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• Graduate Application

Home > Graduate Programs : Applying

Applying

The Department of Anthropology accepts admissions to the program for Fall Semester only. Your application must be completed by December 1.

We prepare students for a position as a college/university-level researcher and/or teacher, or for an advanced nonacademic research position. Nonetheless, a small number of students are admitted each year who wish only a master’s degree in sociocultural anthropology, archaeology, or biological anthropology or to be admitted to the Cultural Heritage Studies master’s program. Students interested in the PhD track enter directly into the PhD degree program, though they have the option of earning an MA as described below. This latter option provides the flexibility to pursue both the master’s and the PhD degrees or only the master’s degree should you not be able to complete the PhD program. Students in the Cultural Heritage Studies concentration and the Master of Arts option are admitted with the understanding that these are terminal master’s degrees; if you enter either program and wish to continue on in the PhD program, you must apply for admission to the PhD program. Students in the Master of Arts option and Cultural Heritage Studies concentration have fewer funding opportunities than do students in good standing in PhD tracks.

All applicants should state their subfield preference (archaeology, biological anthropology, Cultural Heritage Studies, sociocultural anthropology) when applying for admission to the graduate program. Graduate students may change their subfield concentration during their graduate career, although thus may mean starting over in your training.

Apply Online

The Department of Anthropology requires the following materials:

1. University of Minnesota Graduate School Application form, including statement of purpose and writing sample.
2. GRE scores (Students from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea must refer to the Graduate School website for additional information).
3. Transcripts from all undergraduate institutions. NOTE: unofficial transcripts can be directly uploaded into AY and are acceptable for the application process; official transcripts must be submitted upon acceptance into the program and sent directly to the Graduate School.
4. TOEFL scores (international students only).
5. Three letters of recommendation.

Writing Sample

Sociocultural applicants are required to submit a writing sample (20 pages maximum). The writing sample must be submitted through the ApplyYouself website.

Contact

For departmental information on the application process please contact the main office at anth@umn.edu.