All applicants should familiarize themselves with the “Program” page of this website to gain a detailed understanding of the structure and requirements of the program before applying.
Interested students must be majors or minors and must be on JUNIOR status with two years remaining at UCLA ; that is, expecting to graduate in Spring or Summer quarters of 2025.
Applications will open in the Fall quarter of 2023 . To learn more about the program, please join the Anthropology Undergraduate Student email list to stay updated on information sessions and the application process. You may find the Undergraduate Student Advisor contact information here .
The program contact person is the Lemelson Honors TA: Emilia Rose Holmbeck ( [email protected] / [email protected] )
Applications to the Lemelson honors program are due November 20th, 2023 at 11:59pm. Please submit all application materials as a single PDF file via Google Forms here.
There will be two information sessions. If you’d like to learn more or have your questions answered, please sign up for one session below:
Click here to sign up for office hours.
The Honors application must include the following documents. Students need to create a SINGLE PDF document that contains all the required application materials. The documents should appear in the following order:
The primary Faculty Mentor must come from the Anthropology department.
The faculty must agree in writing to be the student’s mentor prior to the student’s submission of application to the program. If appropriate, a second mentor may be selected from within or outside of the Anthropology department. It is recommended for students to secure the second faculty mentor during the first weeks of Winter quarter of the program and before the beginning research.
Applicants should use the numbered subheadings below to structure their proposals:
I. Research Problem
Clearly state the topic that you intend to explore and where this research will be done. Give a brief indication of what kind of research has already been done on this topic (or some closely related topic) so to provide the Honors Committee a context for understanding its anthropological importance. Keep in mind that simple ideas or simple tests of ideas can produce important results; an elaborate theory is not a requisite to do an Honors project. If appropriate, make clear the particular perspective you may bring to the project. This section should constitute the bulk of the proposal.
II. Methods.
Include a plan that outlines the methods and procedures for data collection and analysis of your research project.
III. Timeline .
Provide a tentative project schedule to demonstrate that your plan is feasible for execution in the time frame of five quarters from Winter quarter of Junior year to Spring quarter of Senior year. A high level of detail is not needed at this point. Data collection must conclude by the start of Fall quarter Senior year.
NOTE: Proposals of fewer than 400 words are likely to be insufficiently detailed to be properly evaluated or accepted. Follow the word limits with care.
For inquiries about the Lemelson Anthropological Honors Program and the application process, please contact Emilia Rose Holmbeck , the Lemelson Honors TA ( [email protected] ).
Transfer Students
Transfer students are encouraged to apply to the Lemelson Honors Program. Many of our graduating Honors students were transfer students and arrived to UCLA in their Junior year.
Entry into the Honors program is competitive. Those selected to join the Honors program typically have a strong academic record and high GPAs (exceeding the minimums above), have been exposure to anthropological concepts and methods through enrollment in several Anthropology courses before the start of the program, and present a promising research proposal. The admissions committee, consisting of the faculty teaching the Honors courses, reviews the proposals and other application materials and may select to conduct brief interviews with applicants.
Q: Who should I contact with questions about the program. A: Contact the program TA.
Q: Is having an anthropology mentor/advisor a requirement at the time of application? A: Yes.
Q: How do I go about finding a anthropology faculty mentor? Is it my responsibility to solicit their participation? A: Finding a faculty mentor is the responsibility of the honors applicant; however, the honors TA can direct you to faculty with similar research interests. Students should meet with appropriate faculty to discuss their projects and the possibility of mentorship. Beginning this process early in the Fall quarter can be a great advantage.
Q: How do I choose a research project? A: Think of a problem or situation that interests you and how you might examine that problem through research questions and anthropological methods. Clarity and feasibility are important qualities of strong research proposals. Try to work with your potential mentor and the program TA to develop the proposal portion of your application.
Q: Do I have to take all five of the honors courses offered through this program? A: Yes. Students must take one Lemelson Honors (L.H.) course per quarter for five consecutive quarters.
Q: Is research funding available for all L.H. students? A: In the past, all L.H. students in good standing received funding for their projects (determined annually).
Q: How much work does the program require? A: The program includes rigorous training in the development and completion of an independent research project. Students entering the program should be prepared to dedicate at least 5-10 hours a week outside of class to the develop of their projects.
Q: Do the L.H. courses count for course requirements in the anthropology major or minor? A: Contact the Anthropology Undergraduate Advisor with questions regarding requirements for the major and minor.
Q: Do transfer students need to have completed upper division anthropology courses to apply? A: No, but all applicants must have junior status in the Winter Quarter they begin the program.
Q: Besides the coursework and completing my research project, are there other activities or responsibilities that are part of the program? A: Yes, L.H. students are expected to participate in three additional activities: (1) a weekend “retreat”in the Spring Quarter; (2) a one day presentation conference held towards the end of the Spring Quarter; and (3) a meeting with L.H. faculty at the beginning of each quarter.
Q: Do I need to complete and submit a “senior thesis” to graduate with Lemelson Anthropology Honors? A: Yes.
As of August 18, 2024: The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health will now have one required application for the MPH*, MS and PhD degrees in each department. Applicants should complete the requirements for the SOPHAS application as noted below. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed.
The priority deadline for matriculation in 2025 is December 1, 2024 . If you are applying after this date, please contact the department directly to ensure that applications are still being received.
