Master of Arts Degree in Anthropology
The Department of Anthropology at UTSA offers M.A. degrees specializing in archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology. The department emphasizes a holistic approach to master’s level training that focuses on methods and skills that have applications within the diverse array of careers in today’s academic and non-academic job market. Through formal coursework, internships, and independent thesis research, students learn contemporary theoretical approaches within the discipline as well as specific marketable skills in laboratory methods, geographic information systems (GIS), research design, grant writing, teaching, and primatological, ethnographic, and archaeological practices.
In addition to pursuing Ph.D.s in anthropology and related disciplines, M.A. graduates are prepared for careers in a variety of settings, including: heritage management; museums, zoos, and wildlife organizations; GIS technician/analyst; national and international NGOs focused on health and well-being, social justice, and conservation; conservation area management; medical and laboratory research; qualitative research consultancy for various industries; and teaching at K-12 and community-college levels.
Theoretical and applied emphases of the department’s faculty include: archaeology of the Maya lowlands and Andean South America; archaeology of Texas, the American Southwest, and Northwest Mexico; primate behavioral ecology; primate conservation ecology and genetics; community-based conservation practices and general conservation strategy; resource management and extraction; human-animal relations; indigenous peoples and politics; environmental politics; coastal political ecology and the making of environmental markets; applied anthropology; and several specialties within medical anthropology, including aging and end of life, the anthropology of care, well-being, and health and healthcare in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. With faculty expertise in North, South, and Central America; the Caribbean; Africa; East Asia; and Island Pacific, our students work throughout the world.
Application Procedures
The Anthropology Department admits master’s students once a year in the Fall.
In addition to satisfying the University-wide graduate admission requirements, applicants should have a 3.3 grade point average in undergraduate coursework and have successfully taken 12 hours of coursework in anthropology or in related areas as determined by the Graduate Program Committee. It is preferable, although not required, that this coursework include courses in the subdisciplines of anthropology.
Applicants for admission to the M.A. program in Anthropology must complete an online application available through Graduate Admissions. For all applicants, including graduate degree-seeking and special graduate students (see Student Policies, under Admission Policies, for definitions), the application to the Master of Arts program in Anthropology consists of:
- An online application form.
- CV or résumé.
- Official academic transcripts.
- An essay (statement of purpose): Please write a statement telling us about your intentions for entering UTSA’s M.A. program in Anthropology. This letter should be approximately 500–750 words in length (approximately two to three double-spaced pages). This statement should include information on:
- Undergraduate coursework and other relevant experiences. (How did these prepare you for graduate work in Anthropology?)
- Area of subdisciplinary and regional specialization, as well as particular research interests.
- How your academic interests match with faculty, departmental, and university resources.
- At least two faculty who would be suitable advisors.
- How a graduate degree in Anthropology will further your career goals.
- Writing sample: It is preferred that the writing sample be a 10–25-page term or research paper. If longer works are not available, a shorter writing sample will be considered.
- Three letters of recommendation: At least two of the three required recommendation letters will preferably be from faculty who have worked closely with the applicant in either the classroom, laboratory, or other research site.
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Applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT. The English Language Assessment Procedure is a mandatory assessment for incoming international students whose TOEFL iBT scores are between 79 and 100. See Student Policies, under Admission Policies, for details.
Applications will not be reviewed until complete.
Applicants can request graduate degree-seeking or special graduate student status. A graduate degree-seeking applicant admitted to the program may receive unconditional, conditional, or probationary admission status. Special graduate students may be limited in the courses they are permitted to take. Admission as a special graduate student does not ensure subsequent admission as a degree-seeking student.
Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated potential for success in graduate study in Anthropology as indicated by a combination of prior undergraduate academic performance, the application essay, research interests, writing sample, and letters of recommendation, and, if applicable, GRE test scores. Admission is competitive. Satisfying minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Degree Requirements
The minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree is 33. Option 1 requires the successful completion of a Master's Thesis. Option 2 requires an internship or special project report. At the beginning of the student’s master’s degree program, they should, in consultation with their program advisor, select the option most suitable to their needs. Should a student elect to change options, they should consult with their program advisor and the Graduate Advisor of Record. In addition to the University’s general requirements for graduate study and any coursework or other study required as a condition of admission, the Master of Arts degree in Anthropology requires completing one of the following programs of study.
