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This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology

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Graduate Programs in Anthropology

University requirements for the Ph.D. are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin. The deadline for graduate application to the Ph.D. degree program is January 6, 2009. Prospective applicants should see http://anthropology.stanford.edu for information about application for graduate admission. Successful applicants for the Ph.D. program may enter only in Autumn Quarter. It is department policy not to defer graduate admission. Applicants must file a report of their Graduate Record Examination score electronically, submit a writing sample in English that demonstrates the ability to produce original analytical work at the graduate level and provide a statement of purpose. In addition to a clear statement of research interests in the statement of purpose, it is especially important for applicants to provide a detailed description of the area of specialization as well as the topical interests for dissertation research. Applicants should also submit three letters of reference and recent, original transcripts.

The Ph.D. program allows the student to develop a flexible program reflecting special research interests, under the supervision of a faculty committee chosen by the student. Students are encouraged to plan for completion of all work for the Ph.D. in five years.

Ph.D. students in Anthropology must complete a minimum of 135 quarter units with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B). The maximum allowable number of transfer units is 45.

Degree Options—Students pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Anthropology may pursue one of three tracks in the Ph.D. program. They are Archaeology, Culture and Society, or Ecology and Environment. The students are admitted into one of the three tracks. The tracks are not declarable in Axess.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

For students who matriculate beginning 2008-09, the requirements for the Doctoral degree program include the following:

  1. For the first year in the degree program, students must submit a plan of study, signed by their faculty advisor, prior to the Autumn quarter course enrollment deadline. At this time students confirm their chosen track from Archaeology, Culture and Society, or Ecology and Environment.
  2. Within the first two years, pass with a grade of 'B+' or higher six graduate level ANTHRO subject code review courses appropriate to the student's chosen track.
  3. In the first year of the program:
    1. pass with a grade of 'B+' or higher, the theory course(s) appropriate for the chosen track: ANTHRO 303. Introduction to Archaeological Theory (Archaeology track, only); ANTHRO 300, Reading Theory Through Ethnography; ANTHRO 301, History of Anthropological Theory (Culture and Society track, only); ANTHRO 302, History and Theory in Evolution and Ecology, (Ecology and Environment track, only).
    2. pass with a grade of 'B+' or higher, at least one track designated methods course: ANTHRO 307, Archaeological Methods and Research Design (Archaeology track, only); ANTHRO 306, Anthropological Research Methods (Culture and Society track, only); or within the first year pass at least one of two required methods courses—ANTHRO 304, Data Analysis for Quantitative Research, and/or ANTHRO 305, Research Methods in Ecological Anthropology (Ecology and Environment track only).
    3. complete at least 45 units of course work overall by the end of Summer Quarter in the first year.
    4. satisfy the department ethics requirement for review of ethics in Anthropology by enrolling in a research methods course or by attending a specific meeting for the purpose of ethics review.
    5. enroll in ANTHRO 310G, Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology, during Autumn Quarter.
    6. required for the Culture and Society track only: Enroll in ANTHRO 311G, Introduction to Culture and Society Studies in Anthropology—Faculty Research, during Winter and Spring quarters for 1-2 units (no more than 5 units total over two quarters).
    7. required for the Ecology and Environment track only: pass with a grade of 'B+' or better (within the first two years) three of the four four following courses: ANTHRO 361A, Advanced Ecological Anthropology; ANTHRO 361, Human Behavioral Anthropology; ANTHRO 362, Conservation and Evolutionary Ecology; and ANTHRO 363, Demography and Life History.
    8. enroll in ANTHRO 444, Anthropology Colloquium and attend the departmental Colloquia series each quarter. Ecology and Environment students may substitute one quarter of attendance in the department Colloquia Series with ANTHRO 312G, Problems in Ecology, Environment and Evolution.
    9. submit a Graduate Research Proposal by the end of the first week in Spring Quarter of the first year.
    10. submit at least one extramural funding application within the first year.
  4. In the second year,
    1. as required by the chosen track—pass with a grade of 'B+' or higher: ANTHRO 308, Proposal Writing Seminar (offered Spring Quarter).
    2. complete at least 40 units of course work in the second year for a total of at least 85 units of course work by the end of the second year.
    3. pass with grade of 'B+' or better remaining ANTHRO subject code review courses to complete the six course requirement.
    4. at the beginning of Autumn Quarter in the second year, attend the teaching assistantship training workshop.
    5. serve as a teaching assistant for at least one quarter in the second year.
    6. by the first day of finals week in Winter Quarter of the second year, recruit a total of four committee members for the qualifying written examinations for topic (two committee members made up of an advisor and a reader) and for area (two committee members made up of an advisor and a reader). At least three of the four readers must be from within the Anthropology Department.
    7. by the first day of finals week in Spring Quarter of the second year, confirm the qualifying written examination schedule, (the written exam to be completed by the first day of finals week in the Winter Quarter of the third year and the oral examination to be completed no later than the beginning of the fourth week of Spring Quarter in the third year).
  5. For those whose native language is English, pass, by the end of Spring Quarter of the second year, an examination in a language other than English (see Ph.D. Handbook for details). For those whose native language is not English, demonstrate satisfactory command of English, as evidenced by successful completion of the first two years of graduate study. The examination may be taken through the Stanford Language Center, other Stanford language departments, or by appointment with the department's language coordinator. The examination format must be approved in advance of the examination by the department's language coordinator.
  6. Upon completion of the above requirements, and upon recommendation of the Anthropology faculty, petition the University for candidacy by the end of spring quarter of the second year.
  7. Upon completion of the above requirements, and upon recommendation of the Anthropology faculty, request the Master's degree on the way to the Ph.D. degree program by the end of Spring Quarter of the second year.
  8. In the third year, complete the following:
    1. by the end of finals week in Autumn Quarter in the third year, submit three dissertation research grant proposals, including the approved dissertation proposal, the grant application, and the approved non-medical human subjects protocol, to the faculty adviser.
    2. by November 15th of Autumn Quarter provide a statement to the Graduate Committee declaring the proposed date planned for the oral examination and submit a declaration of the oral examination committee, inclusive of the external committee chair, the committee adviser, and the three committee members, to the student service officer by the first day of finals week in the Autumn Quarter of the third year.
    3. complete the qualifying projects for topic and area (two separate exams to be scheduled approximately one week apart) by the first day of finals week in Winter Quarter, in the third year.
    4. by the beginning of the fourth week in Spring Quarter, schedule and pass the University oral. During this exam, file the dissertation reading committee form and confirm the committee's required revisions for the dissertation proposal to begin fieldwork and dissertation research.
    5. confirm approval for the revised dissertation proposal and confirm approval of non-medical human subjects protocol status and obtain approval if necessary before leaving for dissertation fieldwork.
  9. In the fifth year, complete the following requirements:
    1. during the fifth year and after returning from fieldwork, complete one or more teaching assistant quarters in the department.
    2. during two of three quarters (Aut, Win Spr) in the fifth year, students attend a minimum of four of five class meetings of ANTHRO 400, Dissertation Writers Seminar (required of Computer Science track, recommend for Archaeology and Electrical Engineering track students). Each quarter, chapter drafts of the dissertation must be handed in to the dissertation reading committee for review. (All students must be in residence to receive their fifth year funding.)
    3. after submission of the penultimate draft of the dissertation and before the quarter preceding the quarter in which the dissertation will be submitted for Ph.D. degree, students may schedule and deliver an oral presentation of the dissertation in the department.