*MPH – this does not apply to the Executive MPH or the MPH-HP programs. This also does not apply to the MHA or MDSH programs.
The primary application system for applicants is SOPHAS, the common application for public health schools. Please submit the following materials here :
SOPHAS P.O. Box 9111 Watertown, MA 02471 Telephone: 617-612-2090 Email: [email protected]
For Overnight Delivery of Materials Only: SOPHAS c/o Liaison International 311 Arsenal Street Watertown, MA 02472
All applicants to UCLA must complete the UCLA Division of Graduate Education application. The information you submit through SOPHAS (step 1) will be transferred over to the UCLA graduate application. However, all applicants must also submit the UCLA application fee in addition to the SOPHAS application fee. The fee is nonrefundable.
Letters of recommendation, transcripts, test scores, professional experience, resume, and supporting should ONLY be uploaded to SOPHAS .
An application will not be reviewed until both the SOPHAS fee and UCLA graduate application fee have been paid.
** Applicants should receive a separate email from UCLA Division of Graduate Education (DGE) with instructions on how to pay the UCLA DGE application fee. Those applying in August will receive an email in September.
Applicants to the MPH-HP, EMPH, MHA and MDSH programs are only required to submit the UCLA Division of Graduate Application. If you are applying to any of these programs do not complete a SOPHAS application.
Prospective applicant applying to MPH Joint Degree
**Applicants should receive a separate email from the UCLA Division of Graduate Education (DGE) with instructions on how to pay the UCLA DGE application fee. Those applying in August will receive an email in September.
Current UCLA Graduate Students Applying to MPH Joint Degree
**Please do not pay the UCLA Graduate Application fee as the application fee is non-refundable.
Current UCLA School of Medicine Students applying to MPH Joint Degree
Current UCLA Law School Students applying to MPH Joint Degree
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What is anthropology, what can you do with an anthropology degree, studying anthropology at ucla.
When I began my journey at UCLA, I had absolutely no idea what anthropology was, let alone what career path I wanted to take. Four years later I graduated from UCLA with a BS in Anthropology and minors in both Gerontology and Global Health.
I hope this article gives you some insight into what studying anthropology is like and the career opportunities that are available!
Anthropology is simply the study of humans. The field is often said to be the most humanistic of the sciences and the most scientific of the humanities. As an anthropologist, you examine the complexity of the human experience through the past and present within four different fields:
One of the reasons I love anthropology is because of its breadth. You are bound to find something within the field of anthropology that interests you. For me, it was within biological anthropology as I was interested in healthcare and medicine. As an anthropology major, I have stood out in my applications for graduate school in healthcare administration as I’ve been able to understand healthcare from a different light due to my courses—for example, how cultural differences can affect access to healthcare or healthcare outcomes.
Anthropology BA
Due to anthropology’s interdisciplinary approach in the fields of biology, history, linguistics, the social sciences, and many of the humanities, students pursuing a BA in Anthropology can find themselves pursuing a variety of careers in fields such as:
Anthropology BS
Due to the Anthropology BS’s focus on science, students pursuing a BS in anthropology can find a career in which they’re either practicing science, or using science to help others such as:
UCLA’s Anthropology Department even offers a course titled “Careers in Anthropology” to provide students an overview of the various career paths that are available to them after graduation by bringing in UCLA anthropology alumni that have succeeded in a variety of fields from medicine to tech. Additionally the course allows you to develop professional skills, such as resume building.
UCLA’s Department of Anthropology was founded in 1941 and has consistently ranked among the top 10 programs in the country due to its faculty and teaching. UCLA’s Anthropology faculty engage in cutting edge research. For example, Professor Molly Fox focuses on the transmissions of genes, phenotypes, and diseases between grandmothers, mothers, and children.
At UCLA, there are some majors that require students to complete an application after completing certain courses. For students interested in anthropology, you can simply make an appointment with your counselor and request to be “pre-anthropology”. You remain pre-anthropology until you complete all of your preparatory coursework which I will discuss in the next section.
At UCLA, there are two requirements for individuals who want to pursue a major in Anthropology: preparatory courses and major courses.
Both the Anthropology BA and BS require the following preparatory courses:
These courses are designed to introduce you to the four subfields of anthropology and allow students to decide whether anthropology is for them. These courses also satisfy UCLA General Education requirements so if you decide that you want to switch majors, you will not have wasted considerable time!
For the Anthropology BS, students must also additionally complete the following preparatory courses:
These preparatory courses are considered those typical “pre-med” courses which is why the Anthropology BS is a great option for students who are considering careers in medicine or the sciences.
The anthropology major courses provide much more flexibility and freedom for students pursuing either the BA or the BS because students are required to take courses across the different subfields of anthropology such as Archaeology, Biology, Linguistics, Regional Cultures & Societies, Methods, History or Theory. Both degrees give students the opportunity to explore classes from across the full range of the discipline, while also allowing students to prioritize those areas that most interest them.
As a student pursuing the Anthropology BS with an interest in healthcare, I made sure to take as many healthcare focused courses as possible. Some of my favorite courses in the Anthropology department include:
These courses taught me the complex nature of the United States healthcare system when it comes to access and affordability.
