area, the student prepares a reading list of approximately 30-50 primary sources (i.e., about 100-150 sources altogether, divided approximately equally among the areas). The student’s examining committee reviews the topical lists and suggests additions or deletions, with each committee member contributing where appropriate given their expertise.

Once the reading lists have been finalized, students typically devote a couple of months to reading the assigned literature. Many students may find it useful to prepare an annotated bibliography or a document with notes on the key points, relevant methods and/or theory, and core findings for each reference as a study guide. It can also be helpful for students to think explicitly about how to synthesize the material and conclusions from multiple sources because synthesis is a key goal of this part of Ph.D. study.

We recommend that the student touch base with each committee member a few weeks before the exam to confirm that they are on the same page regarding the core topics to be covered on the exam. Committee members should review the relevant reading list(s) when writing exam questions.

The Ph.D. comprehensive exam itself has two possible formats, with each student selecting the format of their exam in consultation with their major advisor:

Option 1 (15-hour exam)

In this format, the written exam is completed in 15 hours, with the time divided equally among the identified topical areas and the student writing on one area per day. Thus, for a student with three topical areas, the exam will take place over three days, with five hours of writing per day (a mid-writing break is permitted). For a student with five areas of study, the exam will take place over five days and entail three hours of writing per day. The writing days may occur consecutively (i.e., in a single week) or be more spaced out (i.e., spread over two or more weeks), with the specific schedule determined by the student and their major advisor after considering the student’s other time commitments (i.e., teaching and research responsibilities) that semester.

On each day of the exam, the Advisory Committee provides the student with questions about the material from one topical area (with questions developed by the Advisory Committee without student input). The student may be asked to answer 1-3 questions and is often given a choice of which question(s) to answer. In all cases, questions are designed to assess the student’s broad familiarity with the relevant literature and synthesis of what is currently understood about that topic.

(Please note that students will not be asked to write a dissertation grant proposal as part of this exam because that constitutes a separate program requirement – i.e., the dissertation prospectus.)

Students are allowed access to their notes and sources during the exam, and should include citations of relevant sources in their answers. Altogether, with this format, the written exam takes 15 hours and typically encompasses 30-40 pages of writing (double-spaced).

Option 2 (take-home exam)

In this format, the written exam takes place over a more extended time frame, with the student writing about each topical area over a one-to-two-week period and the number of pages written divided approximately equally among areas. The student and major advisor together determine the specific writing schedule after taking the student’s other time commitments (i.e., teaching and research responsibilities) into consideration. For each topical area, the Advisory Committee provides the student with one or more questions about the material (with questions developed by the Advisory Committee without student input).

Students typically write 12-25 double-spaced pages per topical area, with the response taking the form of a review paper or essay. Thus, for a student with three topical areas, the exam will consist of three 20-25 page essays. For a student with five areas of study, the exam will entail five 12-15 page essays. Students are allowed access to their notes and sources during the exam, and should include citations of relevant sources in their answers.

For each topical area, the Advisory Committee may ask the student to answer 1-3 questions, and may give the student a choice of which question(s) to answer. In all cases, questions are designed to assess the student’s broad familiarity with the relevant literature and synthesis of what is currently understood about that topic. (Please note that students will not be asked to write a dissertation grant proposal as part of this exam because that constitutes a separate program requirement – i.e., the dissertation prospectus.) Altogether, with this format, the written exam takes 3-10 weeks to complete and encompasses 60-75 pages of writing (double-spaced).

Regardless of which format is used, the Advisory Committee is expected to read and evaluate each of the student’s answers within 2-3 weeks of submission. Within two weeks of completing the entire written exam, the student meets with their advisory committee to discuss their performance and answer any follow-up questions.

If a student fails to provide satisfactory answers to part or all of the written exam, the advisory committee may ask the student to retake part of the exam, revise and resubmit one or more of their essays, or answer questions in an oral exam to better assess the student’s mastery of the relevant material. Failure to pass the exam a second time, in part or in whole, may be grounds for dismissal from the Ph.D. program and University.

Once the exam has been completed, the Report on the General Examination for the Doctoral Degree is submitted to The Graduate School.

Dissertation Proposal

Before undertaking dissertation research, a doctoral student must prepare a written proposal describing the scope, content, and significance of their intended dissertation research. In anthropology, students write the dissertation proposal in the format of an external grant proposal (e.g., as a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant proposal or a Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant proposal). The dissertation proposal therefore serves dual purposes: it fulfills the Graduate School’s degree requirement and enables the student to seek external funding for their dissertation research.

The student works closely with their major advisor while preparing the dissertation proposal, and then submits a completed draft to their advisory committee for review and feedback. After revising the proposal and receiving approval from their advisory committee, the student submits the proposal to the external funding organization(s) for consideration. Whether funded or not, this external review satisfies the Graduate School’s requirement that the dissertation proposal be critically evaluated by two reviewers who are not members of the student’s advisory committee.

If the dissertation proposal is not submitted to an external funding organization for some reason, the proposal should be submitted to the anthropology department head. The department head will appoint two individuals not on the student’s advisory committee to critically evaluate the dissertation proposal. The use of at least one reviewer from outside UConn is encouraged.

If human or animal subjects will be involved in the proposed dissertation research, the student must receive approval from the UConn Institutional Review Board (IRB) and/or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before research can begin.

The completed dissertation proposal should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar along with the Dissertation Proposal for Doctoral Degree Form (signed by all members of the advisory committee and the Department Head) and documentation of IRB and/or IACUC approval.

Ph.D. Candidacy

Upon approval of the Ph.D. Plan of Study, passing of the Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam, and approval of the Dissertation Proposal, a student becomes a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Dissertation Preparation, Oral Defense, and Submission

The dissertation is the scholastic culmination of a student’s ongoing research. It must meet all standards specified by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate School, and conform to the specifications listed on the Office of the Registrar’s website . The dissertation must be of publishable quality, and it is expected that students will submit their dissertation for publication either before or shortly after the degree is conferred. The dissertation can be published as a single entity (e.g., submitted as a book manuscript) or with individual chapters becoming separate journal articles or chapters in edited volumes.

The oral defense of the dissertation must be announced publicly in the University’s online events calendar at least two weeks prior to the defense date. Ph.D. candidates in Anthropology are also required to advertise their defense to the entire department. The candidate should notify the department administrator by email of the date, time, and location of their defense, as well as the dissertation title and abstract. This information will be disseminated to the entire department to give everyone the opportunity to attend.

The Graduate School requires at least five members of the faculty, including all members of the advisory committee, to be present for the oral defense unless written approval for fewer faculty has been obtained in advance from the Dean of the Graduate School.

The advisory committee determines whether a Ph.D. candidate has passed, conditionally passed, or failed the dissertation defense, and must reach a unanimous decision. Following the dissertation defense, the major advisor communicates this decision to the candidate and to the Office of the Registrar through the Defense and Final Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form .

If dissertation revisions are necessary, the advisory committee will notify the student. Once revisions are completed and all members of the advisory committee approve the final version of the dissertation, the dissertation is submitted electronically through Submittable , a University repository for public access. Students may request an embargo period for the dissertation if they do not want it to be publicly accessible immediately.

Degree Conferral

Degree conferral requires that all requirements for the degree have been satisfactorily completed by the last day of the conferral period. UConn holds graduate commencement ceremonies in May each year, but degrees are conferred three times each year (in August, December, and May).

The application for a degree to be conferred must be submitted online by the degree candidate through the UConn Student Administration System during the first four weeks of the student’s final semester. This application can be withdrawn at any time by the student if needed.

Detailed information and instructions about the required steps during a student’s final semester are provided on the Office of the Registrar’s website .

Prior to graduating, students should review their transcript and Ph.D. Plan of Study to confirm that the listed courses match and grades are posted for all courses listed on the Plan of Study. If any grades are missing or incomplete, the student should contact the course instructor to resolve the grade. If any changes are needed to the approved Ph.D. Plan of Study, an email outlining the changes and including the major advisor’s approval should be sent to Degree Audit at [email protected] .

Students who qualify for degree conferral receive their diplomas by mail, usually within three months following conferral.

MA/Ph.D. Track

Students entering the Ph.D. program without a Master of Arts in Anthropology or an equivalent discipline must complete additional requirements to earn a master's degree before completing the requirements for the Ph.D. in Anthropology.

In anthropology, students follow the Plan B (non-thesis) requirements for the master’s degree. In addition to completing the Ph.D. degree requirements described above, students in the MA/Ph.D. track complete 15 other course credits (so that 30 credits of content coursework are completed altogether) and pass the MA final examination. All 30 coursework credits are then listed on the student’s Ph.D. Plan of Study.

Coursework and Credits for the MA Degree

Students applying for the Plan B (non-thesis) master’s degree in anthropology are required to complete 30 course credits (i.e., 15 course credits more than is required for the Ph.D.). One course is typically equivalent to three credits.

In order to ensure timely progress through coursework and toward the degree, we recommend that students complete the required course credits within the first two years of graduate school. Students are encouraged to take three courses (nine course credits) in some semesters, although we generally advise students to take only two courses (six course credits) in the first semester of year one. The lower course load helps students ease into the program as they are transitioning to graduate school at UConn.

Students should generally enroll in courses at the 5000 level or higher, but up to six course credits may come from courses at the 3000 or 4000 level. Students may also count some undergraduate or non-degree course credits from UConn, or transfer credits from another accredited institution, as part of their 30 course credits in accordance with the Graduate School’s regulations (see the Ph.D. Plan of Study section above for details) .

The MA final examination is designed to assess a student’s mastery of foundational theory, concepts, and literature in their subfield of anthropology. We encourage students to complete the MA exam before beginning their third year in the MA/Ph.D. program, and it must be completed no later than one year after the completion of coursework.

The MA.final exam is typically a six hour written exam completed over the course of 1-3 days, with the content decided by the student’s advisory committee. Students are usually examined on 4-5 core topical areas, each of which is associated with a reading list of approximately 10 references to guide the student’s preparation for the exam. The scheduling of the exam is determined by the student and their advisory committee.

