Department ofAnthropology
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Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Graduate students typically work in one of our four research foci:

  • Environmental archaeology: zooarchaeology, environmental DNA, ethnoarchaeology
  • Human evolutionary biology: functional morphology, ancient DNA, evolutionary medicine, evolution and human behavior, behavioral endocrinology and genetics
  • Ecological anthropology: behavioral ecology, landscape ecology
  • Ethnographic approaches to health and demography: social processes and environmental change, climate change, risk and adaptation

Graduate students work closely with their adviser; before you apply, correspond with the faculty member you would like to work with.

Dual-Title Degrees

Please note that we have several formal dual-title degrees. Even if you are not considering a formal dual-title degree program, all anthropology students are encouraged to work with faculty in other departments and colleges as a normal part of their graduate program.

Program Requirements

All first-year Ph.D. and Masters/IUG students are required to take the three core seminars and pass final exams for each during the first year of study. Students are also required to take a minimum of 6 units of analytical and methodological training and may be required to take an additional 6 units of advanced seminars as required by their plan of study proposal. While in residence, all students are expected to participate regularly in the departmental Colloquium. There is no requirement for additional coursework beyond the comprehensive exam.

Fall Year 1

  • ANTH 560: Ecology, Evolution, and Human Behavior
  • ANTH 571: Principles of Human Evolutionary Biology
  • ANTH 588: Method and Theory in Archaeology

Spring Year 1

  • ANTH 541: Current literature and research design (3 credits)
  • Qualifying exam

Fall Year 2

  • ANTH 573: Anthropology Research Practicum
  • Plan of study proposal

Spring Year 2

  • ANTH 509: Proposal writing
  • ANTH 541: Current literature and research design (2 credits)

Fall Year 3

  • Other courses as described in your plan of study proposal

Spring Year 3

  • Other courses as described in your plan of study proposal
  • Comprehensive exam

The qualifying exam is required of all students in the Ph.D. graduate program and will take place at the end of the first year. Scheduling is determined by arrangement with the DGS and appropriate faculty members.

At the end of the first semester of the second year, students will submit a Plan of Study Proposal. The Proposal serves as the graded component of ANTH 573 Anthropology Research Practicum and is written in consultation with the adviser. It consists of:

  1. List of doctoral committee members
  2. Description of at least three areas of expertise (one theoretical, and two either methodological, topical, or regional in focus) along with a reading list of at least 50 sources in each area
  3. Doctoral dissertation timeline that includes all coursework taken thus far,  any remaining coursework and/or lab work that needs to be accomplished before the comprehensive exam, including the required 6 units of methodological/analytical training and up to 6 units of other specialized coursework, and all the necessarily components through the semester planned for graduation (e.g. data collection, writing, defense), and
  4. 3- to 4-page research proposal. The plan of study proposal may also include requirements for reading knowledge and/or demonstrated working knowledge of a foreign language, specialized training in linguistics, or training in programming languages, depending on the student’s research interests. The areas of expertise and associated reading list will form the basis for the student’s comprehensive exam.

The comprehensive exam determines the student’s readiness to conduct doctoral research in their area of specialty. Students should ideally schedule their comprehensive exam for the spring semester of their third year of study but are required to do so no later than the spring semester of their fourth year. The comprehensive exam consists of:

  1. Written research proposal
  2. Public oral presentation of the proposed dissertation research project of about an hour including time for questions from the audience (recommended max. 45-minute presentation); and
  3. Private oral exam with the committee based on questions arising from the proposal, the presentation, and the areas of expertise/reading list detailed in the plan of study.

The doctoral dissertation is intended to be a demonstration of the ability to plan and execute a research program/project, and to present the results in a form consistent with the professional standards of the student’s special field of research. Although the process is carried out under the supervision of the doctoral committee, initiative, independence, and originality are expected from the student. Students have the option of organizing their dissertation either as a cohesive set of chapters (book format), or as a set of 3-5 publishable papers, at their adviser’s or committee’s discretion. If students intend to organize the dissertation in the submitted paper format, they should include introductory and concluding chapters that synthesize the work as a whole.

The final oral defense consists of two parts. First, the doctoral candidate presents a public lecture of about an hour, which includes time for questions from the audience. Second, the doctoral committee conducts an extended and detailed examination of the candidate in private.