As I mentioned previously, anthropology is a holistic field so I’ve also taken a variety of courses in different disciplines such as:
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Study Abroad
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of anthropology, studying abroad is a great opportunity for students!
I attended a study abroad program at the University of Sussex in Brighton on the southern coast of England during the summer of 2019. While in England, I completed all of my physics courses and labs in just a span of 8 weeks compared to the 33 weeks it would take at UCLA. This was a great way for me to travel while also reducing the stress of taking the challenging physics series during the school year along with my other courses at UCLA.
Although studying physics abroad is a great option for those pursuing their BS in Anthropology at UCLA, there are also abroad programs for students pursuing their BA in Anthropology. One of my friends studied abroad in Italy during the summer and completed various Anthropology major courses during her time there.
Lemelson Undergraduate Honors Program
The Lemelson Undergraduate Honors Program is a wonderful opportunity for anthropology students who want to engage in research with faculty in the department of anthropology and receive a Departmental Honors Designation on their diploma. The program provides selected students with the ability to conduct original research funded by the Lemelson Foundation and mentorship by anthropology faculty members.
As part of the Honors Programs, students must submit a final Honors thesis to reflect their research in 25-30 pages of text. Honors students must also complete additional research focused courses, attend the annual Lemelson Honors retreat, and present their research project and findings at the annual Lemelson Honors Conference.
Clubs and Organizations
One of my favorite things about UCLA is the amount of clubs and organizations available. You can pursue all of your passions and interests. UCLA is home to over 1,000 student clubs and organizations. There’s even an Undergraduate Anthropology Association which aims to connect anthropology department faculty and students. Additionally, the organization holds panels on graduate school and career opportunities.
While UCLA’s acceptance rate is relatively low (around 14%), your personal chances of acceptance may vary.
To better understand your chances at UCLA, we recommend using our free admissions calculator . Using your grades, extracurriculars, and more, we’ll estimate your odds of acceptance. The calculator will give you tips on how you can become a more competitive applicant.
You can also search for best-fit schools based on your chances, and other factors that may be important to you, like if you want to study anthropology. This tool will make it a lot easier to create a strategy for your college application process.
UCLA provides world-class academic and professional training to meet the growing demand for area experts. The Center for Near Eastern Studies integrates the study of the Middle East at UCLA, including study of Middle Eastern American communities. The department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures offers MA and PhD degrees in Islamic Studies, Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, Arabic, Armenian, Egyptology, Hebrew Bible, Iranian, Jewish Studies, Semitics, and Turkic.
Graduate students also receive degrees for Middle East research in other disciplines. Recent PhD's have been awarded for Middle East topics in the departments of Anthropology, Applied Linguistics, Archaeology, Art History, Comparative Literature, Education, English, Musicology and Ethnomusicology, French and Francophone Studies, Gender Studies, Geography, Germanic Languages, History, Library and Information Science, Political Science, Urban Planning, Social Welfare, Sociology, Spanish, Theater, and World Arts & Cultures. Prospective students should apply for admission to the relevant department.
To explore each department's degrees, faculty, courses, and admissions requirements, visit the UCLA Graduate Programs website.
UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies
10286 Bunche Hall • Los Angeles, CA 90095-1480
Campus Mail Code: 148003
Tel: (310) 825-1181
Email: [email protected]
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The annual application deadline for the Graduate Program in Anthropology is December 15th. To apply, please use the application system available at the GSAS admissions web page .
Graduate applicants should provide one writing sample with their application. Please limit samples to no more than 40 pages, double spaced.
In a recent milestone, Lucha Martínez de Luna, Maryan Ragheb, and Mary Anastasi—the first graduate students enrolled in UCLA’s Cultural Heritage Research, Stewardship, and Restitution program—have received their certificates. This specialized program, open to any matriculated or incoming graduate student at UCLA, is part of the newly founded Waystation Initiative at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. The Initiative is focused on the voluntary return of cultural objects to the communities and nations of origin.
“Students seeking to develop or expand their expertise in cultural heritage and material cultural research will find this certificate an invaluable supplement to their graduate studies,” according to Dr. Lyssa Stapleton , director of the Waystation Initiative.
The 16-unit certification program begins with a core seminar on methods for conducting historical and provenance research on cultural objects. Students are challenged to explore current ethical practices, evolving views in conservation, legal frameworks, and the multiple challenges surrounding the protection, care, and restitution of cultural heritage items.
Lab-based coursework on current techniques in artifact analysis is prioritized to provide students the opportunity to directly conduct technical studies on actively researched cultural objects. Workshops are held throughout the year to complement and extend the development of specialized skills in community engagement, collaborative research, and cultural stewardship. Finally, utilizing their new resources and skill sets, each student completes a capstone project focusing on building a complete picture of the transactional history, material composition, and authenticity of their assigned objects
Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, students worked directly with cultural objects, building skills in research and analysis while collaborating with descendant communities and cultural heritage professionals, Stapleton explained. She noted that each student in this inaugural cohort framed their experience as a natural extension of their academic pursuits and interests. All cited a strong desire to further their knowledge and expertise in contemporary, ethically grounded, and technically advanced cultural heritage stewardship as the initial draw, she added.
