The Department of Anthropology offers programs of graduate study designed to provide a broad background in all significant facets of the discipline—biological as well as cultural, analytic as well as descriptive—while still encouraging specialization. It provides training both for students interested in an academic career in anthropology and for those concerned with practical issues approached from the integrative perspective of anthropology.
The department, in cooperation with the Milwaukee Public Museum, also offers a program leading to a Certificate in Museum Studies. The Milwaukee Public Museum, the fourth largest natural history museum in the country, is the site for methods courses that provide the student practical experience in museum work and for courses in the history and theory of museum exhibits. Each student’s program of studies includes training in anthropological theory and methods, issues and problems in cultural anthropology, archaeology, anthropological linguistics and physical anthropology, as well as topics that focus on the student’s area of particular interest.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:
- An undergraduate major in anthropology comparable to that at UWM.
- Reason Statement.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A writing sample such as a relevant term paper, article submission, etc.
Applicants without an undergraduate major in anthropology can meet the first requirement in either of two ways:
- By having completed junior-level courses in three of the four subfields of anthropology (archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, or linguistics) with grades of B or better. These courses may be taken at any accredited college or university if they were not part of the applicant’s undergraduate career. Applicants also may take them as special students at UWM. Applicants planning to take such courses should check with the Director of Graduate Studies to verify that the courses will be acceptable.
- Applicants lacking courses in anthropology may be admitted to the program and be allowed to take the core classes and advanced seminars without deficiencies under certain conditions. For example, an applicant with an outstanding GPA who has an undergraduate major closely related to their proposed field of specialization could be admitted under this option.
Application deadlines for admission to the program are January 15th for the following Fall semester and September 15th for the following Spring semester. Applicants requesting financial assistance may have other deadlines to be considered eligible. Contact the department’s Director of Graduate Studies for specific financial aid deadlines.
Credits and Courses
Students in the Master’s degree program in Anthropology are required to take a minimum of 30 credits, 15 of which must be obtained in courses numbered 700 or above. Required courses differ by concentration (requirements for students seeking to acquire a Certificate in Museum Studies are listed on that page).
Archaeology Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| ANTHRO 801 | A Survey of Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 802 | Perspectives on Prehistory | 3 |
| ANTHRO 803 | Survey of Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| Methods | ||
| ANTHRO 568 | Introduction to Anthropological Statistics | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Anthropological Applications of GIS | ||
| Archaeology of Death | ||
| Zooarchaeology: Analysis of Faunal Remains | ||
| Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics | ||
| Techniques and Problems in Archaeology | ||
| Archaeological Analysis and Report Preparation: | ||
| Archaeological Field School | ||
| Topics in Advanced Research Design in Anthropology | ||
Or an alternative approved by the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies | ||
| Advanced Seminar | ||
| ANTHRO 763 | Professionalism in Anthropology | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Biological Anthropology Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| ANTHRO 801 | A Survey of Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 802 | Perspectives on Prehistory | 3 |
| ANTHRO 803 | Survey of Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| Methods | ||
| ANTHRO 568 | Introduction to Anthropological Statistics | 3 |
| Course approved by the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies | 3 | |
| Advanced Seminar | ||
| Course approved by the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies | 3 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Cultural Anthropology Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| ANTHRO 801 | A Survey of Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 802 | Perspectives on Prehistory | 3 |
| ANTHRO 803 | Survey of Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| Methods | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Research Methods in Anthropology | ||
| Techniques and Problems in Ethnography | ||
| Introduction to Anthropological Statistics | ||
| Advanced Seminar | ||
| ANTHRO 940 | Seminar in Problems in Cultural Anthropology: | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Anthropology MS with Museum Studies Certificate
Students completing any of the three above concentrations can also earn the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies as outlined below. The student must select methods, advanced seminar, and electives courses appropriate to their concentration in consultation with their advisor. 21 credits are required for the Anthropology, MS1, and 18 credits must be completed for the Certificate program, for a total of 39 credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropology Core | ||
| ANTHRO 801 | A Survey of Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 802 | Perspectives on Prehistory | 3 |
| ANTHRO 803 | Survey of Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| Anthropology Methods | ||
| Select any one of the methods courses listed above from any of the three concentrations | 3 | |
| Anthropology Advanced Seminar | ||
| Select any one of the advanced seminar courses listed above from any of the three concentrations | 3 | |
| Anthropology Graduate Electives | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Museum Studies Core | ||
| ANTHRO 620G | Museum Fundamentals | 3 |
| ANTHRO 720 | History and Theory of Museums | 2 |
| ANTHRO 721 | Administration and Organization of Museums | 3 |
| ANTHRO 722 | Visitor Experience Design in Museums | 3 |
| ANTHRO 723 | Museum Collections Management and Curation | 3 |
| ANTHRO 725 | Professionalism Capstone in Museum Studies | 1 |
| Museum Studies Internship (or alternative course) | ||
| ANTHRO 621G | Internship in Museum Studies | 3 |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- 1
Students may request a waiver for any of the above required courses for the Anthropology MS degree except the advanced seminar. To request a waiver, a student must submit a letter to the Graduate Studies Committee. Requests must be accompanied by documentation demonstrating that the student is competent in the subject area of the course for which the waiver is sought. A waived course must be replaced by an anthropology course numbered 700 or above. Museum Studies courses cannot be waived.
Students must maintain a B (3.0) average or better overall. The three core courses must be completed with an average of 3.0 or better. Students with a grade below a B in a core course subsequently accepted into the PhD program must retake the course until they achieve a grade of B or better.
A thesis is required of all students; students may apply up to 6 credits of Research/Thesis courses toward meeting the minimum credits for the degree. The thesis must be formatted in accord with Graduate School requirements. Students will submit an electronic copy of the thesis to the Graduate School and a signed, unbound “hard” copy to the Department of Anthropology.
Additional Requirements
Major Professor as Advisor
The student must have a major professor to advise and supervise the student’s studies as specified in Graduate School regulations. A student selects an advisor, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, by the end of the first semester of the program.
Thesis Defense
The student must pass an oral thesis defense. The examination committee must consist of at least three individuals, with a majority being members of the Anthropology Department.
Time Limit
The student must complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment.
Anthropology MS Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Anthropology MS program will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of major theoretical and methodological approaches in biological anthropology, anthropological archaeology, and sociocultural anthropology. (Anthropological Concepts)
- Formulate a research problem and conduct research to investigate the problem using appropriate anthropological methods. (Research Competence)
- Produce a thesis fit for public dissemination that clearly formulates a research problem and presents the results of the study with reference to anthropological theory, including critical assessment of previous research and suggestions for future research directions. (Written Communication)
- Explain the research questions, methods, and outcomes of their research in the public forum of a thesis defense. (Oral Communication)
- Follow ethical principles appropriate to relevant subfields when undertaking research and in educational and professional contexts. (Ethics)
Accelerated Program Option
This program is offered as part of an accelerated graduate program. For more information, see Accelerated Graduate Degrees.