Applications are due December 20.

Prospective students apply to the Ph.D. in Anthropology online via the Graduate School’s application portal. GRE scores are not required.

Full Admissions Requirements

Contact the Director of Graduate Studies

For more information about the MA or Ph.D. programs in anthropology, please contact:

Deborah Bolnick

Anthropology

Share this page, fall 2025 admissions update.

Admissions to the PhD in social anthropology and the AM in medical anthropology have been paused and will not be accepting applications for fall 2025. The PhD in archaeology will be accepting applications, and the MD/PhD program will be accepting applications.

The Department of Anthropology is one of the world’s leading institutions for anthropological research. Our PhD programs provide in-depth conceptual and methodological training in archaeology and social anthropology , with faculty whose work covers every time period—from the Paleolithic to the present—and every major world area. The department also offers an AM in medical anthropology .

You will have the unique opportunity to work with a world-renowned faculty that has a long tradition of foundational research across nearly every continent. You will have access to a wide range of resources including the Harvard Medical School, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, various area centers such as the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Korea Institute, Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Asia Center, and Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. You will also have access to extensive archaeological and anthropological collections of the Peabody Museum, an important resource for both research and teaching.

Projects that students have worked on include “Archaeology of the 19th and 20th Century Chinese Labor Migrants,” “Zooarchaeology in Ancient Mesopotamia,” and “Mass Media in Indonesia.” Our PhD graduates are now on the anthropology faculties at some of the top universities in the world. Others have secured positions with Facebook, the World Bank, and various museums.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Anthropology , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Archaeology (PhD only) | Medical Anthropology (AM only) | Social Anthropology (PhD only)

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Anthropology .

Academic Background

Previous concentration in anthropology is not required; however, applicants must be able to clearly state their interests in anthropology and demonstrate familiarity with intellectual issues in current anthropological theory and method.

Writing Sample

For PhD applicants, a writing sample is required as part of the application and can be a term paper or thesis no longer than 20 pages (double spaced) not including bibliography. Do not submit a longer sample with instructions to read a particular section. Applicants should select an example of their best academic writing that demonstrates their capacity for rigorous analysis and independent work. It is not essential that the writing sample be directly related to the topics or areas that you are proposing to study in the future.

Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose is not a biographical narrative. A persuasive statement of purpose (1) clearly describes the applicant’s proposed areas of research; (2) justifies the applicant’s research interests in terms of the relevant existing scholarship, the applicant’s personal intellectual motivation, and the applicant’s background and/or training; (3) explains why the anthropology faculty and curriculum at Harvard are ideal for supporting the applicant’s training and research. We strongly encourage applicants to read the publications of the faculty they are applying to work with. A clear connection with faculty research and teaching is the best gauge of an applicant’s potential “fit” with the Department. 

Personal Statement

Standardized tests.

GRE General: Optional

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Anthropology

Anthropology Faculty

See list of Anthropology faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Department of Anthropology

Degree Requirements

Our students receive a solid general training in anthropological theory and methods based on the broad theoretical orientation of our faculty and their secondary areas of research. We offer intensive graduate training in the archaeology, biology, social analysis, and history of Central America, Mexico, and South America, as well as scholarship in Caribbean and North American anthropology. More specialized courses include training in Mayan languages, pre-Columbian iconography, GIS, archival research methods, specialized artifact analysis, skeletal analysis, stable isotope analysis, and genetic research.

Overview | Language Requirements | Degree Requirements | Guidelines | Essay | Exam | Essay Defense

The Ph.D. requires 72 hours of graduate credits, at least 45 of which should be in formal course work beyond the bachelor’s degree. Candidates entering with a master’s degree or previous graduate coursework may transfer up to 18 hours of credit, which would then reduce the number of semesters of funding accordingly.

The Ph.D. also requires proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese or another relevant language (such as French in the Caribbean), a comprehensive examination, successful defense of a dissertation proposal (Qualifying Exam) to advance to Ph.D. candidacy, and a dissertation based on original field, laboratory, or archival research.

Anthropology PhD Requirements

Language Requirements

To obtain the M.A. and advance in the program, the language requirement must be completed by the fourth semester. This may include one foreign language passed at a high level of proficiency in a test that involves:

• an oral interview, and
• a written translation test.

The oral interview will be conducted by either an anthropology or CLACX faculty member (or a faculty member with the requisite language experience to evaluate the student). The written test consists of translating three to four pages of written work from the non-English language to English.

Alternatively, a student may pass one of certain 2000-level Spanish, Portuguese, French, or other relevant language courses with a grade of B+ or better. The DGS and adviser will determine which courses qualify. For students who are native speakers of a language relevant to their research, that is persons who have spoken the language in question from childhood, the student’s adviser or when available, a native speaker of that language, will certify their language ability and report the findings to the DGS. The student’s advisory committee will determine whether any other further language requirements are appropriate.

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The four subfields in anthropology are archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology/ethnography, and linguistics. All students must complete the following:

• 6 credits: Anth 8000: History of Anthropological Theory I (3 credits) and Anth 8001: History of Anthropological Theory II (3 credits), to be taken in the student’s first or second year.
• 6 credits: Primary subfield
• 6 credits: Secondary subfield
• 3 credits: Tertiary subfield
• 6 credits: Two electives in anthropology or two Independent Study courses in anthropology (or one of each). These two courses are meant to form the basis of the two comprehensive exam essays (see description of the comprehensive exam below).
• 3 credits: Anth 9000: Research Design Graduate Seminar. This class should be taken in the student’s third or fifth semester (it is typically offered in the fall). If it is taken in the fifth semester, another graduate seminar can be taken in the third semester to ensure that the student earns 36 credits total by the end of the second year.
• 6 credits: Two electives (e.g., anthropology courses in any subfield; courses outside the department for the CLACX certificate; courses in other departments deemed appropriate for the student’s training; quantitative methods in another department, etc.)

Total after two years: 36 credits (i.e., three courses per semester for two years) These 36 credits must be completed by the end of the fourth semester of enrollment. They are part of the requirement to earn a master’s degree in passing and advance in the program.

Students must also pass a Comprehensive Exam, which entails writing two substantial essays (written primarily in the two elective/independent study courses). These must be submitted by the last day of class (i.e., before the exam period starts) in the fourth semester of enrollment.

In the fifth semester, the student must complete nine more credits of coursework. These can be Independent Study courses or other courses that the student and committee deem appropriate for their training. This will bring the student up to the required 45 credits of coursework for the Ph.D.

Students who did not take ANTH 9000: Research Design in their third semester should take it in their fifth semester.

Students choose their primary and secondary subfields in consultation with their advisory committee. Depending on a student’s background and research interests, committees may require specific additional course work, including more preparation in other sub-fields, languages, and research methods.

After completing 45 credits, the student should enroll in ANTH 8999: Non-candidate Research credit hours. After the student achieves doctoral candidacy, they must enroll in ANTH 9999: Ph.D. Dissertation Research for credit hours every semester. When the student reaches 72 credit hours, they must enroll in zero hours of ANTH 9999: Ph.D. Dissertation Research to stay enrolled in the program. It is the student’s responsibility to register for courses in a timely manner. Stipends and TA-ships cannot be allocated for students who have not registered for courses at least one month before the semester begins.

Graduate Program Guidelines

Seventy-two (72) hours of graduate credits are required, at least 45 of which should be in formal course work: graduate seminars (8000-level and above) and independent study. On occasion, undergraduate courses with extra work for graduate students (3000-level and above) will be accepted as graduate course work.

At least 21 hours of course work must be in 5000-level and above graduate seminars. During the first 36 hours of course work, students should be concerned with completing requirements and filling gaps in their knowledge. After completing 45 hours of course work, the remainder will consist of either pre-dissertation research hours or dissertation research hours, depending on the status of the student.

Full-time students are expected to enroll in the Graduate School during each fall and spring semester. After completion of the required 72 hours for the Ph.D. degree, full-time students register for zero hours of dissertation research. Candidates for the Ph.D. degree who are away from the university must continue to register for zero hours of dissertation research to remain in good standing. In addition, all students must have Vanderbilt University health insurance every semester that they are enrolled, unless they file a waiver showing that they have health insurance from another source. This other source of insurance must be approved before the deadline in August every year.

It is the responsibility of graduate students to register for courses (including zero credit hours of dissertation research) each semester, to track their status to ensure that they have met all of the course requirements, and to maintain their health insurance coverage according to university rules.

Students Entering With a Master’s Degree

For new students holding M.A. degrees, transfer credit may apply to the hourly requirements for up to a maximum of 18 hours (~1 year) of course work. During the student’s first year in residence, their advisory committee will coordinate with the Director of Graduate Studies to determine how many and which courses will be approved for transfer credit. However, the number of course hours approved for transfer will be subtracted from a student’s total stipend award. That is, if two semesters (18 hours) of coursework are approved for transfer credit, two semesters of stipend support will be subtracted from the five-year fellowship award.

Dissertation Proposal Essay

The Dissertation Proposal Essay is a comprehensive bibliographic review of the literature relevant to the dissertation topic. The student, in close consultation with their adviser and dissertation committee, will prepare and submit a DPE. The DPE should include a summary and critical analysis of that particular theme and associated debates. It should also present the proposed dissertation research to be conducted by the student. Parts of this document may follow an expanded version of the National Science Foundation-Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant. Please consult the relevant NSF-DDRIG website for more details (e.g., Archaeology , Biological Anthropology , Cultural Anthropology , or Linguistics ).

The proposal should clearly state the theoretical issues to be addressed, theoretical framing of the study, context of the research,  methodologies to be employed, relevant preliminary findings, types of data to be collected, and expected results and how those results will address the central questions of the study. Throughout the proposal, the student should clearly demonstrate their command of the relevant literature. These guidelines are not comprehensive, and an advisory committee may require additional content. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with their advisor and advisory committee on the format and expectations for this document.

