Graduate Program Overview
Welcome
Graduate training in anthropology at the University of Arkansas is designed to provide a high quality, comprehensive graduate education that prepares students for a range of career options, including academia, applied anthropology, and beyond. Our PhD Alumni and MA graduates have jobs in K-12 and higher education, medical professions and education, government, industry, cultural resource management, and beyond.
Our graduate program typically has approximately 40 students enrolled, including students from affiliated graduate programs such as the Environmental Dynamics and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies interdisciplinary degree programs. Current MA and PhD students work closely with faculty housed inside and/or affiliated with the department, and focus in a wide range of research areas.
We offer both MA and PhD programs in anthropology; students generally focus their studies in a particular subfield of anthropology (archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology), but students may also tailor programs to accommodate special research interests. All students are encouraged to take courses in other complimentary areas of study both inside and outside of the department. Professional development and research ethics training is also a critical component of our graduate program. Students are encouraged to further their professional and academic development through participation in departmental activities, attendance at colloquia, and attendance at regional and/or national conferences.
All eligible students are welcome to apply to the MA or PhD programs in the Department of Anthropology. The deadline for receipt of applications to both the Graduate School and the Department of Anthropology is December 1 for admission in the following fall semester. Entering students must be accepted as an advisee by either a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology, or by an affiliated member of the Arkansas Archaeological Survey. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to faculty members to inquire about the program well prior to submitting their application.
The MA program requires 30 graduate credit hours (24 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis) for the thesis option or 36 graduate credit hours of coursework for internship and non-thesis options. The PhD program requires 24 graduate credit hours of coursework beyond the MA degree, plus 18 dissertation hours. The PhD program also requires written and oral candidacy examinations, a dissertation proposal presentation, and a public dissertation defense. The MA and PhD programs both include specific core course requirements that are detailed in the Department of Anthropology Graduate Program Handbook and on the MA and PhD Program pages here.
Interested applicants are encouraged to review the Apply to the Program page that outlines the application process. We have also prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions that potential applicants often have.
For information on graduate programs, contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Claire Terhune at anthgrad@uark.edu.
Deadline for application is December 1, 2024 for the Fall 2025 semester.