“The evolving field demands a collaborative approach, and students felt the program prepared them not only to tackle the intricate challenges at hand but also to help them serve as educators for other academics on the nuances involved. By integrating various research techniques, exploring legality and ethics, delving into museology studies and more, students found the program broadened their skills beyond the confines of their respective academic niches,” according to Stapleton.
Lucha Martínez de Luna emphasized that “enrolling in the certificate program allowed me to discover strategies and find solutions to work with various stakeholders interested in returning past communities' belongings to their descendants and beginning conversations about how cultural institutions can become more transparent.”
Maryan Ragheb enthusiastically recommended the certificate and highlighted the program’s relevance to their academic interests, explaining that “establishing connections to my specific area of interest has made the discussions and skills gained in the certificate program invaluable for incorporating this work into my CV and personal statements.”
Leaders of the Initiative and certificate program are proud of the hard work and dedication shown by this first group of graduate students, according to Stapleton. She sees the Initiative as “advancing new practices and training that frame the social justice objectives of Indigenous communities, involve students directly in advancing ethical standards for the stewardship of cultural heritage, and create a broad network of international professionals working towards similar goals.”
She notes that “returning objects to the nation or community of origin is a complex and time-consuming process that very few individuals are prepared to pursue when they realize they cannot donate objects directly to a museum. The Waystation temporarily stewards objects and facilitates their return, thereby providing a much-needed resolution for both individuals trying to do the right thing and for nations of origin and descendant communities who wish to be reunited with their cultural heritage,” she continued.
Her vision for the certificate program was to fill the gap in the educational space around cultural heritage and restitution, creating a network for a new generation of professionals in the sector. This includes involving students in the process of collaborating with all parties to produce creative solutions in stewardship of cultural items as they move through the ethically and legally complex process of being returned to communities or nations of origin. She underscores that the Waystation is a leading-edge initiative, “...establishing new practices and providing training to emerging professionals that cannot be obtained at any other university in the U.S.” Mary Anastasi emphasized how the courses in the program gave her a more nuanced understanding and “in particular, the certificate introduced me to cultural heritage law and the different legal agreements the US has with different countries, which affects the return of objects to a much greater extent than I originally thought.”
The need for this kind of education is a sentiment echoed by Dr. Min Li , associate professor of anthropology at UCLA, who says, “the certificate program at UCLA fills in a critical gap of provenance research and responsible returns in the field of cultural heritage studies. With the increasing emphasis on decolonization in archaeology and museum studies, tracing the objects to their origin and making proper efforts for returning them to the country/community of origin becomes an increasingly significant task for future scholars and curators.”
Acknowledging that access to this kind of interdisciplinary knowledge is often difficult due to the complex nature of the information, Li mentions the challenges faced by the Waystation to address all of these concerns in an equitable and ethical way. According to Li, the push came to “overcome these concerns by looking at the big picture. First, there is a growing desire for social justice in graduate student training…Second, there is a growing need to prepare students for non-academic career tracks, such as museum work. The program offers real experience of provenance research and collaboration with scholars and students from source countries and communities… It is impossible to deny such an opportunity to the students.”
The certificate program commences every fall, and all incoming or current UCLA graduate students who are pursuing an MA or PhD are eligible and encouraged to apply. Graduate students may take between one and three years to complete the coursework. Applications may be submitted year-round, with a maximum of ten students admitted per year. Learn more and prepare to apply to the certificate program here .
Graduate student resources.
The MA/PhD in Ethnomusicology investigates music in cultural and social contexts. In preparing students for careers in studying global music communities, our program assists students in understanding music as social practice from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Students are introduced to the intellectual history of the field and its paradigmatic shifts, and research methodology in preparation for ethnographic fieldwork. Our ethnomusicology program seeks to prepare students for careers in the academy, public sector, the music industry, and/or cultural heritage policy-making. We also offer seminars in select global music cultures as well as topics, which examine music as related to gender, politics, religion, economics, philosophy, aesthetics, and musical practice.
As you progress through your programs, pause to explore the resources we’ve gathered to assist you in navigating your studies. This page contains program checklists, petitions and forms, exam details, enrollment requests, and recital information for all our graduate students in The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
We aim to support you in achieving your academic aspirations and succeeding in your educational journey. Should you have any questions regarding enrollment or planning that cannot be answered on this page, please contact [email protected].
Office of Student Affairs 1642 Schoenberg Music Building UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music 445 Charles E Young Drive E Los Angeles, CA 90095-1616 Phone: 310-206-5802
Graduate Departmental Course Petition
This petition is used to substitute courses taken within the department or an outside department and have them count towards a degree required course. Students are only able to substitute courses taken at UCLA only. Students requesting transfer of credit from an outside institution must use the Division of Graduate Education Graduate Degree Petition.
Ethnomusicology 596 Enrollment Petition
This petition serves as a course proposal for enrollment into the 596 courses directed to individual studies. Prior to completing this petition, the student must contact the instructor they plan to complete their assignment with to confirm they will be available to work with the student in the requested quarter. This petition must be approved by relevant faculty and filed with the SAO prior to enrollment.
Ethnomusicology Qualifying Exam Committee Request
Students are required to submit this petition prior to the start of their qualifying exams to request the appointment of their qualifying exam committee. For questions regarding the makeup or appointment of committee members for the Qualifying Exam, please contact your Graduate Advisor or Faculty mentor.
