Anthropology, MA

The master of arts degree signifies an important step in a student’s scholarly development. The requirements for an M.A. degree in anthropology at Syracuse University emphasize comprehensive understanding of the discipline and the mutual articulation of its constituent subfields.

Required coursework and the qualifying examination reflect the department’s intent to expose students to the breadth of anthropology prior to their engaging in more narrowly defined scholarly studies and doctoral research.

1. Credit and core courses requirements:

30 graduate credits that include at least four core courses of which two form a sequence within either the cultural or the archaeological subdiscipline (ANT 611 -ANT 711 for cultural students; ANT 641 -ANT 741 for archaeology students) and at least two core courses in other subdisciplines.

The core courses are:

ANT 611 - History of Anthropological Theory 3 credit(s)
ANT 612 - Ethnology 3 credit(s)
ANT 631 - Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology 3 credit(s)
ANT 641 - Anthropological Archaeology 3 credit(s)
ANT 672 - Language, Culture, and Society 3 credit(s)
ANT 711 - Current Anthropological Theory 3 credit(s)
ANT 741 - Archaeological Theory 3 credit(s)

Additional Information

Students are expected to complete core courses and qualifying examinations within the first two years in residence.

2. Qualifying examination:

Successful completion of the qualifying examinations in History of Anthropological Theory and Ethnography for cultural students and Archaeological Method and Theory for archaeology students.

3. Writing requirement:

Students who do not continue beyond the master’s level are required to submit a master’s paper, which is a significant piece of work on a subject of the student’s choosing, and approved by the advisor. Minimally, it should demonstrate original thinking and knowledge of the literature on a given area, topic, or issue. See “Position Papers ” for the writing requirements leading to a doctoral degree.

4. Tools and methods requirement:

Cultural students choose either:

ANT 681 - Ethnographic Techniques 3 credit(s) or
ANT 684 - Social Movement Research Methods 3 credit(s)

Archaeology students choose one of the following:

ANT 642 - Methods in Archaeology 3 credit(s) or
ANT 644 - Laboratory Analysis in Archaeology 3 credit(s)

Archaeological Field training or Field Program

Archaeology students must also fulfill a field training course (ANT 643 - Advanced Field Methods in Archaeology ) or complete an accredited archaeological field program.

5. Advisor and master’s committee:

Students are expected to select an advisor by December 15 of their second year in residence. (The graduate director will serve as an interim advisor until an advisor is selected.)