GRADUATE STUDIES

MASTER'S DEGREE

Archaeology: Master's (MA/MS) Degree
Biological Anthropology: MA/MS Degree
Cultural Anthropology: Master's Degree
Table of MA/MS Requirements

Biological Anthropology: MA/MS Degree Requirements

The Requirements for the Master's Degree are as follows:

1. Degree requirements are determined by the Graduate School, the Graduate Biological Division, and the faculty in Biological Anthropology. Training within Biological Anthropology provides the student with the necessary background in genetics, mathematics, statistics, anatomy, chemistry, population biology and anthropology for a professional career in modern Biological Anthropology.
2. Minor Requirements. These requirements must be fulfilled before applying for the preliminary warrant ( see pages 6 & 7 in this handbook).
3. Course Requirements. At least one course (300 level or higher) in another section of the Department of Anthropology. Minimum of 32 graduate credits for the Ph.D.
4. Language Requirements. There is no formal foreign language requirement, but a working knowledge of a foreign language may be necessary for some students. In such cases, the major professor will determine the required level of competency.
5. Qualifying Exam. Students who enter the program with a Bachelor's Degree will normally be required to take the Qualifying Examination after the end of the fourth full semester of graduate study. This deadline may be extended only by approval of a written petition to the section chair, but in no instance will a postponement be allowed to exceed one year.

Students who are admitted into the Biological Anthropology Program with Master's Degrees from other institutions may take the Qualifying Examination within the first two semesters of graduate study. Upon successful completion of this examination, the Master's Degree from the other institution may be accepted in lieu of additional requirements at this level and the student may proceed directly toward the doctoral prospectus and the Preliminary Examination. 

The Qualifying Examination is compiled by all faculty members in the Biological Anthropology Section and is administered over a two-day period (up to 8 hours per day) at the beginning of each Fall semester. The examination may be written by hand or using a computer. On the first day, students are expected to provide in-depth knowledge of general principles and theory in modern biological anthropology, including past and present developments in:

• Primate biology, behavior and human evolution (diverse aspects of human and non-human paleontology; bio-behavioral ecology).
• Genetics and population systems (population structure of human and non-human primate species; distribution and patterning of variation; Mendelian, population and evolutionary genetics).
• Morphology, physiology and human ecology (human and non-human primate anatomy; skeletal anatomy; adaptive physiology).

This phase of the Qualifying Examination is based primarily on required and recommended course work and the Graduate Reading List, and is designed to ensure that all students have a comparable and firm background in the subdiscipline. The following courses are strongly recommended in preparation for the general section of the Qualifying Examination:

Evolutionary Theory
Primate Anatomy
Functional and Evolutionary
Human Variation 
Biology of Primates
Evolution of Human Diet
Hominid Evolution
Primate Behavioral
Ecology Hominoid Evolution
Proseminar in Biological 
Genetics 466
Anthropology or Equivalent Human Skeletal Anatomy

Consultation with your advisor will determine whether or not Statistics should be taken in preparation for the Qualifying Examination. In the event that these courses are not taught in a particular two-year cycle, graduate students will be provided with reading lists, course syllabi, and faculty guidance in preparation for Qualifying Exams.

The second part of the Qualifying Examination is tailored toward the particular research interests of each student, who is expected to display detailed knowledge of these more restricted areas.

The anonymous exams are evaluated by the departmental biological faculty in residence. Each exam is ranked as 1) fail; 2) M.A. pass with no retake; 3) M.A. pass with retake; 4) Ph.D. pass. 

There is no Master's thesis requirement. In lieu of a thesis, two term papers from graduate seminars in biological anthropology are to be submitted at the time of the Qualifying Examination. These papers are for the approval of the biological faculty as evidence of research ability and will be archived with the student's records.

The recommendation to the student will be based on past performance in (a) course work, (b) the results of the Qualifying Examination, and (c) seminar reports and independent research, and will be made no later than one month after completion of the Qualifying Examination. A report, in the form of a letter signed by the head of the Biological Anthropology Program, will be sent to the student with a copy to their departmental file.