Ethnomusicology Doctoral Committee & Dissertation Topic Request
This form is used to request the department approval of the student’s doctoral committee and dissertation topic after having completed the Qualifying Exam. This should be submitted in conjunction with the Nomination of Doctoral Committee Form.
Nomination Doctoral Committee Form, Graduate Division
This form is used to nominate your doctoral committee with the Division of Graduate Education. Once all signatures are completed, the SAO will submit the form to the Division of Graduate Education. Allow two weeks for processing after the nomination has been submitted by the SAO to the Graduate Division. The committee must be appointed prior to holding the University Oral Qualifying Examination.
Language Petition
* Not a DocuSign form * Once you have completed your language requirement, please complete this form, sign, and submit to Bria Russ.
Both MA and PhD students are required to show reading knowledge of one language other than English that is relevant to the student’s research. The choice of language and the method of satisfying the requirement must be approved by the Graduate Advisory Committee. The Language Petition will need to be submitted to Bria Russ once you have completed one of the following:
Anthropology has been taught at the University of Oklahoma since 1905 and became its own department in 1927. Celebrated faculty like Morris Opler and Robert Bell established the Department as a leader in the scholarly study of Native North America. In addition to a continued focus on Native North America with research specilizations in the southwest, southeast, and plains of North America, the Department maintains a stong emphasis on Latin America, complemented by individual faculty interests in Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Graduate students receive rigorous training in the four sub-fields of anthropology: sociocultural, archaeological, biological, and linguistic.
With twenty-seven full-time professors and about fifty graduate students, graduate students receive personalized attention from faculty mentors while benefitting from the resources of a large research university. The program pages below detail specific relationships and opportunities at internal and external institutions. Our graduates have been successful in securing tenure-track academic jobs as well as positions in cultural resource management, museums, and government agencies. Individual faculty are happy to provide more information on their research and on the anthropology graduate program as it relates to your subdiscipline of interest.
Financial support usually consists of half-time graduate assistantships, typically as a grader for an undergraduate class or research assistant for a faculty member. Ph.D. and advanced M.A. students may teach their own classes with opportunities for both in-person and online formats. We fund M.A. students for a maximum of two years and doctoral students for a maximum of four years beyond the M.A. degree. Our students have also been successful in obtaining external funding. For information on tuition and fees, visit the Bursar's Office .
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We offer an M.A. in Anthropology, an M.A. in Anthropology with a concentration in Linguistics, an M.A. in Anthropology with a concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, an M.A. in Applied Medical Anthropology (non-thesis) and an accelerated BA in Anthropology/MA in Anthropology with a concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology. We currently offer a PhD in Anthropology with concentrations in Archaeology, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Human Health and Biology (HHB). Archaeology concentration students without an M.A. and HHB students applying on an M.A. terminal track or as a precursor to a Ph.D. in HHB degree should apply to the M.A. in Anthropology.
Graduate Degrees
Graduate Courses
The Anthropology Graduate Student Handbook is an invaluable tool for MA and PhD students and their advisors, as well as prospective students. It provides a helpful roadmap for the details and requirements of each degree program.
Anthropology Graduate Student Handbook (pdf)
Required courses, [# hours]; total = 30 credit hours
A student must take ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
The M.A. in Anthropology requires 30 credit hours, including three core classes, elective seminars, and 2-5 hours of thesis credits. Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses.
Anthropology Current & Upcoming Courses
Graduate College Bulletin
MA Anthropology Degree Checksheet
Candidacy and Committee Requirements
Admission to candidacy is required the term before a student expects to defend their thesis (the first Monday in October for Spring graduation; the first Monday in April for Fall graduation). Anthropology has specific candidacy forms available at the Graduate College website .
M.A. committees are composed of three members of the graduate faculty in the Department of Anthropology. Please work with relevant faculty to determine an appropriate committee, keeping in mind that there may be specific limitations you need to consider in forming your committee. When you file a list of your committee members with the department's Graduate Liaison, be sure to verify that any specific limitations have been met.
Required courses, [# hours]; minimum total = 30 credit hours
A student must complete these two core classes in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, and receive at least a B:
A student also must take one of the following core classes. Usually the Linguistics core is recommended, but the decision about which core class to take should be done in consultation with the student's Advisor. A minimum of a B is required:
A student must complete one of the Research Methods courses:
Finally, the student must take
The M.A. in Anthropology with a Concentration in Socio-Cultural Anthropology requires 30 credit hours, including three core classes, a Research Methods class, elective seminars, and 2-5 hours of thesis credits. Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.
MA Sociocultural Anthropology Degree Sheet
The accelerated Anthropology B.A. + M.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology is designed for academically successful undergraduate anthropology majors with an interest in sociocultural anthropology. The combined B.A. + M.A. degrees are designed to be finished in five years, with undergraduate coursework completed at the end of year three of the program. Students accepted into the program begin taking graduate-level coursework during their senior year. Requirements for the B.A. are the same as those of the standard B.A. in Anthropology, with 13 “shared” hours counting towards both the B.A. and M.A. degree requirements. The M.A. degree includes a thesis, giving students an opportunity to conduct original in-depth research.
Required courses, [# hours]; total = 137 credit hours (combined degree)
13 shared hours count as both Graduate and Upper-Division credit.