  1. Advance to candidacy (pass the qualifying exam) no later than the end of the third semester.
  2. Complete all required coursework (not including electives) with a B or better by the end of the second year.
  3. Maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.3.
  4. Submit a plan of study proposal, including forming a formal doctoral committee, identifying a research project and areas of specialty, 3-4-page research proposal, and a reading list no later than the end of the fourth semester.
  5. Produce a written proposal and pass the comprehensive exam no later than the end of the eighth semester of residency.
  6. Complete research and be awarded the doctorate no later than the twelfth semester.
  7. Complete all RA and TA assignments with satisfactory performance assessments.
  8. Attend colloquium regularly and participate in department functions.
  9. Engage in department service activities.
  10. Maintain a primary adviser within the department in the first year, and following the Plan of Study Proposal, maintain an appropriate doctoral committee. Absence of a functioning committee or primary adviser for more than two months will constitute a failure to maintain adequate progress.
  11. Adhere to normal standards of collegial and professional conduct, specifically:
    1. Demonstrate ethical, professional, and courteous behavior toward other students, staff, and faculty.
    2. Recognize and respect the diversity within our community consistent with Penn State’s overall commitment to diversity and inclusion.
    3. Be proactive about communicating needs, concerns, etc. with faculty and staff and understand that communication is a two-way endeavor.
    4. In interactions with faculty and staff, take into consideration competing constraints on their time.
    5. Inform relevant faculty of potential and/or existing conflicts, and work toward their resolution. If a solution cannot be reached, students should seek assistance from graduate program chairs, department heads, college administrators of graduate education, or the Graduate School.
    6. Recognize that while faculty and staff are there to assist and guide students, the student bears the primary responsibility for the successful completion of their degree.
    7. Discuss expectations and goals regarding academic performance and progress toward degree completion with advisers, committees, and other relevant faculty members. This includes seeking mentoring and support/resources beyond the faculty adviser (e.g. other faculty members, peers, and organizations).
    8. Maintain the highest ethical standards and academic integrity in all aspects of scholarship, teaching, research, and other responsibilities.
    9. Be familiar with program and Graduate Council policies governing graduate education and adhere to all program, Graduate Council, and Graduate School policies and deadlines.
    10. Act proactively to improve research and scholarship skills (e.g. writing, presenting, teaching, etc.) and take an active role in their own professional development.

Fall Year 1

  • ANTH 560: Ecology, Evolution, and Human Behavior
  • ANTH 571: Principles of Human Evolutionary Biology
  • ANTH 588: Method and Theory in Archaeology

Spring Year 1

  • ANTH 541: Current literature and research design (3 credits)
  • Qualifying exam

Fall Year 2

  • ANTH 573: Anthropology Research Practicum
  • Plan of study proposal

Spring Year 2

  • ANTH 509: Proposal writing
  • ANTH 541: Current literature and research design (2 credits)

Fall Year 3

  • Other courses as described in your plan of study proposal

Spring Year 3

  • Other courses as described in your plan of study proposal
  • Comprehensive exam

All students are required to enroll in a one-credit literature review seminar during the first six semesters of study (2 for Master’s students).  These seminars, which are also known as “journal clubs,” meet each week and are attended by faculty and the graduate students for the purpose of reviewing and discussing current articles published in key journals or recent books.

  • ANTH 541: Current Literature in Integrative Anthropology

While in residence, all students are expected to participate regularly in the departmental Colloquium.

The core method and theory courses will serve as the basis for the qualifying exam, which will take place at the end of the first year for all PhD students.  A qualifying exam is required of all students in the PhD graduate program. Scheduling is determined by arrangement with the DGS and appropriate faculty members.

The comprehensive exam consists of a written proposal and an oral defense of the proposal. This “exam” determines the student’s readiness to conduct doctoral research in their area of specialty. Students should schedule the proposal defense by the end of their second or beginning of their third year of study. A final version of the dissertation proposal must be circulated by the student to all committee members at least three weeks in advance of the defense. No examination will be administered until the dissertation committee is satisfied with the proposal.

In order to provide a framework for evaluating student progress, the faculty has devised the following model for the graduate program, including both the master’s and doctoral programs. 

All Masters and PhD students:

  1. Complete all required coursework by the end of the 4th semester.
  2. Complete the SARI requirement by the end of their 4th semester.
  3. Complete the MA paper or thesis and all thirty credits required for the master’s degree by the end of the fourth semester.

PhD students only:

  1. Complete and pass the qualifying exam by the beginning of the third semester.
  2. Complete ANTH 509 (with a grade of B or better) by the end of their third semester.
  3. Assemble a full committee including at least one member from outside the department, and three within, at least one of whom agrees to serve as chair by the end of their 4th semester. If there is a minor or dual-title, there must be a representative from that program on your official committee.
  4. Complete two concurrent semesters (summer sessions not included) of full-time study within a twelve month period to fulfill the University residency requirement.
  5. Complete and defend a doctoral dissertation proposal (comprehensive exam) during the 4th or 5th semesters. After passing this exam, students are considered to have ABD (all but dissertation) standing.  In case of failure, it is the responsibility of the doctoral committee to determine whether the candidate may continue in the program and try again to defend the proposed research.
  6. In all cases, the student must make acceptable progress in order to retain funding. This includes satisfactory teaching assistantship or research assistantship performance; maintenance of a viable committee, etc. Failure to have an adequate evaluation in the spring, or if negative issues arise earlier, may lead to termination of funding as decided by the GAC.

The PhD dissertation is intended to be a demonstration of the ability to plan and execute a research program/project, and to present the results in a form consistent with the professional standards of the student’s special field of research.  Although the process is carried out under the supervision of the doctoral committee, initiative, independence, and originality are expected from the student.

An examination in defense of the thesis is scheduled with the approval of the committee chair.  The timing of this examination should be such that final changes in the dissertation that may result can be incorporated, and the dissertation submitted to the Thesis Office, before graduation deadlines.

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