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College of Arts & Sciences

The Master of Arts in Anthropology program centers around the holistic study of the human condition. You will receive comprehensive training within a variety of theoretical and methodological frameworks, integrating a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Master of Arts in Anthropology Program Requirements

Cutting-Edge Research

The graduate programs in Anthropology facilitate discovery and innovation. You'll be exposed to ground-breaking, original research being conducted by world leading faculty experts. Some of this research is conducted in the field at sites around the world, both on land and at sea. Sites include:

  • Archaeological sites
  • Paleoanthropological sites
  • Primatological sites
  • Cultural anthropological sites

Other research is conducted in some of the most cutting-edge labs in the country:

  • Ancient DNA labs
  • Stable light isotope labs
  • Nautical archaeology labs
  • Terrestrial archaeology labs

Eligibility

The Master of Arts in Anthropology program is restricted to students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in anthropology who are looking to earn their master's degree en route. It is not open to outside applicants who do not seek to obtain a doctorate.

You may want to obtain a master's degree en route to completing your doctorate because:

  • A Master of Arts typically is a minimum requirement to hold teaching positions at community colleges
  • A Master of Arts is required to join the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA)

Customize Your Degree

Specializations

You will gain a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of your professional field and training in its methods of research. You can specialize in one or more of the following areas:

  • Biological Anthropology
  • Cultural Anthropology
  • Nautical Archaeology
  • Archaeology

Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

You will choose between the thesis and the non-thesis options.

The thesis option requires the submission of a monograph or major area paper. The thesis option is a necessary requirement to join the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA).

The non-thesis option is available only to students in the biological anthropology, cultural anthropology or terrestrial archaeology programs.