Other items to append to the dissertation proposal essay:

• An outline of the dissertation thesis, including preliminary chapter titles and brief summaries
• A realistic schedule for research and writing

Comprehensive Exam

The student must complete the Comprehensive Exam by the end of the fourth semester. The purpose of the Comprehensive Exam is to establish the student’s knowledge of anthropology in general and of their specific fields of specialization. To pass, the student must write two substantive essays. These are synthetic literature review essays in specialized domains of scholarship. Each essay is a summary and critical analysis of that particular theme and associated debates. It should reflect the current state of the field, based on a comprehensive understanding of the literature. Students must work closely with their faculty adviser and committee to develop the topics and bibliographies. These essays should build on coursework that was aimed at developing each manuscript (students may take Independent Study courses in semesters 3 and/or 4 to develop the essays). Students should start planning for these essays in their first semester of enrollment. The two essay themes should not be identical to the dissertation topic. The Comprehensive Exam essays will be graded by the student’s advisory committee.

Comprehensive Exam essay examples include Anthropology of the Body; Anthropology of Food; Anthropology of Violence; Social Bioarchaeology; Historical Archaeology; and Political Economy, among others. This list is not exhaustive, and we expect that students will think creatively and critically as they develop their two major essay topics.

The grade options for Comprehensive Exam essays are:

• High Pass and continue in the program (both essays must receive a High Pass if the student is to continue in the program)
• Pass, which qualifies the student to receive a terminal M.A. and depart the program
• Fail and depart the program with no M.A.

Even with a score of “High Pass,” the committee may decide that the student demonstrated a need for improvement in a particular study area. In this case, the committee can require that the student rewrite sections of the comps essays.

Oral Defense of the Dissertation Proposal Essay

The public proposal presentation will start with a 20-minute presentation by the student followed by questions from the general audience. The closed examination by the Ph.D. committee members will commence immediately afterward. The student should be prepared to answer questions regarding all aspects of their proposed research. The Ph.D. committee will vote on the proposal and will inform the student of their decision within 24 hours.

The Ph.D. committee will vote on the Qualifying Exam (the Dissertation Proposal Essay and the oral defense of it) and select one of the following options:

• Pass and advance to doctoral candidacy
• Fail. If a student fails the Qualifying Exam, there are two possible outcomes:
• The student will have the opportunity to do substantial revisions and schedule a re-take of the Qualifying Exam within one semester; or
• The student will be dismissed from the program.

The student will advance to Ph.D. candidacy as soon as the Graduate School receives the paperwork communicating a positive evaluation.

The student should work closely with their Ph.D. committee in developing the DPE and the dissertation proposal. A final version of the dissertation proposal must be accepted by a student’s full Ph.D. committee before the oral defense can be scheduled. Any date set before the proposal is accepted by the full committee is simply a target date.

Paperwork: The student must submit the Request to Schedule the Qualifying Exam form at least two weeks before the proposal defense date.

After the oral exam, additional paperwork must be filed indicating whether the student passed or failed the Qualifying Exam. Please coordinate with the department administrative assistant on submitting both of those forms.

After a student successfully defends the dissertation proposal, the student advances to Ph.D. candidacy. From this point, according to Graduate School requirements, the student has four years to submit an approved final dissertation to the Graduate School. Extensions can be requested for extenuating circumstances.

Ph.D. in Anthropology

Earn Your PhD in Anthropology

Our Ph.D. program in anthropology is designed to provide a broad background in the field with a primary emphasis on sociocultural anthropology, biological anthropology, or archaeology. The degree prepares students for careers in academia, consulting, or other applied professions in the discipline. 

The major foci of research and instruction in sociocultural anthropology include religion, law and politics, ethnicity, gender, history and anthropology, problems of social change and economic development, culture and the environment, cognition and culture, and medical/psychological anthropology. The study of the Islamic world, East and Southeast Asia, and Africa are the greatest strengths among our sociocultural faculty and students. 

In biological anthropology, our faculty and students primarily study living and fossil human and non-human primates, including their evolutionary morphology, behavior, genomics, and sensory adaptations. For more information on ongoing research in biological anthropology, visit our laboratories page . 

Finally, the major foci in archaeology include human-environment interactions, urbanism, households, and material culture viewed in deep historical perspective. Faculty and students are primarily interested in Mesoamerica, North America, and the Mediterranean. To learn more about research and fieldwork in archaeology, click here .

PhD Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate mastery of the fundamentals of the traditional four subfields of American anthropology (social/cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology) sufficiently to make them effective and competent teachers of introductory undergraduate courses in general anthropology, social/cultural anthropology, and/or biological anthropology.
• Demonstrate the ability to conceive, plan, propose, carry out, and write up a major piece of anthropological research, related to current theoretical discourse in their chosen subfield and constituting a significant contribution to the discipline.
• Be able to make compelling and interesting presentations of their ideas and findings to audiences of professional anthropologists in several forms—oral, written, and graphic.
• Carry out all these tasks in a manner consonant with the highest prevailing standards of ethical and professional conduct in research and teaching.

Each year, Boston University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) offers incoming Ph.D. students Dean’s Fellowships, which include full tuition, a living stipend, and health insurance for five years; along with a new summer stipend beginning in 2021.

For more information on financial aid for doctoral students, visit the GRS page on fellowship aid .

Anthropology PhD

Graduate programs.

Please visit the links below to learn more about each of the graduate-level concentrations we offer:

Archaeology

All the procedures and regulations of the overall Anthropology Ph.D. apply to students admitted as anthropological archaeologists. Specific expectations of the anthropological archaeology track begin with the admissions review and extend through to the presentation of a dissertation talk near the end of the program.

Biological Anthropology

All the procedures and regulations of the overall Anthropology Ph.D. apply to students specializing in biological anthropology. Students can be admitted to work with archaeology or sociocultural faculty. The Head Graduate Advisor has authority over the implementation of requirements for these students.

Sociocultural Anthropology

All the procedures and regulations of the overall Anthropology Ph.D. apply to students specializing in sociocultural anthropology.

Medical Anthropology

The Joint UCB/UCSF Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology is one of the pioneering programs in the discipline both nationally and globally. The program provides disciplinary leadership and an outstanding and comprehensive training leading to the Ph.D. degree.

Anthropology

Ph.d. admissions.

• Graduate Studies
• Ph.D. Program

Brown University's Ph.D. Program in Anthropology offers:

• a stimulating, challenging, yet supportive intellectual community
• a highly productive and diverse group of faculty members with a broad range of research and teaching interests
• close mentoring for graduate students
• a supportive graduate student community
• generous funding packages, with additional funds available for supplementary training and field research
• an outstanding record of graduate student success in winning external research grants in national and international competitions
• a strong record of placing graduates in desirable academic and professional positions around the world

The  Application Deadline is December 1st  of each year.  Applications are made through the Graduate School's online application portal on the  Graduate School’s website . You will be asked for a personal statement of two single-spaced pages, which should convey your intellectual trajectory, describe your scholarly/research interests, and articulate why Brown’s anthropology department is the right intellectual fit for your research. Other application components are your academic transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a writing sample (which could be a research paper, article, or thesis chapter, approximately 20-40 pages long, double-spaced). GRE scores are not required.  International applicants whose native language is not English must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams.

More information for international applicants

Brown’s graduate program is Ph.D. granting, and does not admit students solely pursuing a terminal Master’s degree. Students are admitted on the basis of their excellent academic credentials; strong evidence of the capacity to conduct innovative, rigorous independent research; and interests that align with the department’s overall areas of strength. If you wish to work with particular faculty members, you should make that clear in your personal statement; however, the department makes admissions decisions collectively. Our admissions process is highly selective. Each year, the department receives over 150 applications for graduate study. We have typically made offers of admission to roughly 8-10 students per year, all of whom are guaranteed  six years of stipend  and tuition remission. 

If you have a special interest in the program and are visiting the Providence area, you may contact relevant faculty members well in advance to request appointments. Faculty availability for such meetings will depend on their schedules and commitments. Additionally, feel free to contact faculty members by email.  Most faculty will be happy to respond by email to inquiries from serious candidates regarding the program and individual research interests.

Director of Graduate Admissions

Ieva Jusionyte

Departmental faculty.

Find faculty contact information, research interests and more.

Ph.D. Degree

Students enter the Ph.D Program, based upon a vote of the faculty, at the time the M.A. degree is conferred or, if entering with a master’s degree, when all requirements demonstrating basic knowledge in the field of anthropology are completed.

The Ph.D Program

The Ph.D degree requires further study in a more specialized branch of anthropology, requiring at least one further year of academic study.  Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the discipline by successful completion of: (1) the Written Qualifying Examination administered by a three-member Departmental Doctoral Committee, (2) the Oral Qualifying Examination administered by a four-member Ph.D Doctoral Committee and, (3) the writing of an original dissertation based on original research.  The dissertation is expected to be a significant contribution to anthropological literature and knowledge.

Beyond basic requirements, each student’s program of study is unique. Accordingly, academic advising for graduate students in the department is primarily conducted on an individual basis by a student’s faculty adviser. The department’s graduate adviser is primarily responsible for counseling students in regard to program requirements, policies, and university regulations. Upon admission, students will be assigned both a primary and a secondary first-year adviser.

Student progress is periodically reviewed at faculty meetings. Students entering the program with a master’s degree are expected to be evaluated no later than their sixth quarter (spring quarter of their second year). At the Student Review Meeting, which occurs once per academic quarter, the full faculty evaluates the student’s progress in the program: formation of three-member departmental advisory committee; completion of the Proseminar and core courses; and evaluation of the Master’s research paper or thesis. Possible outcomes of the Student Review for students entering with a Master’s degree are: a) continuation to the Ph.D. program requirements; b) one-quarter extension to complete remaining requirements; and c) recommendation for academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program. All students are notified in writing about the outcome of the faculty discussion concerning their continuation to the doctoral program or degree progress. Students continue to be reviewed periodically throughout their time in the PhD program. The purpose of these reviews is to assess academic progress and help to ensure timely completion of the PhD.

