Info for Prospective Students: The Anthropology Graduate Programs at The University of Montana - Missoula

We thank you for your interest in the Anthropology graduate program at The University of Montana - Missoula. We currently offer the Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Anthropology and the Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) in Cultural Heritage Studies and Historical Anthropology.

For additional information, please contact the Department of Anthropology, (406) 243-2693.

Strengths of our Program

Anthropology is the study of the biological and cultural background of humankind. It is concerned with people, cultures, and societies on a worldwide scale throughout time.

We take pride in offering a solid, well rounded, 4-field approach to the advanced study of Anthropology. Our MA program can be completed in two years by students who are willing to work hard, and our Ph.D. program can be completed in four years by students who are willing to work hard.

We believe that our M.A. program is well suited for the following types of students.

• Students who are pursuing a career as a professional anthropologist, and who plan to work for a government agency, museum, or a private sector cultural resources management company. Our 'cultural heritage track' allows students to focus on the applied aspects of cultural resources management, museology, or language retention.
• Students who are changing fields, having earned a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than anthropology, but who now wish to pursue anthropology. Our 'general track' allows students to gain a solid foundation in the basic and advanced knowledge of the field.
• Students who would like to earn a Ph.D. degree (at UM--Missoula or from another University) in order to pursue a career as an university professor, museum curator, or senior partner in a cultural resources management company, and who have the ability and drive to accomplish this, but who feel that they need a more solid grounding in general Anthropology before actually tackling a Ph.D. program. Our 'general track' is ideal for this purpose, and allows students to build knowledge and critical skills.

We believe that our Ph.D. program is well suited for the following types of students.

• Students interested in Cultural Heritage, Historical Anthropology and Archaeology, Curation, Language Retention, Historical Linguistics, Applied Anthropology, Bioarchaeology, Human Variation, Archaeology, and Socio-Cultural Anthropology.

• Practicing cultural resource managers who wish to earn the Ph.D.
• Students seeking a career with a University, Cultural Resource Management Firm, Museum, Governmental Agency, or NGO.

Strengths of our Faculty

The archaeology faculty have regional interests that include North America and Europe. Theoretical specializations include archaeological methods, cultural resources management, exchange, quantitative archaeology, ceramics, and lithics. Labs are available, and opportunities exist for graduate research using historic and prehistoric sites and collections.

The focus within anthropological linguistics is on the Salishan language family, especially the Okanagan language, and language preservation and retention. Opportunities exist for field work with speakers of Native American languages.

The focus within physical anthropology is on forensic anthropology, dental anthropology, and paleoanthropology, A laboratory and an anthropometric database is available to provide opportunities for graduate research.

Program Requirements for the MA Degree in Anthropology

1. Graduate seminars
2. Elective classes
3. A significant creative scholarly work, such as a thesis, professional paper, portfolio, or museum exhibit.

There are 4 ways to complete these requirements: the general option, the cultural heritage option, the forensic anthropology option, and the linguistics option. Each of these options a slightly different emphasis reflected in the exact seminars, elective classes, and creative work required.

Click here to see the program and option requirements in detail.

Program Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Cultural Heritage Studies and Historical Anthropology

1. Graduate seminars
2. Elective classes
3. A comprehensive examination
4. A dissertation, based on original scholarly research

Click here to see the program and option requirements in detail.

Application to the Program

Application Deadlines:

• For Fall Semester -- February 15
• For Spring Semester -- October 15

Graduate student applicants may apply online at http://www.umt.edu/grad/apply/default.htm.

In addition to the general Graduate School admission requirements applicants must have:

• Adequate preparation in anthropology and show potential to undertake advanced study and research as evidenced by an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4 point scale,

  Adequate preparation in anthropology should include 1 class in each of the four subfields of anthropology (archaeology, linguistic anthropology, physical anthropology, and socio-cultural anthropology), a class in statistics, and completion of a foreign language or other symbolic systems sequence. Students who do not have this background upon entering the program will normally be asked to remedy any deficiencies before graduating.

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores: a total at least 800 as the sum of the verbal and quantitative sections, and a score of at least 3 on the analytical writing section.
• Favorable letters of recommendation, and
• A letter of intent showing a clear goal.
• Applicants who wish to apply for a Teaching Assistantship, should print and fill out a TA Application Form, and include it along with their application.

Occasionally, students deficient in one or more of these areas, but showing promise, may be admitted provisionally. Applicants will not be admitted if no faculty advisor with matching expertise is available.

Financial Assistance

A small number of teaching and research assistantships is available. Most are usually awarded to students who have completed part of the program. One or more teaching assistantships may be available for enrolled American Indian students. All assistantships are competitive and awarded on the basis of merit. Teaching assistants generally assist with two classes each semester and receive a stipend plus a partial waiver of fees.

Additional Information

To learn more about graduate programs at The University of Montana, Missoula, take a look at the Graduate School Home Page.

For a quick summary of what it takes to earn a MA degree in Anthropology at the University of Montana - Missoula, take a look at our requirements checklist.

To see how you could complete the program in two years see our model schedule for the general track or the cultural heritage track.

Here is a list of our faculty.

Here is a list of Classes we offer (From the Online Catalog).

Here is the TA Application Form.

Back to the Graduate Program Page

About the Department of Anthropology

Go to the Anthropology Home Page