Undergraduate Major Requirements (Anthropology coursework) [36 credits total]
Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or Dodge College of Arts & Sciences Requirements.
o ANTH 2203 Global Cultural Diversity [3 credits]
o ANTH 2303 General Linguistics [3 credits]
o ANTH 3113 Principles of Archaeology [3 credits]
o ANTH 3203 Introduction to Biological Anthropology [3 credits]
o ANTH 3011 Anthropology Cornerstone I: Introduction to the Major [1 credit]
o ANTH 3021 Anthropology Cornerstone II: Research and Writing [1 credit]
o ANTH 3031 Anthropology Cornerstone III: Professionalization [1 credit]
o ANTH 4113 Anthropology Capstone [3 credits]
o Anthropology Electives [18 credits]
Graduate Requirements [30 credits total]
All students must take the following core courses, and receive at least a B:
o ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology (shared) [1 credit]
o ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory (shared) [3 credits]
o ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (shared) [3 credits]
o ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology [3 credits]
o ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology [3 credits]
o ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory [3 credits]
Research Methods (3 required credit hours)
Choose from:
o ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication [3 credits]
o ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods [3 credits]
o ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]
o ANTH 5433 Ethnographic Writing [3 credits]
o ANTH 5513 Applying Anthropology to Contemporary Social Problems [3 credits]
Thesis (2-5 credits required)
o ANTH 5980 Research for Master’s Thesis [2-5 credits]
Electives (12-15 hours required)
Electives coursework is selected in consultation with the student's advisor and committee. No more than 6 hours from outside Anthropology may be applied. (3 hours shared)
Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.
BA+MA Sociocultural Anthropology Degree Sheet
The M.A. in Linguistic Anthropology requires 30 credit hours, including four required classes, 15-18 hours of elective seminar credits, and 2-5 hours of thesis credits. Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. Please consult the Graduate Bulletin, which is updated annually on the Graduate College website, for more general requirements and limitations. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.
MA Linguistic Anthropology Degree Sheet
* This program is Non-Thesis only
Required courses, [# hours]; total = 34 credit hours
A student must take the following Core classes in Anthropology, and receive at least a B:
A student must also take one of the following Ethnographic Methods courses:
A student must complete one of the following Statistical Methods courses:
A student must also complete one of the following Culture and Health courses:
Finally, a student must complete each of the remaining courses:
Please see the OU course catalog for a list of anthropology courses. Please consult the Graduate Bulletin, which is updated annually on the Graduate College website, for more general requirements and limitations. If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it below.
MA Applied Anthropology Degree Sheet
There are three tracks in the Ph.D. Program in Anthropology: Archaeology, Human Health and Biology, and Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology. Beyond the 30 credits required for the M.A. (including the core classes if they have not been previously taken), these tracks generally require an additional 30 hours of coursework and 30 hours of dissertation research. There are specific additional required courses within each track. Please see the lists below for a summary of this information.
General exams are to be completed in (or immediately following) the last term of formal coursework as detailed on the Advisory Committee Report. Following successful completion of the exams, students complete 30 hours of dissertation research credits.
Ph.D. committees must consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty in the Department of Anthropology (with one from outside the student’s primary subfield) and one faculty member from outside the Department but within the University. Please work with relevant faculty to determine an appropriate committee. There may be specific limitations you need to consider in forming your committee. When you file a list of your committee members with the department's Graduate Liaison, be sure to verify that any specific limitations have been met. Various forms are also available through the Graduate College website . A list of current and upcoming courses and individual degree checksheets can be found below.
Sociocultural and Linguistics Ph.D.
Required courses, [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours
Convergence Area
Choose one of the following sets of course options:
Sociocultural Anthropology
Linguistic Anthropology
Other Electives
Sociocultural and Linguistics Ph.D Degree Checksheet
Archaeology Ph.D.
Required courses [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours
Archaeology Ph.D. Degree Sheet
Human Health and Biology Ph.D.
Optional Methods classes include: ANTH 5083 Quantitative Methods in Anthropology, ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication, ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods, ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities, ANTH 5343 Anthropological Demography, ANTH 5423 Introduction to Population Genetics, ANTH 5543 Research Design, ANTH 5593 Spatial Methods and Technologies in Anthropology, BSE 5013 Applications of Microcomputers to Data Analysis, BSE 5163 Biostatistics Methods I, BSE 5173 Biostatistics Methods II, BSE 5663 Analysis of Frequency Data, BSE 6643 Survival Data Analysis, COMM 5313 Qualitative Research Methods
Human Health and Biology Ph.D. Degree Checksheet
Graduate students in the Anthropology Department can apply for funding through multiple mechanisms. These are described below.
For information on tuition and fees, you may use the Office of the Bursar tuition estimator . Also, please let the department's Graduate Liaison know if you are a McNair scholar , as the deadline for McNair applicants is earlier than OU's general deadline for applications to the graduate program. For general inquiries about financial aid, please visit the website of OU's Financial Aid Office .
The department offers multiple graduate teaching assistantships (GTAships). These are semester-long appointments at 20 hours a week. Some GTAs support faculty who teach large courses; others teach online or face-to-face classes. GTAships are awarded competitively using information from the graduate applications and annual evaluations. The tuition waivers that accompany graduate assistantship awards are described here .