Option 1: Thesis
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| History, Method, and Theory of Archaeology | |
| Theory in Cultural Anthropology | |
| Advanced Biological Anthropology | |
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| |
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| Total Credit Hours | 33 |
Option 2: Non-Thesis
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| History, Method, and Theory of Archaeology | |
| Theory in Cultural Anthropology | |
| Advanced Biological Anthropology | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Total Credit Hours | 33 |
Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Anthropology
UTSA’s Ph.D. program in Anthropology offers training in anthropology’s traditional subdisciplines to further basic and applied research into ecological and environmental concerns. Students will develop empirical understandings of how humans culturally construct and organize past and present environments, how power relations are embedded in these activities, and the impact social and physical environments have upon human and nonhuman primates. Theoretical and applied emphases include political and cultural ecology; landscape perspectives; agrarian economy and ecology; the archaeology of complexity; indigenous and environmental politics; primate and evolutionary ecology; medical anthropology; perspectives on sociocultural change; myth, ritual, and language; and conservation, biology, and practice. Geographic research areas include: American Southwest, Texas, Northwest Mexico, Andean South America, Mesoamerica and Maya Lowlands (archaeology); Southeast Asia, Africa, and Neotropics (biological anthropology); and United States, Mexico, U.S.-Mexico borderlands, Lowland South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Island Pacific (cultural anthropology).
The regulations for this degree comply with the general University regulations (refer to Student Policies, General Academic Regulations, and the Graduate Catalog, Doctoral Degree Regulations).
Application Procedures
Applicants for admission to the Ph.D. program in Anthropology must satisfy all University-wide graduate admission requirements. Applicants must submit a complete Graduate Admissions Application. Complete applications include:
- The online application form.
- CV or résumé.
- Official academic transcripts.
- An essay (750–900 word statement of purpose).
- A writing sample.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The English Language Assessment Procedure is a mandatory assessment for incoming international students whose TOEFL iBT scores are between 79 and 100. See Student Policies, under Admission Policies, for details.
- Only completed applications will be reviewed.
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must request degree-seeking status. Applicants admitted to the Ph.D. program may receive unconditional, conditional, or probationary admission status.
Admission is competitive. Satisfying the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. In any given application cycle, Ph.D. applicants will be evaluated on the strength of their application materials and also against other applicants in the same pool.
Degree Requirements
All students are expected to master skill sets in research, analysis, academic writing, and pedagogy. They are required to take a minimum of 66 semester credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree (exclusive of organized coursework required to remove conditions of admission). In addition, students must successfully pass a qualifying examination, a doctoral dissertation proposal defense, and a doctoral dissertation defense.
Program of Study for Students Admitted Without a Master’s Degree
All students who are accepted into the doctoral program without a master’s degree (or its coursework equivalent) must successfully complete the program of study below. Students transferring to the Doctoral program from accredited graduate programs but lacking a master’s degree may receive approval to transfer some coursework to UTSA, pending review by the Graduate Program Committee. Each student’s transcript will be evaluated by the Graduate Program Committee, and credit will be determined on a course-by-course basis to satisfy the requirements of the degree. For credit to be accepted from an outside institution, a student must have earned course grades of “B” (“B-” is not acceptable) or better.
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| History, Method, and Theory of Archaeology | |
| Theory in Cultural Anthropology | |
| Advanced Biological Anthropology | |
| Ecological Anthropology | |
| |
| |
| Directed Doctoral Research | |
| Directed Doctoral Research | |
| Directed Doctoral Research | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | |
| Total Credit Hours | 66 |
Qualifying Examination
Students may take the qualifying examination upon successful completion of 30 hours of coursework; this coursework must include all required Doctoral Core courses. At least two months prior to taking the qualifying examination, the student and the Supervising Professor will select an Advisory Committee, which needs to be approved by the Ph.D. Graduate Advisor of Record, and schedule dates for the qualifying examination. The examination consists of three written literature reviews in areas most relevant to the student’s research and will cover issues of geographical/topical, methodological, and theoretical relevance. It is intended that the qualifying examination will lay the groundwork for subsequent dissertation research.
Earning a Master’s Degree
Students who pass their qualifying examinations can apply for the M.A. degree and will be given permission to work toward completion of doctoral requirements. Students who fail their qualifying examinations may be given one of two options by their Advisory Committees. Those options are: permission to retake all or portions of the examination or permission to pursue a terminal M.A. degree according to the requirements of that degree program.
Proficiency in Foreign Language, Statistics, or Computer Programming
Doctoral students are required to have proficiency in a foreign language, statistics, or computer programming as deemed necessary by the Graduate Program Committee. This requirement must be fulfilled prior to the oral defense of the dissertation proposal. Should coursework be necessary, students may apply their credit hours to the free electives requirement of the doctoral degree.
Dissertation Committee
Following successful completion of the qualifying exams, the student and the Supervising Professor will select a Dissertation Committee, which needs to be approved by the Dean of the College and the Dean of the Graduate School (see Doctoral Degree Regulations, for further information on requirements of committee composition).
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal
Doctoral students are required to produce a dissertation proposal that will be submitted to their Dissertation Committee for review. This will occur following successful completion of the qualifying examination and as students near completion of required coursework (51 semester credit hours). Students will enroll in 3 credit hours of ANT 7003 Dissertation Proposal, in order to conduct preliminary research and write a successful proposal. Students must orally defend the proposal in order to qualify for doctoral degree candidacy.
