Anthropology Department

Programs and Course Descriptions

Faculty

The Anthropology Program

The Department of Anthropology at William & Mary offers a Master’s and a Ph.D. program. The M.A. in Anthropology specializes in Historical Archaeology and is a terminal degree designed to prepare students for careers in historical archaeology and related professions. The Ph.D. program, with specializations in Historical Archaeology and Historical Anthropology, is designed to prepare students for research, professional and teaching positions in Anthropology.

Admission

Students have the option of enrolling directly into the M.A.-only program, into the sequential M.A./Ph.D. program, or into the Ph.D. program. Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have completed the Anthropology M.A. degree, either at William & Mary or at another institution. Students who have completed an M.A. in a discipline closely related to Anthropology may petition the Graduate Committee to determine whether their degree may be accepted in lieu of an M.A. in Anthropology.

Admission is competitive, based on such criteria as grade point average, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, experience, and educational history. Minimally, each applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, or a related discipline, and a 3.0 grade average (on a 4.0 scale). Graduate studies begin in the fall; there are no spring admissions.

William & Mary uses an online application system. Application materials consist of GRE scores taken within the past five years, transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a writing sample. If English is not your first language, your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores are required and must be sent directly to William & Mary by the Educational Testing Service or IELTS. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement can be waived for applicants who will have received a degree from a college or university in which English is the primary language of instruction. A transcript is required as evidence of successful instruction in English as a primary language. For full consideration, applications and all supporting materials for both the M.A. and the M.A./Ph.D. programs must be received by December 15. Applications submitted after the program deadline may be evaluated if space is available. The Ph.D. programs in Anthropology at William & Mary require full-time study. Full-time and part-time students will be considered for admission into the M.A.-only program.

Programs and Course Descriptions

Programs

Courses

Anthropology

Description of Courses

Unless otherwise noted, all courses are graded using standard grading [A, B, C, D, F] scheme (See Grading and Academic Progress in the section entitled Graduate Regulations) and may not be repeated for credit (See Repeated Courses requirements in the section entitled Graduate Regulations).

Anthropology GRAD

GRAD 999 - Continuous Enrollment