MA Anthropology

The unique intellectual challenge of anthropology is to integrate knowledge from many disciplines for a global understanding of cultural and biological diversity in the past and the present. Individual courses in cultural anthropology, biological anthropology and archaeology cut across lines of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Because of this integrative perspective on the human condition, and the training provided in objectively assessing biological, cultural patterning and social interaction, an advanced degree in anthropology provides a versatile base for career development.

Students in our terminal Master's program have the benefit of receiving the faculty's full attention. Our program is unique in several respects. First, for students wishing to find employment after their MA, the department offers a mentorship program that pairs them with alumni who have forged careers in students' fields of interest. Second, our program also offers students a range of opportunities for professional development that are unusual in programs that focus on PhD students. For students considering the possibility of doctoral-level work in anthropology, the department has an excellent record in placing students in top-tier graduate programs. Students with residency in 14 states are eligible for in-state tuition, and funding opportunities in the form of Teaching Assistantships and graduate fellowships are available to students on a competitive basis. MA students may pursue the thesis or non-thesis option.

The University of Colorado Denver Department of Anthropology provides outstanding graduate education in anthropology, giving students a broad yet thorough grounding in three (out of the four) subfields of anthropology as well as specialized instruction in one or more of a number of research orientations and/or geographic area concentrations. These orientations encompass the areas of research and application in which department faculty have substantial expertise.

These degree requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their Anthropology faculty advisor to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.

Some students may benefit from adding a specific skills-based certificate program onto their graduate program. For example: archeology students may wish to gain expertise in Geographic Information Systems through the GIS certificate offered through the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, while medical anthropology students may benefit from the certificate in public health offered through the School of Public Health. Graduate-level courses in certificate programs can often fulfill elective requirements in the anthropology program.

One doctoral program at the CU Denver campus that may be of particular interest to graduates of the anthropology MA program is the PhD in Health and Behavioral Sciences. It is highly interdisciplinary and a natural extension of a master's degree in medical anthropology.

Graduate Education Policies and Procedures apply to this program.