Course Requirements
Each student in the terminal M.A. program must successfully complete 30 semester hours of graduate coursework, including:
ANTH 600 - Socio-Cultural Theory (3)
ANTH 603 - Archaeological Theory (3)
ANTH 700 - Thesis (a total of 6 credit hours)
Electives
Upon approval of the department’s Director of Graduate Studies, students may schedule up to six graduate credits in courses in other departments or programs not cross-listed under Anthropology.
Thesis Requirement
Each terminal M.A. student will write a thesis on a research topic approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the student’s thesis committee. The thesis should be article length and of publishable quality. It should contain a clearly stated problem, relevant data, and theoretically informed analysis. Although not required, it is highly recommended for terminal M.A. students to complete their thesis through the Presentation and Paper process.
Exam Requirement
The thesis, supplemented by an oral defense before a faculty committee, meets the exam requirement.
Language Requirement
There is no language requirement for the terminal M.A. degree.
Residence Requirement
Full-time students are expected to remain in residence while they complete the entire 24 semester hours of classes and 6 hours of ANTH 700 - Thesis . Typically, this is done by the end of the second semester of residence, though some students elect to extend the coursework over three semesters.
Satisfactory Progress
To be eligible to graduate, all students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all courses undertaken for graduate credit at William & Mary after admission to a degree program. No credit toward a degree will be allowed for a course in which a student receives a grade below C (grade point = 2.0). Any student receiving two grades of “C” or below in any semester will be suspended from the program at the end of that semester.
All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within six (6) years from the first term of enrollment in the terminal M.A. program, excluding periods of approved leave and military service. Requests for extension beyond the six (6) year limit must be filed following the procedures outlined in Time Limits for Degrees and Extensions in the Graduate Arts & Sciences Catalog.
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Accelerated Bachelor’s + M.A. Degree
W&M also offers a pathway for advanced undergraduate students majoring in Anthropology to earn an M.A. degree in Anthropology with only one additional year of study. Students who meet certain requirements can apply. Students accepted into the accelerated one-year master’s program can take graduate courses as undergraduates and count them toward the graduate degree when accepted into the terminal MA program (limits apply). Please contact the department Director of Graduate Studies for details or visit https://www.wm.edu/as/anthropology/graduate/one-year-ma/