Advancement to Candidacy
Doctoral students can apply for admission to candidacy once they have met all requirements for the doctoral degree other than dissertation research and write-up. The requirements include successfully completing all coursework, passing the qualifying examination, passing a foreign language examination or demonstrating statistical or computer competency, as applicable, forming a Dissertation Committee approved by the University, and submitting and successfully defending the dissertation proposal.
Dissertation
Candidates must demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research by completing and defending an original dissertation that makes a significant contribution to the field. The student, in consultation with his or her Supervising Professor, determines the research topic. The student’s Dissertation Committee will guide and critique the candidate’s research. The Dissertation Committee must unanimously accept a dissertation for examination. The dissertation shall then be defended publicly before the Dissertation Committee. Students should be continually registered in Directed Doctoral Research (ANT 7011-ANT 7013) or Doctoral Dissertation (ANT 7021-ANT 7023) each semester the dissertation is in progress.
Final Oral Examination
Students must orally defend their dissertation as the final degree requirement. The Supervising Professor must notify the Graduate School in writing at least two weeks prior to the final scheduled oral defense. Awarding of the degree is based on the approval of the Dissertation Committee and the acceptance of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School certifies the completion of all University-wide requirements (see Doctoral Degree Regulations, for further information).
Program of Study for Students Admitted With a Master’s Degree
Students who are admitted into the Doctoral program with acceptable master’s degrees from accredited institutions are required to take an additional 36 graduate hours beyond the master’s degree. The Anthropology Graduate Program Committee will determine the applicability of the master’s degree to the student’s program of study. The Committee has the option of requiring or recommending additional courses if it is deemed that the student has not obtained a background equivalent to training at UTSA.
To complete their Ph.D. program of study, students entering the program with an acceptable master’s degree must complete the following minimum requirements:
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| Ecological Anthropology | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Directed Doctoral Research | |
| Directed Doctoral Research | |
| Directed Doctoral Research | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 |
Qualifying Examination
Students may take the qualifying examination upon successful completion of 30 hours of coursework; this coursework must include required Doctoral Core courses. At least two months prior to taking the qualifying examination, the student and the Supervising Professor will select an Advisory Committee, which needs to be approved by the Ph.D. Graduate Advisor of Record, and schedule dates for the qualifying examination. The examination consists of three written literature reviews in areas most relevant to the student’s research and will cover issues of geographical/topical, methodological, and theoretical relevance. It is intended that the qualifying examination will help lay the groundwork for subsequent dissertation research.
Proficiency in Foreign Language, Statistics, or Computer Programming
Doctoral students are required to have proficiency in a foreign language, statistics, or computer programming, as deemed necessary by the Graduate Program Committee. This requirement must be fulfilled prior to the oral defense of the dissertation proposal. Should coursework be necessary, students may apply their credit hours to the free electives requirement of the Doctoral degree.
Dissertation Committee
Following successful completion of the qualifying exams, the student and the Supervising Professor will select a Dissertation Committee, which needs to be approved by the Dean of the College and the Dean of the Graduate School (see Doctoral Degree Regulations, for further information on requirements of committee composition).
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal
Doctoral students are required to produce a dissertation proposal that will be submitted to their Dissertation Committee for review. This will occur following successful completion of the qualifying examination, and as students near completion of required coursework (21 semester credit hours). Students will enroll in 3 credit hours of ANT 7003 Dissertation Proposal, in order to conduct preliminary research and write a successful proposal. Students must orally defend the proposal in order to qualify for doctoral degree candidacy.
Advancement to Candidacy
Doctoral students can apply for admission to candidacy once they have met all requirements for the doctoral degree other than dissertation research and write-up. The requirements include successfully completing all coursework, passing the qualifying examination, passing a foreign language examination or demonstrating statistical or computer competency, as applicable, forming a Dissertation Committee approved by the University, and submitting and successfully defending the dissertation proposal.
Dissertation
Candidates must demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research by completing and defending an original dissertation that makes a significant contribution to the field. The student, in consultation with his or her Supervising Professor, determines the research topic. The student’s Dissertation Committee will guide and critique the candidate’s research. The Dissertation Committee must unanimously accept a dissertation for examination. The dissertation shall then be defended publicly before the Dissertation Committee. Students should be continually registered in Directed Doctoral Research (ANT 7011-ANT 7013) or Doctoral Dissertation (ANT 7021-ANT 7023) each semester the dissertation is in progress.
Final Oral Examination
Students must orally defend their dissertation as the final degree requirement. The Supervising Professor must notify the Graduate School in writing at least two weeks prior to the final scheduled oral defense. Awarding of the degree is based on the approval of the Dissertation Committee and the acceptance of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School certifies the completion of all University-wide requirements (see Doctoral Degree Regulations, for further information).
