Graduate Application Procedures and Admission

Who can apply?

Students holding or about to receive undergraduate degrees may apply for admission to any of the three graduate programs. Applicants who wish to pursue the PhD degree should apply directly to the PhD program rather than the MA program. Acceptance to the PhD program is more selective than the MA program, and the PhD students receive a higher priority for financial aid. Acceptance to the MA program does not preclude work toward the PhD; a special application may be made to transfer from the MA to the PhD program. Holders of the MA degrees in other fields may apply for admission to any of the three graduate programs, but holders of the MA degrees in anthropology should apply only for admission to the PhD program. In most cases holders of MA degrees in anthropology from other institutions are credited with completion of Phase I of the doctoral program with their acceptance into that program.

About the applications: Deadlines, GRE Scores, and Other Materials

Applications for spring semester admission will be acted upon on or before December 1, while those for summer and fall semester admission will not be acted upon before March 1. Most admissions decisions and financial aid awards are made during the month of March. Normally, no application can be reviewed after June 1 for either summer or fall admission. All application materials should be sent to the Graduate Admission Office; submission of materials directly to the Department of Anthropology will delay the evaluation process. Tran- scripts must be sent directly from the office of origin to the Graduate Admissions Office. The file must also contain Graduate Record Examination scores and a minimum of three letters of recommendation. The last must be assembled and forwarded by the applicant. The Admissions Office forwards applications to the Department, where they are evaluated by the Graduate Affairs Committee.

In addition to the usual application materials (transcripts, GRE scores, recommendations), the department also carefully evaluates the student's statement of interests and goals. The prospective student is advised to become familiar with the research and teaching interests of the faculty, and with the major specializations for the department for the PhD degree. Insofar as possible, applicants are urged to visit the department prior to applying and to meet with the faculty with whom they may be working after admission to the program. Although desirable, such visits are not a requirement of admission.

All students are expected to have had at least one undergraduate course in each of the four subdisciplines prior to admission. In some cases, adjustments are made to allow students to complete these undergraduate requirements during the first years of graduate work.

How to get an admission application

Admission forms for all programs are available from the Graduate Admissions Office (Administration Building Room 152). Or you can request an application from the Graduate Admissions Office. Be sure to tell the Admissions Office what program you are interested in applying to.