Minor Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree Ph.D. candidates in Anthropology must elect a minor subject in a single related field or in various departments selected in consultation with the candidate’s advisor. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained in the minor. All courses must be 300 level or above, taken after the bachelor’s degree (or equivalent). Ordinarily, only one course (maximum 3 credits) of independent study is allowed (for instance 699, 799, 999). You may not use 990 or 890 (research and thesis) courses for your minor. The number of credits you are allowed to use from courses taken prior to admission to the Ph.D. major is decided by the minor department. Courses with grades of S (satisfactory) or CR (credit) are acceptable.
There are two options for completion of the minor. Whether the student selects Option A, or Option B, the minor is designed to represent a coherent body of work, and should not simply be an after-the-fact ratification of a number of courses taken outside the major department. To ensure coherence, a minor program must be approved by the appropriate department no later than half-way through the minor course sequence and a copy of the minor agreement placed on file in the Department.
Credits earned toward a Master’s degree at another university may be used to satisfy some of the requirements for the minor, provided these credits are not in Anthropology.
To see the specific policy requirements for the minor please visit https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minors/ for details.
Explanation of Options
(1) Minor Option A. To satisfy Minor Option A, a student must complete at least nine credits from a degree program outside his/her major department. Some minor departments may require more credits. One course cross-listed with the major may be used for the minor so long as it is staffed by the minor department and is not applicable to any requirements of the major. Be sure to check with the minor department on their minor requirements.
(2) Minor Option B. To satisfy Minor Option B, a student must complete at least nine credits from two or more degree programs outside or from within another field in his/her major department. One course cross-listed with the major may be used for this minor so long as it is staffed by one of the outside programs, and is not applicable to any requirements of the major; or nine credits of course work from one field (or area of specialization) other than the major area of study. Intersectional students must meet the minor course requirements outside the departmental sections represented on their faculty committee. The Option B distributed minor is approved by the chair of the major department.
Ph.D. Minor for Students in Other Fields To obtain a Minor in Anthropology, you must complete nine credits in the Department of Anthropology which provide either (a) a general coverage of the field or (b) concentration in biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, or archaeology. To ensure coherence, your minor program must be approved by your Minor Advisor in the Department of Anthropology no later than half-way through the minor course sequence.
Your Minor Advisor may be any faculty member in the Department of Anthropology who is willing to serve as your advisor. If you need assistance in choosing an appropriate Minor Advisor, you can contact the Department of Anthropology’s Faculty Graduate Advisor to determine which faculty member might best fit your area of interest. You must be working with an Anthropology Minor Advisor in order to complete an Anthropology Minor.
Once a minor advisor is selected and agreed upon, you and your minor advisor will complete the Anthropology Graduate Minor Advisor form. Successful completion of the course program will satisfy the minor requirement. We encourage you to get your minor completion plan in writing to assist you in course selection and to have documentation of the agreed upon plan for your records.
You should consult with your Major Department advisor to determine your major department’s requirements regarding your selected minor. Generally, the major department will provide a form to the student to present to the minor department to certify completion of the minor requirements. This form is signed by the Minor Advisor and/or the Chair of the Department of Anthropology.