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Graduate Program Requirements

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Anthropology Graduate Program Requirements

Required courses, [# hours]; total = 30 credit hours

  • A student must take ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
  • A student must take three of the four core classes and get a minimum of a B. They should consult their advisor about which cores are appropriate. [9 total credits]
    • ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits]
    • ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
    • ANTH 6633 Theory and Method in Biological Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
    • ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits]
  • Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [15-18 credits]
  • Thesis [2-5 credits]

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. A list of current and upcoming courses can be found here. 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 here

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 take ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]

A student must complete these two core classes in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, and receive at least a B:

  • ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought [3 credits]

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:

  • ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology [3 credits]
  • ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology 3 credits]
  • ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory [3 credits]

A student must complete one of the Research Methods courses:

  • ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5433 Ethnographic Writing [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5513 Applying Anthropology to Contemporary Social Problems [3 credits]

Finally, the student must take

  • Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [12-15 credits]
  • Thesis [2-5 credits]

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. A list of current and upcoming courses can be found here. 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 here

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]; total = 30 credit hours

  • ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
  • ANTH 5053 Morphology [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communications [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology [3 credits] and receive at least a B.
  • ANTH 5980 Research for Master's Thesis [2-5 credits]
  • Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [15-18 credits]

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. A list of current and upcoming courses can be found here. 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 here

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.

*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:

  • ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory [3 credits] 
  • ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought [3 credits] 
  • ANTH 6633 Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology [3 credits] 
  • ANTH 6843 Foundations of Bio and Medical Anthropology [3 credits] 
A student must take one of the Applied Anthropological Methods courses:
  • ANTH 5513 Applying Anthropology to Contemporary Social Problems [3 credits]
  • Or an alternative as approved by the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

A student must also take one of the following Ethnographic Methods courses:

  • ANTH 5153 Ethnography of Communication [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5253 The Anthropology of Communities [3 credits]
  • Or an alternative as approved by the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

A student must complete one of the following Statistical Methods courses:

  • ANTH 4713 Statistical Concepts in Anthropology (taken for Graduate Credit) [3 credits]
  • BSE 5163 Biostatistical Methods I (HSC course)
  • HES 5963 Statistical Applications in Health and Exercise Science [3 credits]
  • SOC 5283 Fundamentals of Sociological Statistics [3 credits]
  • Or alternative as approved by the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

A student must also complete one of the following Culture and Health courses:

  • ANTH 5323 The Anthropology of Aging [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5393 Anthropology and the Health of Indigenous People [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5643 Psychiatric Anthropology [3 credits]
  • ANTH 5823 Medical Anthropology [3 credits]
  • Or alternative as approved by the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

Finally, a student must complete each of the remaining courses:

  • ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
  • ANTH 6310 Internship in Applied Medical Anthropology [6 credits]
  • Elective coursework selected in consultation with the student's Chair and Committee [3 credits]

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.

Please consult the Graduate Bulletin, which is updated annually on the Graduate College website, for more general requirements and limitations. Various forms are also available through the Graduate College website.  A list of current and upcoming courses can be found here

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.

Sociocultural and Linguistics Ph.D. track

Required courses, [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours

  •  ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
  •  ANTH 5123 Contemporary Culture Theory [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 5213 Ethnographic Methods or other Methods course [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6633 Theory and Method in Biological Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
  • Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [42 credits]
  • Dissertation [29 credits]

If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it here

Archaeological Ph.D. track

Required courses [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours

  •  ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
  •  ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 5543 Research Design [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6633 Theory and Method in Biological Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6803 Advanced Archaeological Theory and Research [3 credits]
  •  Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor (ANTH 5413 Public archaeology is strongly encouraged) [42 credits]
  •  Dissertation [29 credits]

If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it here

Human Health and Biology Ph.D. track

Required courses [# hours]; total = 90 credit hours

  • ANTH 5001 Professionalization in Anthropology [1 credit]
  • ANTH 5223 Foundations of Social Thought (core) [3 credits] 
  •  ANTH 5363 Linguistic Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6633 Theory and Method in Biological Anthropology (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6713 Archaeological Theory (core) [3 credits]
  •  ANTH 6843 Theoretical Foundations of Biological and Medical Anthropology [3 credits]
  •  Two Methods course selected from this list or at advisor’s discretion [6 credits]

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

  •  Electives as approved by the Graduate Liaison and Advisor [25-39 credits]
  •  Dissertation [29-43 credits]

If you would like to view this specific Degree Sheet, you can find it here.