The University of Montana Department of Anthropology offers courses of study leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Anthropology and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Cultural Heritage Studies and Historical Anthropology. The M.A. program has four specialties (options): general anthropology, cultural heritage, linguistic anthropology, and forensic anthropology.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program should include a significant writing sample as part of their application. For students with a masters degree this should be their Masters level original work such as a thesis or professional paper. For students without a masters degree this should consists of a selection of term papers or research reports that they have completed.

Students in an M.A. or B.A./B.S. program (at The University of Montana or another institution) may apply for admission to the Ph.D. program up to one year before completing the M.A. degree, but their admission to the program will be provisional, contingent upon finishing their M.A. or B.A./B.S. program.

Advisors. Upon admission to the program, the faculty will assign each M.A. student a first-year advisor based on the student’s goals and interest, and on the workload of each faculty member. The first-year advisor will guide the student in forming an education plan that includes appropriate courses and research experiences to accomplish the student’s desired educational outcomes. The first-year advisor will direct the student in formulating their M.A. project plan (see “project plan” below), with assistance from other faculty if necessary. Once the project plan is completed the student will seek to recruit an appropriate M.A. research committee to oversee the project described in the project plan. The student must report their finalized committee membership to the Department’s Administrative Assistant, who will convey it to the Graduate School. The members of the MA research committee will review the student’s progress to that point and the quality of the project plan. This review constitutes the first part of the student’s comprehensive evaluation (see comprehensive evaluation below), and the committee may recommend that the student continue working toward completion of the M.A. project, or may recommend remedial action if indicated.

1. M.A. Degree Options. There are four ways to complete the requirements for the M.A. degree in Anthropology: the general option, the cultural heritage option, the forensic anthropology option, and the linguistic anthropology option. Each of these options offers a different emphasis, which is reflected in the seminars, elective classes, and scholarly work that is required. Students will graduate with the general option unless they complete the specific requirements of one of the other options.  

2. Thesis/Professional Project and Non-Thesis Plans: All options may be completed by either of two plans:
   1. The thesis/professional project plan, in which the student completes and defends a thesis or professional project, which is archived by the library.

   2. The non-thesis plan in which the student completes additional coursework credits and a significant original research work, or collection of works, that is not a thesis or professional paper. Students who complete the degree under the non-thesis plan will not normally be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program.

3. Core curriculum required for all options: Students must complete the following core requirements and the additional requirements of one of the options in order to earn the Master of Arts degree in Anthropology.
   1. Anthropology 500.

   2. A total of 1 to 10 credits (6 credits recommended) in ANTH 593, 597 and/or 599, consistent with Graduate School policy (sections C1.000). Students whose M.A. project plan includes a thesis should take ANTH 599, students whose M.A. project plan includes a professional paper should take ANTH 593, and students choosing the non-thesis plan should take ANTH 597. C.At least one methods class numbered 400 or higher.

4. 4.Project plan. All students must complete a project plan for producing an original scholarly work, such as a thesis, professional paper, exhibit, or portfolio containing an assemblage of shorter works. This should be completed at least two weeks before the Graduate School’s deadline for submitting Applications for Graduation the semester before the student intends to complete their degree. The student’s first year advisor will guide the student in completing their project plan. At a minimum, the project plan should include:
   1. The goal of the scholarly work, such as the question(s) to be examined, hypothesis to be tested, unifying theme for a portfolio, or exhibit to be created;

   2. The materials and methods to be used;

   3. A significant bibiographic effort directed toward the scholarly work;

   4. If the project will involve working with living human subjects, a completed, but not submitted, University of Montana Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects in Research checklist form;

   5. A completed, but not submitted, Graduate School Application for Graduation.

5. A significant original scholarly work. The student will be guided in this pursuit by an M.A. research committee consisting of three members. The advisor assigned to the student upon admission to the program will normally be the chair of the student’s M.A. research committee. The additional two members of the committee will be chosen by the student in consultation with their advisor and must be consistent with Graduate School policy (section C6.000), including one member who is a University of Montana -- Missoula faculty member from a department outside of Anthropology.

6. Comprehensive evaluation. All students in the M.A. program must pass a comprehensive evaluation over the field of anthropology (Graduate School policy section C8.000) The comprehensive evaluation will be conducted by the student’s committee. If a student’s evaluation does not meet expectations, the student’s committee may prescribe remedial action.
   1. Thesis/Professional project plan. For students earning the M.A. degree by completion of a thesis or professional project the comprehensive evaluation will consist of two parts: (1) an evaluation of the student’s progress at the time they submite their project plan, and (2) a defense of the thesis or professional project consistent with Graduate School policy (section C7.000).

   2. Non-Thesis plan. For students earning the M.A. degree under the non-thesis plan the comprehensive evaluation will consist of three parts: (1) an evaluation of the student’s progress at the time they submit their project plan; (2) an examination ( which may be oral, written, or take-home) over the subject matter of the student’s field of interest; and (3) a final review and evaluation of the student’s scholarly work. An oral defense of the student’s work, consistent with Graduate School policy (section C7.000) may substitute for parts (2) and (3).

7. Total credits commensurate with Graduate School policy (section C1.000).
   1. The thesis/professional project plan requires a total of 30 credits.

   2. The non-thesis plan requires 36 credits, including an additional 3 credits beyond those required for any of the M.A. options of 500 or 600 level classes in any discipline (excluding research, professional paper, or thesis credits).

   3. Only 6 credits in 300 level classes may be counted toward the total credits needed to complete the degree.

8. M.A. Degree Options
   1. General Option. Most students will earn the general option, especially those who intend to continue their education toward the Ph.D. or who wish to demonstrate research competence by completing a M.A. thesis. This is the most flexible option and requires the following coursework in addition to the core curriculum:
      1. 9 additional credits in Anthropology seminars, or cooperative education experience (internship). Anthropology seminars are Anthropology courses numbered ANTH 500 through 589, 595, or 600 through 694. Cooperative education experience is ANTH 598.