Students entering the program with a Master’s degree

Students who are entering the graduate program with a Master’s degree, whether or not in anthropology, are required to demonstrate basic knowledge of the discipline before being permitted to begin the requirements for the doctorate. It is expected that students accomplish this during the first year of academic residence through the following:

• Nominating a three-member departmental advisory committee.
• Completing the Proseminar (Anthropology 200).
• Taking the core course or methods course with a passing grade of B or better.
• Petitioning that course work completed elsewhere, or at UCLA as an undergraduate, constitutes the equivalent of such courses.
• Passing the subfield’s core course examination given in the Spring Quarter.
• Submitting to the student’s departmental advisory committee, for evaluation, a master’s paper or a research paper that was written while in graduate status in their former Master’s program.

Additional Course Requirement for Students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical Program: All students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical program are required to take Anthropology 283 – Proposal Writing, typically offered in the Spring. Students must consult with their three-member departmental advisory committee chair before enrolling. Students are expected to complete the course in their second year but may complete it no later than the quarter they hold their qualifying examination. Students who entered the graduate program with a Master’s degree must complete this course by their ninth quarter (third year) in the program.

A grade of B or better is required in any core course taken at UCLA. If students received a grade of B-, C+, or C, they may not repeat the core course, but must take the core course examination and pass or be subject to being recommended for academic disqualification. If a grade of C- or below is received, students may repeat the course, but must receive a grade of B or better the second time the course is taken, or be subject to being recommended for academic disqualification.

Only when these requisites have been met are students permitted to begin the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Completion of 40 units is not required.

Students who completed the M.A in Anthropology at UCLA

Students who are entering the graduate program without a Master’s degree must complete all of the M.A. degree requirements en route to the Ph.D. Following completion of the M.A. degree requirements and permission by the faculty to begin the Ph.D. requirements, students are expected to enroll in three seminars, each with a different faculty member, between receipt of the M.A. degree from the department and taking the doctoral qualifying examinations.

Additional Course Requirement for Students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical Program: All students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical program are required to take Anthropology 283 – Proposal Writing, typically offered in the Spring. Students must consult with their three-member departmental advisory committee chair before enrolling. Students are expected to complete the course in their second year but may complete it no later than the quarter they hold their qualifying examination. Students who completed the M.A. degree requirements must complete this course by their 12th quarter (fourth year) in the program.

Foreign Language Requirement

Fulfilling the foreign language requirement  is not a requirement to be eligible to apply to the graduate program.

The department requires proficiency in a second language for all students in the Ph.D. program in anthropology. It is the responsibility of the student’s three-member departmental doctoral committee to determine what language(s) are required for their particular program of study.

If the requirement for second language proficiency is to be waived, students must prepare a request for a Ph.D. language requirement waiver, which consists of a letter justifying the request, addressed to the committee and filed with the graduate adviser. The committee must then draft a letter of approval, to be placed in the student’s file. If alternate research skills that are deemed necessary for the program of study for the student’s dissertation have been identified and satisfied, these are noted by the committee. However, no specific other courses or skills are obligatory.

If foreign language proficiency is required, proficiency will be determined by the three-member departmental doctoral committee and may include but is not limited to:

• Completion of an appropriate level of language instruction; or
• Demonstration of previously acquired language skills through documentation or an examination; or
• Submission of an annotated bibliography, in English, of selected publications (in the selected language) that are related to the student’s dissertation topic.

The bibliography may be supplemented by a related analytical examination question or further translation examination.

For students required to demonstrate foreign language proficiency, all monitoring of the requirement takes place within the department. The committee chair is responsible for consulting with other committee members about the language requirement and plans for proficiency testing, and notifying them of the results of those tests, or otherwise providing them with copies of the documentation of proficiency.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

The qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree consist of a written and an oral examination. The timing of these examinations is set in consultation with the members of the doctoral committee. Students must be registered and enrolled to take the qualifying examinations. The committee for each examination determines the conditions for reexamination should students not pass either portion of the qualifying examinations.

Departmental members of the doctoral committee administer the written portion of the qualifying examination. The fields and format of the examination are to be determined by the student’s departmental doctoral committee. There must be a minimum of two weeks between completion of the written examination and the scheduled date for the oral portion of the qualifying examination.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is primarily a defense of the dissertation proposal. This examination is administered by the four-member doctoral committee.

Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral candidates must complete an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research, and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination

The department does not require a final oral defense of the dissertation. However, individual doctoral committees can institute this requirement if they deem it important to do so; this decision is made by the doctoral committee.

Time to Degree

Full-time students admitted without deficiencies normally progress as follows:

Entering without a Master’s degree

• Completion of M.A. degree  and approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements: End of sixth quarter
• Selection of three internal members of the doctoral committee: During ninth quarter
• Four-person doctoral committee nomination: End of 11th quarter
• Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted: During 12th quarter
• Completion of written and oral qualifying examinations: Expected by end of 12th quarter
• Advancement to candidacy: Expected by end of 12th quarter
• Final oral examination (dissertation defense), if applicable: Expected by end of 24th quarter
• Normative time-to-degree: 24 quarters (8 years)

Entering with a Master’s degree

• Selection of three internal members of the doctoral committee: During sixth quarter
• Approval to begin the Ph.D requirements: End of sixth quarter
• Four-person doctoral committee nomination: End of eighth quarter
• Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted: During ninth quarter
• Completion of written and oral qualifying examinations: Expected by end of ninth quarter
• Advancement to candidacy: Expected by end of ninth quarter
• Final oral examination (dissertation defense), if applicable: Expected by end of 21st quarter
• Expected time-to-degree: 21st quarter (7 years)

If feasible, students may complete the program before the expected or normative time-to-degree.

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The PhD Degree Program

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The PhD program in Anthropology at the University of Virginia is designed to lead students from a common and broad acquaintance with fundamental issues of anthropological theory to their own individually tailored agenda of original scholarly research and writing. The accent throughout is on preparation to make a valuable contribution to knowledge through field research, analysis, and writing.

For a more detailed description of the specific requirements of the PhD program in Anthropology at the University of Virginia, please visit  Program Description .

For more information on the program contact the Director of Graduate Studies.        

The program of study for the PhD in Anthropology emphasizes:

• Studies in history and theory of anthropology that give students a broad view of the field
• Integration of theory and ethnographic research
• Collaboration and inspiration across the three sub-disciplines of Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology, and Linguistic Anthropology
• Training in grant writing
• Mentoring for intensive field research
• Training and experience in teaching
• Mentoring for job placement
• Strong ties to other University departments, programs and centers

All incoming students for the PhD are supported with a six-year funding package as well as additional grants for foreign language study, conference travel, and preparatory research during summers.  The first year of our PhD program is devoted primarily to achieving a solid grounding in social theory through a set of “common” and elective courses emphasizing critical engagement with the history of anthropology and contemporary anthropological theory. In the second year, students focus on developing mastery of the existing bodies of scholarship on their research topics and areas. Working closely with faculty, they prepare two essays that critically review the “state of the field” in two areas of scholarly literature relevant to their planned dissertation research. During the summers following this first and second years of coursework, most PhD students visit their chosen field areas to assess the feasibility of research on their planned topics, to establish preliminary contacts, and to study local languages. In the third year of study, PhD students complete any remaining coursework and write their dissertation research proposal and grant applications.  Students who have passed their proposal and received funding carry out field research for one year or more. After returning from their field research, they write up their dissertation in consultation with the faculty members on their dissertation committee.

The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only.  The Graduate Record, found at www.virginia.edu/registrar/catalog/grad.html , represents the official repository for graduate academic program requirements.

• OU Homepage
• The University of Oklahoma

Graduate Program

Graduate Anthropology Program Overview

Anthropology has been taught at the University of Oklahoma since 1905 and became its own department in 1927. Celebrated faculty like Morris Opler and Robert Bell established the Department as a leader in the scholarly study of Native North America. In addition to a continued focus on Native North America with research specilizations in the southwest, southeast, and plains of North America, the Department maintains a stong emphasis on Latin America, complemented by individual faculty interests in Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Graduate students receive rigorous training in the four sub-fields of anthropology: sociocultural, archaeological, biological, and linguistic.  

With over twenty full-time professors and about fifty graduate students, graduate students receive personalized attention from faculty mentors while benefitting from the resources of a large research university. The program pages below detail specific relationships and opportunities at internal and external institutions. Our graduates have been successful in securing tenure-track academic jobs as well as positions in cultural resource management, museums, and government agencies.  Individual faculty  are happy to provide more information on their research and on the anthropology graduate program as it relates to your subdiscipline of interest.

Financial support usually consists of half-time graduate assistantships, typically as a grader for an undergraduate class or research assistant for a faculty member. Ph.D. and advanced M.A. students may teach their own classes with opportunities for both in-person and online formats. We fund M.A. students for a maximum of two years and doctoral students for a maximum of four years beyond the M.A. degree. Our students have also been successful in obtaining external funding. For information on tuition and fees, visit the  Bursar's Office .

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Degrees & Courses

We offer an M.A. in Anthropology, an M.A. in Anthropology with a concentration in Linguistics, an M.A. in Anthropology with a concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, an M.A. in Applied Medical Anthropology (non-thesis) and an accelerated BA in Anthropology/MA in Anthropology with a concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology. We currently offer a PhD in Anthropology with concentrations in Archaeology, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Human Health and Biology (HHB). Archaeology concentration students without an M.A. and HHB students applying on an M.A. terminal track or as a precursor to a Ph.D. in HHB degree should apply to the M.A. in Anthropology.

  Graduate Degrees

  Graduate Courses

Graduate Student Handbook

The Anthropology Graduate Student Handbook is an invaluable tool for MA and PhD students and their advisors, as well as prospective students. It provides a helpful roadmap for the details and requirements of each degree program.