The department endeavors to provide needed financial support (through fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, and tuition grants) to all students admitted to the Ph.D. program who maintain satisfactory degree progress. Applicants for the Ph.D. program must file a request for financial aid when applying to the program if they wish to be considered for support.

First-year students who have not obtained a higher degree previous to entering the Ph.D. degree program and who have not obtained extramural funding previous to entering the Ph.D. degree program are required to submit one extramural funding application. Second-year students are required to perform one teaching assistantship quarter. Second-year students who have not secured funding for the second year summer for pre-dissertation field research are advised to make at least two pre-dissertation field research funding applications for summer support. In order to be eligible for department funding of summer fieldwork and research, (usually taken in either the first or second-year and again in the third-year of the Ph.D. degree program) first- through third-year students must submit the department's application establishing eligibility for summer funding. Third-year students who have not secured field research funding are required to make at least three extramural funding applications to support dissertation research by the end of Autumn Quarter of the third year. If receiving department funding, fourth-year students must submit a department application for funding as a pre-doctoral research affiliate before leaving for fieldwork. Fifth-year students are required to perform at least one quarter of teaching assistantship. Depending upon department need, fifth-year students may be asked to provide a second quarter of teaching assistantship. Fifth-year students who have not secured extramural funding for the sixth year and beyond are advised to make at least two dissertation write-up funding applications and secure extramural or intramural funding for dissertation write-up from the sixth year and beyond.

REQUIRED COURSES

  1. Archaeology Track—Required courses include the following:

    ANTHRO 310G. Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology

    ANTHRO 311G. Introduction to Culture and Society Studies in Anthropology

    ANTHRO 303. Introduction to Archaeological Theory

    ANTHRO 307. Archaeological Methods and Research Design

    ANTHRO 444. Anthropology Colloquium

  2. Culture and Society Track—Required courses include the following:

    ANTHRO 310G. Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology

    ANTHRO 311G. Introduction to Culture and Society Studies in Anthropology

    ANTHRO 301. History of Anthropological Theory

    ANTHRO 300. Reading Theory through Ethnography

    ANTHRO 306. Anthropological Research Methods

    ANTHRO 308. Proposal Writing Seminar

    ANTHRO 444. Anthropology Colloquium

  3. Ecology and Environment Track—Required courses include the following:

    ANTHRO 310G. Introduction to Graduate Studies in Anthropology

    ANTHRO 302. History and Theory in Evolution and Ecology

    ANTHRO 304. Data Analysis in the Anthropological Sciences

    ANTHRO 305. Research Methods in Ecological Anthropology

    ANTHRO 444. Anthropology Colloquium

    Ecology and Environment track students must also take three of the four following review courses:

    ANTHRO 361A. Advanced Ecological Anthropology

    ANTHRO 361. Human Behavioral Anthropology

    ANTHRO 362. Conservation and Evolutionary Ecology

    ANTHRO 363. Demography and Life History Theory

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