   2. Cultural Heritage Option. This option requires a defended thesis, professional paper, or portfolio that is the outgrowth of a professional experience such as an internship or an intensive field school. In addition to the core curriculum, students must complete the following requirements:
      1. ANTH 601 and 602.

      2. A cooperative education (internship) experience or equivalent practical experience such as an intensive field school, chosen in consultation with their advisor (and, in order to satisfy Graduate School requirements, one additional anthropology graduate seminar if the intensive field or practical experience course is not 500 or 600 level).

   3. Forensic Anthropology Option. This option requires a thesis, a comprehensive case report, or a substantial portfolio of case reports and related documents in the concise style produced for law enforcement. In addition to the core curriculum students must complete the following requirements:
      1. ANTH 512.

      2. One of the following seminars: ANTH 510, 511, or 513.

      3. One additional 3-credit Anthropology seminar or cooperative education experience.

      4. One course in each of the following areas, or their equivalent from another institution: human variation (ANTH 310, 417, 418, or 510), forensic anthropology (ANTH 312), osteology (ANTH 412), archaeological field experience (ANTH 413, 466, or an archaeologically oriented 487), archaeology theory (ANTH 313, 450, 456, 513, 550, or 551), general forensic science (ANTH 286 or 488), and statistics (ANTH 401 or 402). Ideally, these courses will have been taken as an undergraduate, but if not must be taken before an M.A. degree with this option is awarded.

   4. Linguistic Anthropology Option. This option normally requires a defended thesis. In addition to the core curriculum students must complete the following requirements:
      1. ANTH 570.

      2. Two additional 3-credit Anthropology seminars.

      3. ANTH 470, 473; LING 471, 472, 474, and 475, or their equivalents.

The Cultural Heritage Studies and Historical Anthropology Ph.D. program requires coursework, a reviewed portfolio, a comprehensive examination, and a defended dissertation. The faculty expects completion of the Ph.D. within three years of earning the masters degree.

Advisor. The faculty will assign the student a Ph.D. committee chair upon acceptance into the Ph.D. program; and the student, in consultation with the chair, will select at least two more members for the committee within their first semester in the program. The Ph.D. committee chair will guide the student in choosing appropriate courses and research experiences to accomplish their desired educational outcomes, including serving as the dissertation committee chair. If a student’s interests change to the extent that another faculty member would be more appropriate as the dissertation committee chair the student may present a written petition to the graduate advising coordinator, who will consult with the student’s existing committee chair, the prospective new committee chair, the Department Chair, and any other relevant faculty in making a decision to grant the student’s request.

The requirements for earning the Ph.D. in Cultural Heritage Studies and Historical Anthropology are as follows:

1. Graduate Contract and Portfolio. The student and their Ph.D. committee will formulate a plan of study, in the form of a graduate contract, tailored to the student’s specific goals and consistent with Graduate School policy (section D.2000), within the student’s first semester of entering the program. The contract will state the student’s desired educational outcomes, the way in which the outcomes will be achieved, and the manner in which the outcomes will be assessed. The contract may only be altered with the approval of the student’s Ph.D. committee. The student will create and maintain a portfolio of work documenting progress toward fulfillment of the graduate contract.

2. Coursework. Students are expected to complete the following course requirements:
   1. A total of 30 credits beyond those required for the MA degree (total of at least 60 credits post bachelors degree).

   2. The core course sequence consisting of ANTH 600, 601, and 602.

   3. At least nine credits in research (ANTH 697) and/or dissertation (ANTH 699). Students may apply up to 10 credits of ANTH 593/597/599 or the equivalent and 10 credits of ANTH 697/699 or the equivalent toward the 60 post-baccalaureate credits required for the degree. After students have earned a M.A. degree they may not enroll in ANTH 593/597/599.

   4. Students may not count more than 6 credits in 300-level courses toward the Ph.D. degree.

3. Dissertation Research Proposal. Before accumulating 45 postbaccalaureate credits and before enrolling in ANTH 699 the student will develop a detailed dissertation research proposal. A funding proposal to an appropriate source may be substituted for the research proposal. At a minimum the proposal should include:
   1. The goal of the scholarly work, including hypotheses to be tested;

   2. The materials and methods to be used;

   3. A significant annotated bibiography or literature review;

   4. A completed, but not submitted, University of Montana Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects in Research checklist form if the scholarly work involves living human subjects.

   5. A completed, but not submitted, Graduate School Application for Graduation.

4. Dissertation Committee. After completion of the dissertation proposal the candidate will form a dissertation committee consisting of five members who meet the requirements listed in Graduate School Policy (sections D4.100 and D4.300), including one University of Montana -- Missoula faculty member who is outside Anthropology.

5. Comprehensive Examination. Each student will orally present their research proposal at a meeting with their dissertation committee. During this meeting the committee will ask questions designed to assess whether the proposal and the student’s background demonstrate the likelihood of successful completion of the dissertation research. The committee will also review the student’s portfolio to assess the student’s progress toward their desired outcomes. If the student has demonstrated substantial progress toward fulfillment of their graduate contract and is, in the opinion of the committee, prepared to undertake dissertation research, then they will be invited to continue work toward the completion of their dissertation. If deficiencies exist the committee may prescribe remedial action or direct the student toward graduation with a terminal M.A. degree. However, students may not earn a second M.A. degree in Anthropology from The University of Montana by this mechanism.

6. Dissertation Defense. After the dissertation is completed, the student’s dissertation committee will review it and ask the student to defend it following the process described in Graduate School policy (section D5.000).