Please contact individual faculty members about the potential for grant funded research assistantships.
The Anthropology Department offers several awards for graduate student research and travel. These are awarded competitively, with applications due on October 1 and March 1 annually . To apply, download and fill out the Anthropology Scholarship Form. Students can use those funds to support travel that has already occurred. More information about these awards is given below. We expect students who apply for departmental research and travel funds to also apply for funds from one of the following: the Graduate College , the Graduate Student Senate , and/or the College of Arts and Sciences .
Examples of travel or research for which students may apply for support include:
Awardees must work with the department staff assistant before any travel is arranged to be certain that university requirements are met.
Graduate students may apply for an Opler scholarship. Lucille Ritter Opler established this endowed fund in memory of her husband, Dr. Morris E. Opler, to provide scholarships to deserving anthropology students at the University of Oklahoma. Morris Opler was a leading scholar of Native North America. A specialist on Apachean people, he authored numerous articles in scholarly journals and wrote several books on the culture and history of the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, and Plains Apache (Kiowa Apache). Dr. Opler was a member of the University of Oklahoma Department of Anthropology faculty for nearly two decades, having served here after a distinguished teaching and research career at Cornell University. Much respected for his knowledge and teaching ability, he retired as Professor Emeritus from the University of Oklahoma in 1977 and passed away in 1996. Among his many honors, Dr. Opler was past President of the American Anthropological Association.
The Rain Vehik Memorial Fund honors archaeologist Dr. Rain Vehik. Dr. Vehik had a long and productive career in Plains archaeology that included positions at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the University of North Dakota, and in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, he served as head of the Archaeological Research and Management Center, worked with the Oklahoma Archeological Survey, and taught for the OU Department of Anthropology. The Rain Vehik Award offers funds to students to participate in scholarly conferences and workshops. Higher priority is given to students attending the annual Plains Anthropological Conference. This award is open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Each student is eligible for only one award per academic year.
The Gilman-Minnis Scholarship in Archaeology was estalished by Dr. Patricia Gilman and Dr. Paul Minnis. Drs. Gilman and Minnis were faculty in the OU Department of Anthropology for many years, retiring in 2015. This scholarship offers funds to support archaeology graduate students' research projects. Typically, these funds are awarded only in the spring.
AGSA (pronounced /ægsə/) brings together Anthropology graduate students for the purpose of aiding in their professional development within the discipline. AGSA's Speakers Bureau invites scholars to give public lectures related to the interests of the department and conducts fundraisers to be able to afford these events. AGSA also coordinates professional development workshops with graduate students and faculty on topics of interest to current graduate students. To learn more about current graduate students in Anthropology at OU, the organization, and events check out the AGSA website . If you have any questions about AGSA, please e-mail one of our officers.
The Anthropology department welcomes applications from students with bachelor’s degrees in any field. However, we encourage applicants to gain exposure to all of the subfields of anthropology . Students with a master’s degree from another institution may transfer up to 30 credit hours toward a Ph.D. degree. Students are encouraged to use the Office of the Bursar tuition and fee estimator for cost information. Applicants are not required to take the GRE. If you have taken it, please do not send us your scores, as they will be redacted from your application. Please contact the Graduate Liaison, Matthew Pailes ( [email protected] ), with any questions concerning this. Most important in the decisions for admission are the undergraduate transcript, the statement of purpose, and the two letters of recommendation. The department requires a single writing sample, which needs to be sole authored by the applicant. This could be an essay, term paper, seminar paper, thesis, or article, and should be related to anthropology or associated field.
Faculty look for an appropriate fit between the applicants’ intellectual interests and the research strengths of the department. To that end, we require that applicants contact potential faculty advisors before submitting their completed applications.
Not all faculty members can chair graduate student committees. Graduate students (current and applying) should check faculty members' Graduate Faculty Appointment Status and adhere to Graduate College and department guidelines when assembling their committees.
The University of Oklahoma uses an integrated electronic application, available here , for its graduate programs. The Department admits applicants once a year to start in the Fall Term. Our next deadline is December 15, 2023. If you are a McNair scholar, please let us know promptly, as the deadline for McNair applicants is earlier than the OU graduate deadline.
Direct any questions to the Graduate Liaison .
To apply to the graduate program, please visit the Graduate College webpage:
Graduate Degree Application
COMMENTS
Students who completed the M.A in Anthropology at UCLA Students who are entering the graduate program without a Master's degree must complete all of the M.A. degree requirements en route to the Ph.D.
Admission Requirements Thank you for your interest in UCLA's Department of Anthropology's Ph.D program. The application deadline is December 1, 2024 for consideration to enter Fall 2025 (2025-26 academic year). Admission is limited to the Fall quarter only. Initial admission to the graduate program is offered only to applicants intending to pursue the Ph.D. The M.A is not offered as a ...
DEGREES UCLA's Graduate Program in Anthropology offers the following degree (s): D Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) M Masters available on Doctoral track Visit the Program's website Anthropology provides in-depth details on its own site With questions not answered here or on the program's site (above), please contact the program directly.
Graduate The Department of Anthropology at UCLA is committed to training the next generation of scholars in Archaeology , Biological Anthropology , Linguistic Anthropology and Sociocultural Anthropology through training in cutting-edge theory and methods and cultivating opportunities for students to conduct original research. The Department invites applications for students targeting the Ph.D ...
