About Master’s Program,
The Department of Anthropology has offered a master’s degree program since the early 1950s. This is a research degree offered in all four fields of anthropology.
With strong training in research methods, application, and theory, our MA program is appropriate both for students intending to continue on to the PhD, and for those who will enter careers that require only the master’s. For this reason, we do not consider our program a “terminal master’s degree.” Roughly half of the students admitted into our PhD program each year are graduates of our own MA program.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
For the MA degree, each student must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in courses numbered 500 or above. This includes five required courses: Research Design (ANT 600), Culture (ANT 641), Prin Biological Anthropology (ANT 670), Linguistic Anthropology (ANT 501), and Theory & Method In Archaelogy (ANT 603). Research Design (ANT 600), Culture (ANT 641), and at least one additional core seminar must be completed during the first year. The goal of these required courses is to establish a foundation of knowledge in all four subfields of the discipline and in basic research design. For students completing Plan I, during the second year in residence, the student must enroll in at least 6 hours of Thesis Research (ANT 599). The purpose of this coursework is to provide a structure for supervised contact hours with the student’s faculty advisor. Such coursework, including the decision as to the number of contact hours required, must be pre-arranged in consultation with the faculty advisor. Without special prior approval of the student’s advisor, and the Director of Graduate Studies, Individ Investigations (ANT 598) will not count toward the required hours. Students are also required to enroll in 1 hour of Discussions in Anth Practice (ANT 500) each semester in the program. ANT 500 does not count toward the required hours.
- Maintained a GPA above 3.0
- Met stated goals and objectives for the semester,
- Made satisfactory research progress commensurate with time in the program, or
- Completed all research tasks in an ethical manner.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
While we cannot guarantee funding, we strike to fund a high proportion of our first- and second-year MA students on graduate teaching assistantships. There also are university fellowships available to MA students. Contact Dr. Christopher Lynn, the Director of Graduate Studies, for further information.
Application Requirement,
- A statement of purpose that outlines, identifies, and explains the following:
- One personal and one professional goal and how it relates to anthropology
- Why the UA Anthropology program is best suited to help applicants achieve those goals
- Two UA Anthropology faculty members who are suited to mentor the applicants
- Any gaps or inconsistencies in the applicant’s academic record (it is acceptable to have them, but they should be explained)
- Three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals (typically professors) who are in a position to evaluate the applicant’s academic potential to achieve the outlined goals
- Students may submit additional supporting materials (e.g., a curriculum vita, writing sample) if they wish. These are highly recommended.
Application Deadline,
Jan 15, 2025
Application Fee,
The application fee is $65 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and $80 for international applicants. Application fees are non-refundable.