Anthropology Graduate Student Handbook (pdf)

Graduate Program Requirements

Required courses, [# hours]; total = 30 credit hours

A student must take ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]

• ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits]
• ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
• ANTH 6633 Theory and Method in Biological Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
• ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits]
• Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [15-18 credits]
• Thesis [2-5 credits]

The M.A. in Anthropology requires 30 credit hours, including three core classes, elective seminars, and 2-5 hours of thesis credits. Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses.

Anthropology Current & Upcoming Courses

Graduate College Bulletin

MA Anthropology Degree Checksheet

Candidacy and Committee Requirements

Admission to candidacy is required the term before a student expects to defend their thesis (the first Monday in October for Spring graduation; the first Monday in April for Fall graduation). Anthropology has specific candidacy forms available at the Graduate College website .

M.A. committees are composed of three members of the graduate faculty in the Department of Anthropology. Please work with relevant faculty to determine an appropriate committee, keeping in mind that there may be specific limitations you need to consider in forming your committee. When you file a list of your committee members with the department's Graduate Liaison, be sure to verify that any specific limitations have been met.

Required courses, [# hours]; minimum total = 30 credit hours

A student must complete these two core classes in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, and receive at least a B:

• ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory [3 credits]
• ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought [3 credits]

A student also must take one of the following core classes. Usually the Linguistics core is recommended, but the decision about which core class to take should be done in consultation with the student's Advisor. A minimum of a B is required:

• ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology [3 credits]
• ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology 3 credits]
• ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory [3 credits]

A student must complete one of the Research Methods courses:

• ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication [3 credits]
• ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods [3 credits]
• ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]
• ANTH 5433 Ethnographic Writing [3 credits]
• ANTH 5513 Applying Anthropology to Contemporary Social Problems [3 credits]

Finally, the student must take

• Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [12-15 credits]

The M.A. in Anthropology with a Concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology requires 30 credit hours, including three core classes, a Research Methods class, elective seminars, and 2-5 hours of thesis credits. Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below. 

MA Sociocultural Anthropology Degree Sheet

The accelerated Anthropology B.A. + M.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology is designed for academically successful undergraduate anthropology majors with an interest in sociocultural anthropology. The combined B.A. + M.A. degrees are designed to be finished in five years, with undergraduate coursework completed at the end of year three of the program. Students accepted into the program begin taking graduate-level coursework during their senior year. Requirements for the B.A. are the same as those of the standard B.A. in Anthropology, with 13 “shared” hours counting towards both the B.A. and M.A. degree requirements. The M.A. degree includes a thesis, giving students an opportunity to conduct original in-depth research.

Required courses, [# hours]; total = 137 credit hours (combined degree)

13 shared hours count as both Graduate and Upper-Division credit. 

Undergraduate Major Requirements (Anthropology coursework) [36 credits total]

Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or Dodge College of Arts & Sciences Requirements.

o   ANTH 2203 Global Cultural Diversity [3 credits]

o   ANTH 2303 General Linguistics [3 credits]

o   ANTH 3113 Principles of Archaeology [3 credits]

o   ANTH 3203 Introduction to Biological Anthropology [3 credits]

o   ANTH 3011 Anthropology Cornerstone I: Introduction to the Major [1 credit]

o   ANTH 3021 Anthropology Cornerstone II: Research and Writing [1 credit]

o   ANTH 3031 Anthropology Cornerstone III: Professionalization [1 credit]

o   ANTH 4113 Anthropology Capstone [3 credits]

o   Anthropology Electives [18 credits]

Graduate Requirements [30 credits total]

All students must take the following core courses, and receive at least a B:

o   ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology (shared) [1 credit]

o   ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory (shared) [3 credits]

o   ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (shared) [3 credits]

o   ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology [3 credits]

o   ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology [3 credits]

o   ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory [3 credits]

Research Methods (3 required credit hours)

Choose from:

o   ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication [3 credits]

o   ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods [3 credits]

o   ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]

o   ANTH 5433 Ethnographic Writing [3 credits]

o   ANTH 5513 Applying Anthropology to Contemporary Social Problems [3 credits]

Thesis (2-5 credits required)

o   ANTH 5980 Research for Master’s Thesis [2-5 credits]

Electives (12-15 hours required)

Electives coursework is selected in consultation with the student's advisor and committee. No more than 6 hours from outside Anthropology may be applied. (3 hours shared)

Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.

BA+MA Sociocultural Anthropology Degree Sheet

• ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
• ANTH 5053 Morphology [3 credits]
• ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communications [3 credits]
• ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology [3 credits] and receive at least a B.
• ANTH 5980 Research for Master's Thesis [2-5 credits]

The M.A. in Linguistic Anthropology requires 30 credit hours, including four required classes, 15-18 hours of elective seminar credits, and 2-5 hours of thesis credits. Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. Please consult the Graduate Bulletin, which is updated annually on the Graduate College website, for more general requirements and limitations. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.

MA Linguistic Anthropology Degree Sheet

* This program is Non-Thesis only

Required courses, [# hours]; total = 34 credit hours

A student must take the following Core classes in Anthropology, and receive at least a B:

• ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory [3 credits] 
• ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought [3 credits] 
• ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology [3 credits] 
• ANTH 6843 Foundations of Bio and Medical Anthropology [3 credits] 
• Or an alternative as approved by the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

A student must also take one of the following Ethnographic Methods courses:

• ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods [3 credits]
• ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]

A student must complete one of the following Statistical Methods courses:

• ANTH 4713 Statistical Concepts in Anthropology (taken for Graduate Credit) [3 credits]
• BSE 5163 Biostatistical Methods I (HSC course)
• HES 5963 Statistical Applications in Health and Exercise Science [3 credits]
• SOC 5283 Fundamentals of Sociological Statistics [3 credits]
• Or alternative as approved by the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

A student must also complete one of the following Culture and Health courses:

• ANTH 5323 The Anthropology of Aging [3 credits]
• ANTH 5393 Anthropology and the Health of Indigenous People [3 credits]
• ANTH 5643 Psychiatric Anthropology [3 credits]
• ANTH 5823 Medical Anthropology [3 credits]

Finally, a student must complete each of the remaining courses:

• ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
• ANTH 6310 Internship in Applied Medical Anthropology [6 credits]
• Elective coursework selected in consultation with the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. Please consult the Graduate Bulletin, which is updated annually on the Graduate College website, for more general requirements and limitations. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.

MA Applied Anthropology Degree Sheet

There are three tracks in the Ph.D. Program in Anthropology: Archaeology, Human Health and Biology, and Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology. Beyond the 30 credits required for the M.A. (including the core classes if they have not been previously taken), these tracks generally require an additional 30 hours of coursework and 30 hours of dissertation research. There are specific additional required courses within each track. Please see the lists below for a summary of this information.

General exams are to be completed in (or immediately following) the last term of formal coursework as detailed on the Advisory Committee Report. Following successful completion of the exams, students complete 30 hours of dissertation research credits.

Ph.D. committees must consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty in the Department of Anthropology (with one from outside the student’s primary subfield) and one faculty member from outside the Department but within the University. Please work with relevant faculty to determine an appropriate committee. There may be specific limitations you need to consider in forming your committee. When you file a list of your committee members with the department's Graduate Liaison, be sure to verify that any specific limitations have been met. Various forms are also available through the  Graduate College website .  A list of current and upcoming courses and individual degree checksheets can be found below.

Sociocultural and Linguistics Ph.D. 

Required courses, [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours

•  ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
•  ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits]
•  ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
•  ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits] OR ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology [3 credits]
• ANTH 6223 Community Engaged Anthropology [3 credits]
• ANTH 5433 Ethnographic Writing [3 credits]
• ANTH 5543 Research Design [3 credits]
• ANTH 6980 Dissertation [29 credits]

Convergence Area

• At least 9 hours must be taken in a convergent area outside of Anthropology as approved by the student's committee. [9 credits]

Choose one of the following sets of course options:

Sociocultural Anthropology

• ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods OR ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]

Linguistic Anthropology

• ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication [3 credits]

Other Electives

• Electives as determined by student's committee [27 credits]

Sociocultural and Linguistics Ph.D Degree Checksheet

Archaeology Ph.D.

Required courses [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours

•  ANTH 5543 Research Design [3 credits]
•  ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits]
•  ANTH 6633 Theory and Method in Biological Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
•  ANTH 6803 Advanced Archaeological Theory and Research [3 credits]
•  Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor (ANTH 5413 Public archaeology is strongly encouraged) [42 credits]
•  Dissertation [29 credits]

Archaeology Ph.D. Degree Sheet

Human Health and Biology Ph.D.

• ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits] 
•  ANTH 6843 Theoretical Foundations of Biological and Medical Anthropology [3 credits]
•  Two Methods course selected from this list or at advisor’s discretion [6 credits]

Optional Methods classes include: ANTH 5083 Quantitative Methods in Anthropology, ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication, ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods, ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities, ANTH 5343 Anthropological Demography, ANTH 5423 Introduction to Population Genetics, ANTH 5543 Research Design, ANTH 5593 Spatial Methods and Technologies in Anthropology, BSE 5013 Applications of Microcomputers to Data Analysis, BSE 5163 Biostatistics Methods I, BSE 5173 Biostatistics Methods II, BSE 5663 Analysis of Frequency Data, BSE 6643 Survival Data Analysis, COMM 5313 Qualitative Research Methods

•  Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [25-39 credits]
•  Dissertation [29-43 credits]

Human Health and Biology Ph.D. Degree Checksheet

Funding and Awards

Graduate students in the Anthropology Department can apply for funding through multiple mechanisms. These are described below.

For information on tuition and fees, you may use the Office of the Bursar tuition estimator . Also, please let the department's Graduate Liaison know if you are a McNair scholar , as the deadline for McNair applicants is earlier than OU's general deadline for applications to the graduate program. For general inquiries about financial aid, please visit the website of OU's Financial Aid Office .

Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships

The department offers multiple graduate teaching assistantships (GTAships). These are semester-long appointments at 20 hours a week. Some GTAs support faculty who teach large courses; others teach online or face-to-face classes. GTAships are awarded competitively using information from the graduate applications and annual evaluations. The tuition waivers that accompany graduate assistantship awards are described here .

Please contact individual faculty members about the potential for grant funded research assistantships.

Research and Travel Awards

The Anthropology Department offers several awards for graduate student research and travel. These are awarded competitively, with applications due on October 1 and March 1 annually . To apply, download and fill out the Anthropology Scholarship Form. Students can use those funds to support travel that has already occurred. More information about these awards is given below. We expect students who apply for departmental research and travel funds to also apply for funds from one of the following: the Graduate College , the Graduate Student Senate , and/or the College of Arts and Sciences .

Examples of travel or research for which students may apply for support include:

• Travel to present research at a conference;
• Funds for a significant component of a research project, for example, travel or material expenses 
• Funds to seed research or collect pilot data 

Awardees must work with the department staff assistant before any travel is arranged to be certain that university requirements are met.

Morris E. Opler Memorial Scholarships

Graduate students may apply for an Opler scholarship. Lucille Ritter Opler established this endowed fund in memory of her husband, Dr. Morris E. Opler, to provide scholarships to deserving anthropology students at the University of Oklahoma. Morris Opler was a leading scholar of Native North America. A specialist on Apachean people, he authored numerous articles in scholarly journals and wrote several books on the culture and history of the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, and Plains Apache (Kiowa Apache). Dr. Opler was a member of the University of Oklahoma Department of Anthropology faculty for nearly two decades, having served here after a distinguished teaching and research career at Cornell University. Much respected for his knowledge and teaching ability, he retired as Professor Emeritus from the University of Oklahoma in 1977 and passed away in 1996. Among his many honors, Dr. Opler was past President of the American Anthropological Association.

Rain Vehik Award

The Rain Vehik Memorial Fund honors archaeologist Dr. Rain Vehik. Dr. Vehik had a long and productive career in Plains archaeology that included positions at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the University of North Dakota, and in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, he served as head of the Archaeological Research and Management Center, worked with the Oklahoma Archeological Survey, and taught for the OU Department of Anthropology. The Rain Vehik Award offers funds to students to participate in scholarly conferences and workshops. Higher priority is given to students attending the annual Plains Anthropological Conference. This award is open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Each student is eligible for only one award per academic year.

Gilman-Minnis Scholarship in Archaeology

The Gilman-Minnis Scholarship in Archaeology was estalished by Dr. Patricia Gilman and Dr. Paul Minnis. Drs. Gilman and Minnis were faculty in the OU Department of Anthropology for many years, retiring in 2015. This scholarship offers funds to support archaeology graduate students' research projects. Typically, these funds are awarded only in the spring.

Anthropology Graduate Student Association (AGSA)

AGSA (pronounced /ægsə/) brings together Anthropology graduate students for the purpose of aiding in their professional development within the discipline. AGSA's Speakers Bureau invites scholars to give public lectures related to the interests of the department and conducts fundraisers to be able to afford these events. AGSA also coordinates professional development workshops with graduate students and faculty on topics of interest to current graduate students.  To learn more about current graduate students in Anthropology at OU, the organization, and events check out the AGSA website .  If you have any questions about AGSA, please e-mail one of our officers.

Applying to the Anthropology Graduate Program

The Anthropology department welcomes applications from students with bachelor’s degrees in any field. However, we encourage applicants to gain exposure to all of the subfields of anthropology . Students with a master’s degree from another institution may transfer up to 30 credit hours toward a Ph.D. degree. Students are encouraged to use the Office of the Bursar tuition and fee estimator for cost information. Applicants are not required to take the GRE. If you have taken it, please do not send us your scores, as they will be redacted from your application. Please contact the Graduate Liaison, Matthew Pailes ( [email protected] ), with any questions concerning this. Most important in the decisions for admission are the undergraduate transcript, the statement of purpose, and the two letters of recommendation. The department requires a single writing sample, which needs to be sole authored by the applicant. This could be an essay, term paper, seminar paper, thesis, or article, and should be related to anthropology or associated field.

Faculty look for an appropriate fit between the applicants’ intellectual interests and the research strengths of the department. To that end, we require that applicants contact potential faculty advisors before submitting their completed applications. 

Not all faculty members can chair graduate student committees. Graduate students (current and applying) should check faculty members' Graduate Faculty Appointment Status and adhere to Graduate College and department guidelines when assembling their committees.

The University of Oklahoma uses an integrated electronic application, available here , for its graduate programs. The Department admits applicants once a year to start in the Fall Term. Our next deadline is December 15, 2023. If you are a McNair scholar, please let us know promptly, as the deadline for McNair applicants is earlier than the OU graduate deadline.

Direct any questions to the  Graduate Liaison .

To apply to the graduate program, please visit the Graduate College webpage:

Graduate Degree Application  

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Department of anthropology.

PhD Program

The emphasis in the Graduate Program is on training candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.  This degree certifies that, in addition to having a sound knowledge of anthropology as a whole, the holder has been trained to do independent research at a professional level of competence in at least one of the major subfields of Anthropology (Anthropological Archeology, Biological [Physical] Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology).

Joint PhD Program

Applicants should apply to only one program within GSAS (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences). If you are interested in another department within GSAS, you may include this in your personal statement. Upon review, our faculty will decide if the candidate is a good fit for our department or if another program is more suited to their academic interests.

Applicants may, however, apply to more than one school simultaneously (i.e.: Penn Medical School, Penn Graduate School of Education, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences). In the case of a dual degree, Anthropology will be the secondary department and funding will come from the primary department. For more information about the MD/PhD program click here .

Course Requirements

The PhD degree requires a minimum of twenty (18) course units (one unit per course); a normal full-time program consists of three to four units per term.  Of these units, at least twelve (12) must be taken at this University. Up to eight (8) course units may be transferred from another institution.  Students should request credit transfer from the Graduate Group Chair after the first year of residence. 

All PhD students must complete successfully a core program of four courses in the first year.  The first-year courses cover the four subfields of anthropology and are mandated by the Graduate Group (GG).  These courses include ANTH 6000, 6010, 6020, and 6030. Failure to complete the first year core courses with a final grade (i.e., no Incompletes) by the end of the second semester disqualifies a student from continuing in the program.  The Graduate Group will determine the action to be taken. 

Comprehensive Examinations (PhD Preliminary Exams)

The Comprehensive Examinations (Comps) are taken during the last week of May of the student's first year, following completion of the first-year core courses.  Held over eight hours on two consecutive mornings, the Comps will cover the field of anthropology as presented in the first year core program and focus upon an integration of the material discussed therein.  In addition to formal course work, further opportunities for preparation for the Comps include departmental colloquia and lectures, the basic anthropological references in the Van Pelt Library and the University Museum Library, and ethnographic and archaeological collections of the University Museum. 

Core course faculty will evaluate the Comps and the student's first-year academic record within two weeks after the exams are completed.  Faculty approval of both is necessary for the students to able to continue to work toward PhD Candidacy and/or the MA Degree in the department. 

Foreign Language Exam

Students pursuing the PhD (and MA)  degree in Anthropology are required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language used in written source material or scientific literature relevant to the student's professional career.  Language examinations may be taken in French, German, Spanish, or Russian (or other languages with permission of the Graduate Group).  Dates for language examinations will be arranged by the Department.  Students are strongly urged to take the language examination at the first opportunity but, in any case, are encouraged to complete the requirement by the end of their second year.  The language exam must be completed before the student is able to take the Oral Examination.   Students whose first language is not English are exempt from the requirement.

At the time of matriculation, students shall work together with the GG Chair to determine an appropriate advisor, if they have not already done so.  An advisor will work with a student on a regular basis in order to determine the shape of the student's program from semester to semester.  As the student gains familiarity with other faculty within the GG, he/she may invite those professors to serve on his/her Oral Examination and Dissertation Committees.  It is expected that the core members of the committees will be determined by the time the student is defending his/her field statements and dissertation proposal (in most cases, by the end of the third year) during the Oral Exam (see below).  When special expertise is required, additional committee members may be appointed from outside the GG or the university.  The Advisor is responsible for initiating regular meetings with the student for the purpose of guidance.  These meetings occur at least once per semester, at least until the student has passed the Oral Examination. 

Oral Examination (PhD Candidacy Exam)

When course work, the language exam and the Comps have been completed, the student is eligible to stand for the Oral Examination (Oral Exam).  At least one year must have lapsed since the completion of the Comps before the Oral Exam can be taken.  At least one semester in advance, after consulting with her/his Committee, the student should reserve a date for and petition the GG Chair to take the Oral Exam.   

The Oral Exam will concentrate mainly on the student’s specialized fields of interest, theoretically and geographically, and on his/her program of proposed research.  The student, in conjunction with his/her advisor, and the GG Chair, will determine the appropriate fields of examination (see examples of approved fields in the Graduate Handbook) and produce Oral Exam statements summarizing research on those topics.  In addition, the student must generate a PhD dissertation proposal.  This proposal should demonstrate the student’s ability to plan and execute independent research in accordance with professional standards. 

Two weeks prior to the Oral Exam, the student is required to submit the PhD dissertation proposal and three Oral Exam statements on areas of concentration for distribution to the Graduate Coordinator (“tabling”).  The proposal and statements should be reviewed and approved by the Oral Exam Committee before being tabled.  While the Oral Exam is open to all members of the GG, a quorum of five GG members, including the student’s advisor, the GG Chair and other Oral Exam Committee members, must be present in order for the Oral Exam to proceed.

Within one month following successful completion of the Oral Exam, the PhD candidate, in consultation with the Oral Exam Committee, must produce a final version of the proposal for approval by the Graduate Group and submission to the Graduate Division.

