About PhD Program,
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.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
applicants must be able to clearly state their interests in anthropology and demonstrate familiarity with intellectual issues in current anthropological theory and method.
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.
If you are interested in applying to a degree program, you will be considered for admittance based on your potential to make contributions through your scholarship to your chosen field, whether in academia or in a nonacademic career. The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) welcomes applications for admission from individuals who have or will have by the time of matriculation a BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree (for prospective international students, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing) and actively seeks applicants from groups historically underrepresented in graduate schools. All degree candidates are admitted for full-time study beginning in the fall term.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Our aim is to attract the most qualified candidates and make Harvard financially accessible to all degree candidates.
Whether you are a PhD student or studying for a master’s degree, the dedicated staff of the Office of Financial Aid can help you develop a plan that enables you to secure the resources you need to pursue your graduate education.
The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.
Application Requirement,
- Application and application fee
- Transcripts
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Personal statement, for select programs
- Demonstration of English proficiency
- Writing samples, for select programs
- GRE, for select programs.
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2024
Application Fee,
The application fee is $105le by credit card.