Departmental information for Anthropology for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Careers in Anthropology. This course exposes students to the success stories of UCLA Anthropology Alumni, who share their professional journeys, insights, and advice for translating an Anthropology degree into a variety of career opportunities. The course is designed to help Anthropology undergraduates develop academic and professional skills ...
The new application will be available after September 16, 2024. Applicants are expected to be aware of all requirements and to submit all required information. The Graduate Education website and websites for individual programs contain all the information and instructions needed for completion of the UCLA Application for Graduate Admission.
Graduate Degrees The Department of Anthropology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Anthropology. The M.A. is considered to be a step on the path to the PhD; initial admission to the graduate program is thus offered only to students intending to pursue the PhD.
Program Name: Anthropology. Leading to the degree of: M.A., Ph.D. Major Code: 0063. Address: 341 Haines Hall 375 Portola Plaza Box 951553 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1553
Official, specific degree requirements are detailed in program requirements for UCLA graduate degrees, available at the Division of Graduate Education website. In many cases, more detailed guidelines may be outlined in announcements, other publications, and websites of the schools, departments, and programs. College / School College of Letters and Science Department Anthropology Degree Level ...
Application Deadlines & Admissions Calendar Most graduate admissions applications are due on Dec. 1. Note though that many programs at UCLA vary from this schedule, and some have multiple admissions rounds. You can visit a major's program page to get more details on their application process and requirements.
Our Ph.D. Program. The archaeology graduate program in the Department of Anthropology aims to provide students with a solid foundation in the major subfields of anthropology as well as anthropological archaeology. The curriculum combines theoretical and methodological training with a regional foci generally in the Pacific Rim, including east ...
Career and Professional Resources Partnership UCLA Careers in Anthropology Graduate Admission Requirements Living in Los Angeles M.A. Degree
The UCLA Department of Anthropology has always taken a broad view of anthropology, maintaining both balance and integration among the four fields ( archaeology , biological, sociocultural, and linguistic), which have traditionally characterized the discipline. Established in 1941, the department grew to prominence immediately after World War II ...
How does the admissions process work at UCLA? An applicant submits the online Application for Graduate Admission with the nonrefundable application fee ($135 [for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents], $200 [for the Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific, the Master of Financial Engineering, and the MS in Business Analytics programs], or $155 ...
Application for UCLA Graduate Admissions Please follow one of the links below.
M.A. Degree. The Department of Anthropology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Anthropology. The M.A. is not offered as a terminal degree and is considered to be a step on the path to the Ph.D. Initial admission to the graduate program is thus offered only to applicants intending to pursue the Ph.D.
UCLA's Anthropology curriculum is designed to give students a thorough grounding in the major theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of human societies and cultures. Core courses cover the history of anthropology, anthropological theory, and ethnographic methods. Students can also choose from various elective courses ...
Applications will open in the Fall quarter of 2023. To learn more about the program, please join the Anthropology Undergraduate Student email list to stay updated on information sessions and the application process. You may find the Undergraduate Student Advisor contact information here.
About Students enter the Anthropology Ph.D Program at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), based upon a vote of the faculty, at the time the M.A. degree is conferred or, if entering with a master's degree, when all requirements demonstrating basic knowledge in the field of anthropology are completed.
As of August 18, 2024: The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health will now have one required application for the MPH*, MS and PhD degrees in each department. Applicants should complete the requirements for the SOPHAS application as noted below. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed. The priority deadline for matriculation in 2025 is December 1, 2024.
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At UCLA, there are some majors that require students to complete an application after completing certain courses. For students interested in anthropology, you can simply make an appointment with your counselor and request to be "pre-anthropology".
UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies. 10286 Bunche Hall • Los Angeles, CA 90095-1480. Campus Mail Code: 148003. Tel: (310) 825-1181. Email: [email protected]
Anthropology MA, PhD The UCLA General Catalog is published annually. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the UCLA General Catalog. However, all courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Department websites referenced herein are ...
The annual application deadline for the Graduate Program in Anthropology is December 15th. To apply, ... Please limit samples to no more than 40 pages, double spaced. Department of Anthropology 10 Sachem Street New Haven, CT 06511-3707 +1 203.432.3700. X (formally Twitter)  Accessibility at Yale (link ...
In a recent milestone, Lucha Martínez de Luna, Maryan Ragheb, and Mary Anastasi—the first graduate students enrolled in UCLA's Cultural Heritage Research, Stewardship, and Restitution program—have received their certificates. This specialized program, open to any matriculated or incoming graduate student at UCLA, is part of the newly founded Waystation Initiative at the Cotsen Institute ...
As you progress through your programs, pause to explore the resources we've gathered to assist you in navigating your studies. This page contains program checklists, petitions and forms, exam details, enrollment requests, and recital information for all our graduate students in The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.. We aim to support you in achieving your academic aspirations and succeeding ...
We currently offer a PhD in Anthropology with concentrations in Archaeology, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Human Health and Biology (HHB). Archaeology concentration students without an M.A. and HHB students applying on an M.A. terminal track or as a precursor to a Ph.D. in HHB degree should apply to the M.A. in ...