Anthropology Doctoral Ph.D. Program
Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology
Admission
Applicants must meet Graduate School requirements plus the following departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:
- A general master's degree in anthropology or equivalent preparation without the master's degree. An applicant with a master's degree in another field may be admitted if the student has a grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) in graduate work and is approved by the departmental Graduate Admissions Committee.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A writing sample such as a relevant term paper, article submission, etc.
- Submission of scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination.
The department assigns each Ph.D. student to a major professor. This assignment is based on the congruence of the applicant's interest and the expertise of the major professor. No applicant will be admitted to the program unless a faculty member agrees to serve as major professor.
Application deadlines for admission to the program:
- January 15th for the following Fall semester
- September 15th for the following Spring semester
Appicants requesting financial assistance may have other deadlines to be considered eligible. Contact the department's graduate advisor for specific financial aid deadlines.
Reapplication
A student who has received a Masters degree in Anthroppolgy must formally reapply for admission to the Graduate School before continuing studies toward the Ph.D.
Residence
The student must meet minimum Graduate School residence requirements.
Course of Study
Minimum degree requirement is 54 graduate credits beyond the bachelor's degree, at least 27 of which must be earned in residence at UWM.
The student, in consultation with the major professor, must plan a program of studies as soon as feasible after admission to the doctoral program. The program of studies must include a complement of courses in the student's major area of concentration, courses in a minor field, and demonstration of the acquisition of an approved specialized scholarly skill. A student lacking any of the courses (or equivalents taken elsewhere) required to attain a Master's degree in his/her major area of concentration must complete these courses as part of his/her Ph.D. work.
Minor
This requirement may be satisfied by minor options A or B (see general regulations and requirements of the Graduate School) or by a third option consisting of a sub-program of specialized coursework still within the broad field of anthropology. This third option must be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee.
Foreign language or specialized scholarly skill
This requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating the following:
- Proficiency in a foreign language useful in the student's career.
- Proficiency in mathematical, statistical, or computer skills.
- Proficiency in other skills that meet departmental approval.
Field or laboratory research
Students must spend a period of at least three months in firsthand field or laboratory research.
Doctoral Preliminary Examination and Dissertation Proposal Defense
The student must pass an oral doctoral preliminary examination as one of the qualifications for dissertation status. Students will choose two to four topics in consultation with their advisor for the Preliminary Examination. The topics must be broader than, but related to the focus of the student's dissertation. The topics must be approved by the Department's Graduate Studies Committee and the Department faculty. The preliminary examination must be passed within five years of initial enrollment for a student to be eligible to continue in the program. Another requirement that must be met before a student is eligible for dissertation status is a successful dissertation proposal defense before the student's doctoral committee.
Dissertation
The candidate must prepare a dissertation reporting in the candidate's own style the results of an original research investigation representing a substantive creative contribution. A thesis completion checklist and thesis defense and submission deadlines for students planning to graduate within the academic year is provided.
- Graduate Student Thesis Completion Checklist (pdf 14kb)
Dissertation Defense
As the final step toward the degree, the candidate must pass an oral examination before his/her doctoral committee in defense of the dissertation. Each student is required to present a public lecture on the subject of his/her dissertation.
Time Limit
All degree requirements must be completed within ten years from the date of initial enrollment in the doctoral program.