PhD Dissertation

The PhD dissertation proposal should demonstrate the candidate's ability to plan and execute independent research in accordance with professional standards and to present its results in a manner that is coherent and readily intelligible to fellow professionals.  The dissertation is based on the candidate's own field investigation and is written under the direction of a Dissertation Committee appointed by the GG Chair.  The Dissertation Committee will consist of a student’s Advisor and 2-4 other faculty members who are usually appointed at the time the student passes his/her oral examination.  At least two members of the Dissertation Committee must be active members of the GG.

After the Dissertation Advisor and Committee reads and approves a complete, “defendable” or “close to completion” (but not necessarily the final) version of the dissertation, the PhD Candidate will schedule the Dissertation Defense.  The version of the dissertation for the Dissertation Defense should include all chapters, including the introduction and conclusions, and a complete literature cited section that have been read and approved.

At least two weeks in advance of the Dissertation Defense, the PhD Candidate must make a physical and a digital version of the dissertation available to the Graduate Group (“tabling”).  The digital version is sent with an announcement of the Dissertation Defense to the entire Graduate Group.  At the public defense, the PhD Candidate will present his/her research and respond to questions from the Dissertation Committee members and others in attendance.  The Dissertation Committee, in concert with the Graduate Chair, will determine if the PhD Candidate has passed the defense.

Upon passing the Dissertation Defense, the newly minted PhD must submit a final copy (consisting of two copies for the University and one copy for the Department) to the GG for final acceptance, according to Graduate Division guidelines.

Program Planning

Each student's program of study and research is an individual one and the timing will vary from person to person.  The total years to degree has traditionally ranged from 5 (for students transferring in) to 9 (with allowance for MA degree and/or additional time in the field).  The general schedule provided below may be used as a template for planning purposes.  While this schedule reflects the five-year funding package, it is expected that students will apply for external research funds to support dissertation research during their third and fourth years, which will extend their Ben Franklin funding by a year.

• Core courses
• Basic courses in area of specialization
• Comprehensive Examination (spring) 

Second Year

• Specialized courses, seminars, tutorials
• Grant writing course
• Teaching Assistant
• Completion of Language Exam (fall or spring)
• Completion of course requirements
• Apply for dissertation research grants
• Oral Examination & submission of Dissertation Proposal

Fourth Year

• Dissertation Research (preferrably supported by external research funding in Fourth Year or Fifth Year) 
• Dissertation Research, Writing, and Submission (with outside research funding Fourth Year or Fifth Year)

Sixth Year (if necessary)

• Dissertation Writing and Submission

Students must complete all course requirements, the foreign language requirement, the Comps, and the Oral Exam within a period of five consecutive years.  The granting of a leave of absence or research leave does not extend this limit.

Graduate Program

The Anthropology graduate program provides students with excellent training in theory and methods, enabling them to pursue an advanced graduate degree in many subfields of Anthropology, including archaeology, ecology, environmental anthropology, evolution, linguistic, medical anthropology, political economy, science and technology, and sociocultural anthropology.

The doctoral program prepares students to conduct independent research and analysis in Anthropology.  Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the doctoral program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of anthropology and to interpret and present the results of such research.  Eligible PhD students from other disciplines at Stanford University may also pursue a PhD Minor in Anthropology. See PhD Program Flyer for more information.

The department offers a Coterminal MA degree in Anthropology for current Stanford undergraduates seeking to obtain a MA degree while completing their BA degree in the same or different department. The department also offers a Terminal MA degree in Anthropology for Stanford graduate students, either in anthropology or in other disciplines, who have fulfilled the MA degree requirements for the MA 'on the way to the PhD'.

Over 1,500  doctoral dissertations  have been completed in the department since 1895.  Anthropology alumni pursue successful careers in teaching, research, or non-academic careers in the United States and worldwide.

Beyond the Classroom

In close collaboration with Stanford  faculty members  and  department leadership , our graduate students organize number of event series that contribute to the department's intellectual life and community.  The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) representatives act as a liaison between the department leadership and the graduate student body, actively participating in department issues, and providing a supportive community for the first-year PhD student cohort as well as other for other PhD and M. graduate students. Graduate students also engage with unique research, curricular, and professionalization activities. 

Fields of Study

Our graduate s tudents may choose from the following Department tracks: 1) Archaeology; 2) Culture and Society.  Students work closely with faculty members who are engaged in research informed by a wide array of theoretical perspectives from political to spiritual. Subfields in Archeology include: cities, gender and sexuality, and materiality. Students interested in Culture and Society can focus on a wide range of issues such as: linguistic anthropology, culture and mind, medical anthropology, and global political economy.   Explore each Research Area and its faculty .

The Anthropology Department offers 5 years of financial support to PhD students.  No funding is offered for student enrolled in the co-terminal and terminal MA programs.

Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). As a scholar, students join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of Doctoral studies at Stanford. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about  KHS admission .

How to Apply

Please review admissions for policies and requirements for each degree program by visiting the specific degree program page listed above. Please also consider reviewing the Stanford School of Humanities & Sciences'  Guide on Getting into Grad School  to explore which graduate program may best suit your interest, what graduate committees look for, and the benefits and challenges for pursuing a graduate degree.

Program Contacts

Angela Garcia

Lochlann Jain

PhD Admissions & Requirements, Anthropology

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Admissions at a Glance

Learn more about  additional requirements for international students

Please see details below and at College of Arts & Sciences Graduate Admissions .

*Statement of Purpose: Explain how your interest in anthropology coincides with the PhD program's mission statement and research strengths.

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Department of Anthropology

• Requirements

• Graduate Courses
• For Current Students

Students will usually spend three years in residence, one year or more conducting field research, and a final year completing the dissertation. Requirements include:

• A total of twelve courses to be completed in the first three years. The first of these courses is Proseminar and is a requirement for incoming students.
• Students will sit a three-hour exam near the end of their first year. Incoming graduate students will be provided with a reading list at the start of the summer before the academic year to initiate their self-directed growth as anthropologists and to help them prepare for the exam.
• Students are expected to conduct exploratory fieldwork during the first summer. They are to write a proposal for this fieldwork and discuss their work upon return in a departmental methodology workshop. This workshop accompanies the Methods course, which is a requirement for students in their second year.
• For the comprehensive exams, students are required to write two essays (one conceptual and one on their study area). These essays will ideally also help develop their dissertation research proposal. The essays should preferably be completed by the end of the second year. A course called Regions has been developed to assist students in writing the essays.
• Students are also encouraged to take the Proposal Writing course offered and to apply for fieldwork grants from external agencies.
• A student should be able to demonstrate a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language relevant to his/her field of study before completing the comprehensive exams
• A Post-Field course will be offered to those returning from the field to help them begin writing their dissertation, along with relevant professionalization workshops as needed. Post-field students are required to give a seminar on their research in the departmental colloquia series.

Beyond these requirements, students are expected to meet regularly with their advisors to discuss their academic plans. 

Anthropology and Education PhD

Doctor of philosophy in anthropology and education.

The Doctor of Education (EdD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees are for students who plan to engage in scholarly writing and research, applied research and evaluation, or teaching and administrative responsibilities at colleges, universities, professional schools of education and medicine, research institutes, or state, federal, and international agencies and bureaus.   Each student, in collaboration with the faculty, develops a program of study in anthropology designed to establish a high level of competency. A minimum of 75 points of acceptable graduate credit is required for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Of these 75 points, a maximum of 30 points may be transferred in courses from other recognized graduate schools.  These courses prepare students with the requisite knowledge of epistemological, theoretical, methodological, ethnographic, and substantive areas of anthropology. They aim to develop competency in the discipline, while addressing the specific intellectual interests of the student. For more detailed information about requirements, please see the Anthropology and Education PhD Requirements section of the Anthropology Student Handbook.

Students should be familiar with the  Checklist of Steps for Doctoral Certification .

Please review the full Anthropology Program Handbook for further program details.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 75
• Entry Terms: Summer, Fall
• Enrollment Formats: Full-Time, Part-Time

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Anthropology and Education is for students who plan to engage in scholarly writing and research, applied research and evaluation, or teaching and administrative responsibilities at colleges; universities; professional schools of education and medicine; research institutes; or state, federal, and international agencies and bureaus.

Each student develops, in collaboration with an advisor, a program of study in anthropology designed to establish a high level of competency. A minimum of 75 points of acceptable graduate credit is required for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

Of these 75 points, a maximum of 30 points may be transferred in courses from other accredited graduate schools. Forty-five points of Anthropology courses are required overall. Of these, up to 15 points in anthropology courses may be taken at other graduate institutions which are members of the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.

These courses prepare students with the requisite knowledge of epistemological, theoretical, methodological, ethnographic, and substantive areas of anthropology. They aim to develop competency in the discipline, while addressing the specific intellectual interests of the student.

Within the major course requirements, 30 points in required courses must be taken: the four-semester sequence of colloquia and summer field research, which represents the core training module of the program (a minimum of 12 points); two additional research methods courses outside of the first semester colloquium (6 points); and two area courses, one within and one complementary to one’s focus (6 points); and two sub-discipline courses outside of sociocultural anthropology (6 points), in linguistic anthropology, linguistics, or sociolinguistics.

The remaining 15 points of electives are used to increase competence in comparative, regional, or international studies, or to enhance technical skills used in conjunction with but outside the major course of study. At least three of these courses (8-9 points) must be taken in fields foundational to anthropology (economics, history, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology). Of the 75 graduate points required for the degree, a minimum of 45 must be taken for an evaluative letter grade.

Certification Requirements

Certification is the means of indicating that the student is regarded as having attained the expected competencies of the program. An overall grade average of B+ is expected. In addition, students must complete a set of written examinations on topics relevant to Anthropology and Education or Applied Anthropology.

Dissertation Requirements

After passing the written certification examination, the candidate prepares a dissertation proposal to be defended in oral examination. One or two years of anthropological field research is required for the collection of original field data based on the dissertation research proposal.

Foreign Language Requirement

Each candidate must satisfy the foreign language requirement by demonstrating a high level of proficiency in one language other than English.

