Program Statistics
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Degree Types: PhD
The Graduate Program in Anthropology fosters the historic diversity of the discipline by building an intellectual dialogue between different humanistic and scientific approaches. Our research and graduate training program emphasizes the integration of the major anthropological subfields, including Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology. We train graduate students to harness these strengths in basic research, in effective teaching, and in the application of anthropology both inside and outside of academia.
Current strengths of graduate training include the areas of political economy, gender, sexuality and race, social class, life course, material culture, health/medical anthropology, reproductive ecology, urban anthropology, human biology, prehistoric complex societies, and historical archaeology. Faculty specialize in a range of world areas, including North and South America, Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa.
Additional resources:
Visit PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Contact Tracy Tohtz
Graduate Program Administrator & Operations Coordinator
847-491-4817
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
The Department of Anthropology is devoted to the preparation of professional anthropologists. Only students who intend to pursue the PhD are accepted into the program. The MA in Anthropology is an intermediate degree granted upon application to students who fulfill second-year department requirements.
Total Units Required: the total varies by subfield
Course Requirements: The Department of Anthropology’s core requirements for all PhD students include:
Cultural Anthropology students: In addition to the core course requirements, cultural students are required to take (489) Ethnographic Methods along with six additional courses from a cultural/linguistic faculty approved list. The complete list of approved courses is available from the Graduate Student Advisor.
Linguistic Anthropology students: In addition to the core course requirements, Linguistic Anthropology students are required to take two advanced graduate seminars in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTHRO 484-0 Seminar in Linguistic Anthropology), one course in methods in Linguistic Anthropology (ANTHRO 361-0 Talk as Social Action ) and at least four or more courses from a cultural/linguistic faculty approved list. The complete list of approved courses is available from the Graduate Student Advisor.
Archaeology students: In addition to the core course requirements, archaeology students are required to take seven subfield requirements: ANTHRO 322-0 Introduction to Archaeology Research Design & Methods and at least three graduate level Topics courses (ANTHRO 490-0 Topics in Anthropology). All students must also demonstrate knowledge and field and laboratory methods.
Biological Anthropology students: In addition to the core course requirements, biological anthropology students are required to take ANTHRO 386-0 Methods in Human Biology Research, “Human Population Biology” (ANTHRO 490-0 Topics in Anthropology), and ANTHRO 486-0 Evolution & Biological Anthropology. Biological students are also required to take at least one (and preferably) two quarters of statistics (course/s at the discretion of students and advisor) and two additional courses "Writing for impact in the Sciences" and "Research design and proposal writing".
Students are required to complete Field Statements (number of statements varies by subfield), a Dissertation Proposal, and a Dissertation.