MA in Anthropology

The MA Program in Anthropology is an excellent choice for students hoping to teach or work in governmental or independent agencies, as well as for those who plan to pursue a doctoral degree at a later date. In keeping with the departmental focus on holism and the four-field
approach, the MA Program in Anthropology embraces the whole of anthropology while allowing emphasis in one or more subdisciplinary areas, such as sociocultural anthropology, archaeology, human evolutionary studies, human skeletal biology, and forensic anthropology.
The Anthropology Department currently does not have an emphasis in linguistic anthropology; however, it may be possible to pursue these interests through an interdisciplinary MA program. Students wishing to pursue interdisciplinary studies will need to work in close
consultation with a faculty member from another department in addition to a faculty member from Anthropology. Students pursuing an interdisciplinary MA program may still be required to take the Candidacy Exams in Anthropology.

The MA Degree-Option in Museum Studies provides advanced training in museum theory and practice. The MA Degree-Option in Museum Studies is designed to prepare students academically and professionally in Anthropology and advanced Museum Studies. Off-campus internships are an integral portion of this program.

Mission

It is the mission of the graduate program in Anthropology to provide our students opportunities for advanced study of theory, methodologies and professional applications in the four subfields of the discipline: physical, cultural, archaeology, and museum studies. The program recognizes its task to prepare students for future research, scholarship, and practice in professional careers, to make creative contributions to anthropology and related fields, and to imbue in its students a sense of social responsibility to cultures within regional and world communities.

Goals & Objectives

• Demonstrate excellence in writing, critical thinking skills, analysis and problem solving.
• Demonstrate competence in theory and application of methodological skills in at least three sub-fields of anthropology.
• Students will conduct successfully original research in one of the subfields of anthropology.
• Provide students with opportunities for employment, internships, professional activities and for participation in academic meetings.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate excellence in writing, critical thinking skills, analysis, and problem solving
   1. Students will write papers showing excellent writing style, organization, clarity, grammar, and spelling
   2. Students will be able to present informed arguments, empirical and logical discussion following from clear propositions in written and oral presentations
2. Demonstrate competence in theory and application of methodological skills in at least three sub-fields of anthropology
   1. Students demonstrate understanding of theory and applications in oral presentations and written materials in seminars
   2. Students will pass candidacy examinations
   3. Students will demonstrate this proficiency in laboratory work, reports and field courses, class exercises and semester-long projects, including oral presentations of their results
   4. Students will demonstrate comprehensive understanding of methods during oral defense of their master’s thesis
3. Students will conduct successfully original research in one of the subfields of anthropology
   1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of their chosen subfield in completion and oral defense of the master’s thesis
   2. The master's thesis will allow students to demonstrate success in research through collecting primary data, and appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis and interpretation of that data in view of appropriate theoretical concepts
4. Provide students with opportunities for successful employment in internships and professional activities
   1. Students will demonstrate proficiency in supervised internships in museums or research facilities
   2. Students will show applied and theoretical competence as professional anthropologists by successful employment in their area fields and in their respective communities
   3. Students will demonstrate competence through professional presentations in the community, the University and at local, regional and national professional meetings
   4. Students will demonstrate proficiency through effective case study work, museum development, and project research