• View Other Degrees

Program Director : Professor Grey Gundaker

Contact Person: Caitlin Quinn

Phone: 212-678-3309

Email: anthropology@tc.edu

FSU | Department of Anthropology

Department of Anthropology

College of Arts and Sciences

• PhD Degree Program

Requirements for Admission

Minimum standards for admission to the PhD program of the Department of Anthropology are:

1. An upper-division cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for their junior and senior years of undergraduate work.  We recommend you review FSU's Upper-Division GPA Computation Guidelines. Students must have satisfactory grades in the required undergraduate prerequisite coursework for the specialization which they wish to pursue;

2. Official transcripts must be sent from each college and/or university attended to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Transcripts are considered official when they bear an official seal and signature and are sent directly from the issuing college or university to FSU. Any transcripts uploaded by the applicant are not considered to be official transcripts. Transfer credit posted on the records of other institutions is not accepted in lieu of transcripts from the original institutions.

3. The Revised Graduate Record Examination (rGRE) requirement has been waived until the 2026 application cycle.

4. To be competitive, applicants with degrees in disciplines other than Anthropology should have a strong undergraduate coursework foundation in archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological anthropology and the history of anthropology.  Archaeology candidates are strongly encouraged to have field experience.

5. Three (3) letters of recommendation from former instructors, employers, or supervisors who know the student's work.  Letters from former university level instructors are preferred. Original writing sample pertaining to the field of Anthropology.  

6. The guidelines for the writing sample can be found at the following link>> Writing Sample Guidelines for application to the FSU Anthropology Graduate Program .

7. For students whose native language is not English, an official TOEFL score of 80 is required by the University.

8. A Statement of Purpose (sometimes referred to as a Statement of Intent) not to exceed 1000 words, clearly identifying and containing: the reasons for your interest in anthropology, the subdiscipline of anthropology you intend to pursue, your career objectives, your proposed thesis project. We strongly encourage you to get in touch with the faculty member you hope to work with, to discuss your interests before you submit application documents.

All application documents (all transcripts, writing samples, letters of recommendation and statement of intent) must be received by February 1st, 2025 .  Classes are entered in the fall semester of each year. The graduate application is online @ FSU On-line Application Portal If there are questions about requirements, program offerings, or deadlines, please contact our Academic Program Specialist, James Marujo at [email protected]

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Anthropology phd program.

Due to the number of information requests we receive, it is difficult to answer all communications individually. However, prospective students are welcome to join an information session about our PhD Program via Zoom on November 1st, 2024, 10.30-12 PT. To register for the session please sign up here .

The USC Department of Anthropology trains innovative, rigorous, cutting-edge anthropologists who expand the horizon of the discipline in theory, method, form and community engagement. Toward this goal, the PhD program requires serious engagement with social theory and in-depth ethnographic field research, while it also supports new ways of conducting and sharing anthropological knowledge. The Department seeks to support doctoral students who want to pursue a variety of career paths, outside as well as inside the academy. Our reenvisioned PhD program is grounded in a critical engagement with the history, theory and practice of anthropology. It prepares students to produce scholarly work and provides them the option to pursue a formally innovative dissertation ( for more information on the Experimental Ethnography Emphasis click here ). For some faculty and students, this means extensive engagement with and training in other fields. Working closely with faculty from within Anthropology, students are encouraged to partner with faculty across the university’s units and professional schools to craft a plan of study tailored to their research interests. The Department provides five years of funding and expects students to complete their work within that time frame. Given this time frame, applicants would benefit from having previous ties to their proposed field site(s), relevant language and/or professional skills training, and a completed Bachelors or Masters degree in anthropology or another field relevant to their proposed project at the time of application.

An  Anthropology PhD Program Information Session  took place on Tuesday, November 7 th , 2023 from 11:00am – 12:00pm PT via Zoom. This virtual event was for prospective students who wanted to receive more information about the doctoral program and application requirements.  Prospective students met the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Anthropology department.  To see the recording of the meeting, please email  [email protected] .

USC Dornsife Anthropology offers a fellowship package for our PhD students that currently includes a $40,000 yearly stipend (AY 24-25), health and dental insurance, and most mandatory university fees. Two years of financial support is provided without other obligations, and an additional 3 years via graduate teaching fellowships.

PhD Program Requirements

The Anthropology Department’s PhD program offers students a strong foundation in the history, theory and practice of anthropology, while enabling them to develop formally innovative dissertations.

Before advancing to candidacy, the student must fulfill the language requirement, present a portfolio and pass the qualifying examination. Having completed this work, the student will conduct fieldwork and write the doctoral dissertation.

Language Requirement

Students are required to demonstrate competence in one or more foreign languages, to be selected in consultation with the faculty committee.

Practical and/or interdisciplinary training

In addition to anthropological coursework, PhD students can engage in relevant practical training by completing 2 or more units of ANTH 596 Internship for Curricular Practical Training or equivalent, or by selecting courses in other fields that prepare them for their research and/or professional goals.

The student’s coursework must total at least 60 units. No more than 8 units of 794 Doctoral Dissertation may count toward the 60 units.

The following courses are required for the PhD in Anthropology:

• ANTH 501 History and Foundations of Anthropology, Units: 4
• ANTH 502 Contemporary Theory in Anthropology, Units: 4
• ANTH 562 The Practice of Ethnography, Units: 4
• ANTH 603 Experiments in Ethnography, Units: 4, or equivalent
• ANTH 593 Practicum for Teaching in Anthropology, 2 units
• At least 6 additional graduate courses, to be selected in consultation with the faculty committee (24 units)

Research and dissertation:

• ANTH 790 Research, Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 (minimum 8 units required)
• ANTH 794a Doctoral Dissertation, Units: 2
• ANTH 794b Doctoral Dissertation, Units: 2

PhD Resources

Program contacts, andrea ballestero.

Director of Graduate Studies

Darlene Garza

Graduate Advisor

Dissertation Completion and Defense

After completing the dissertation, it must be defended during a final oral examination attended by the student’s five-person committee. The committee chairperson should announce the time and place of the final oral examination, by memorandum to the entire department, at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled date of the examinations. The student is responsible for placing one copy of the final draft of the dissertation on file in the departmental office at least one week before the final oral examination. Any non-committee member who wishes to attend the final oral examination must inform the committee chairperson at least three days before the date of the defense. While not a formal degree requirement, it is expected that students will make a public presentation based on their research on or near the day of their defense.

Students will not be permitted to defend dissertations between Fall and Spring semesters, or during the summer, scheduled holiday periods or within semester breaks, except with the prior unanimous consent of faculty.

The committee chairperson is responsible for determining that the manuscript is in a form appropriate for evaluation. It is the student’s responsibility to distribute sufficient copies of the dissertation to the committee to allow each member the opportunity to evaluate the document well before the defense.

After the final oral examination, it is the responsibility of the committee chairperson to complete and submit the Doctoral Exam Report , in duplicate, to the Student Services Manager. This form is forwarded to the Graduate School.

It is the student’s responsibility to deposit two copies of the dissertation with the Graduate School, in final form, along with two extra copies of the abstract. The title page must be signed by at least three members of the committee.

These submissions complete the student’s PhD program.

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Anthropology (PhD)

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The UO Department of Anthropology offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree with a concentration in one of three subfields: Archaeology , Biological Anthropology , or Cultural Anthropology . While graduate students choose one subfield on which to focus their studies, many follow an interdisciplinary path that bridges between subfields, as well as to different disciplines.  This approach is encouraged in our department, which is distinctive in its commitment to the integration of the anthropological subfields via five Areas of Expertise and Focus.

Students without a relevant Master’s degree (i.e., a Master’s degree in Anthropology or a closely related field) are admitted as Conditional Doctoral Students and first obtain an M.A. or M.S. in Anthropology in the departmental Master’s program before transitioning into the Ph.D. program. Students with relevant Master’s degrees are admitted as Doctoral Students directly into the Ph.D. program.

Department of Anthropology seeks after understanding of humans through the integration of three distinct yet complementary subfields – archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology. We are dedicated to better understanding human cultural and biological origins and diversity through education and research. Under this mission, our graduate program prepares students to obtain a degree in a timely manner in preparation for an academic career or for a career as a professional anthropologist doing applied work. Specific learning outcomes are varied by subfields and courses, but we identify the following overlapping fundamentals:

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Gain comprehensive knowledge on intellectual history and theoretical frameworks in anthropology and related fields.
• Be engaged in understanding recent and historical developments in the world.
• Familiarize themselves with, practice, and experiment various anthropological/archaeological, ethnographic, field, and scientific methods.
• Utilize such learning in identifying their research topics and designing the ProJet.
• Develop concrete skills in professional writing and scholarly communications.
• Through their research, to bring anthropological perspectives to bear on the problems of current global societies, including ethics in research, decolonization, power-gender-economic imbalance, and impending environmental issues.
• Accumulate knowledge and prepare themselves for job markets of their preferred fields.

Admission to the doctoral program is contingent on the possession of a valid master’s degree in anthropology from a recognized institution or on the completion of three of the master’s core courses. Those who enter with a master’s degree in another discipline take master’s core courses early in the program.

Formal requirements of time and credit are secondary, but no candidate is recommended for the degree until the minimum Division of Graduate Studies requirements for credits, residence, and study have been satisfied.

The department requires competence in two modern second languages, one language and one skill, or two skills (including those earned for an MA or MS) approved by the department’s faculty. The student’s progress is measured by performance in the core courses and other course work; two comprehensive examinations covering two special fields of concentration in anthropology; a formal dissertation prospectus; and, finally, a doctoral dissertation. The dissertation should be based on original research, which ordinarily involves fieldwork or laboratory work, and should be written in a professional and publishable style appropriate to the subfield of specialization.

For information about general requirements, see the Division of G raduate Studies section of this catalog. More information about programs in anthropology may be obtained from the department.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History

The Museum of Natural and Cultural History and its research division, the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology, provide opportunities for students to gain research experience through field projects and museum experience through the natural history museum’s public programs. The rich resources of the state museum’s collections are available to anthropology students, faculty members, and other qualified researchers.

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