Anthropology

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Justice Studies at the University of Idaho offers a Master of Arts in Anthropology, with specific focus in prehistoric and historical archaeology, sociocultural anthropology, American Indian studies and physical anthropology.

The graduate program includes class work, seminars, directed studies, independent research, a thesis and a combined final oral exam and thesis defense. The curriculum provides sound training in general anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology and ethnology. You will work alongside faculty members whose research specialties include historical archaeology; prehistoric Northwest archaeology; plateau indian ethnography; human evolution; and indigenous peoples of South America.

Graduate students have convenient access to the department’s outstanding artifact collections and well-equipped laboratories. The metal cleaning and preservation facilities are among the largest and most modern in the West.

Prepare for Success

Candidates for the anthropology graduate program must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA). An undergraduate major in anthropology is not required, but you may need to take additional undergraduate courses in anthropology once you begin the program. You also must demonstrate competence in each of the four subfields of anthropology: general anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology and ethnology.

Applicants must also have preparation in statistics. Proficiency in one non-English language is strongly recommended.

Your First Year

The Master of Arts in Anthropology (M.A. Anthropology) program includes completion of 30 credits plus a foreign language proficiency examination or 36 credits and no foreign language requirement. If you did not take at least one course as an undergraduate in each of the four subfields of anthropology and a course in statistics, you will complete these courses at the beginning of your graduate program. No graduate credit will be awarded for courses taken to satisfy such deficiencies. The M.A. Anthropology also requires completion of a thesis.


Core courses of the M.A. Anthropology program include:

• Anth 510 – Research Methods in Anthropology
• Anth 511 – Human Evolution
• Anth 521 – Contemporary Issues in Anthropological Theory
• Anth 530 – Introduction to Archeological Method and Theory

What You Can Do

A master’s degree in anthropology will greatly enhance your career opportunities in the field. You may become a: 

• Analyst
• Applied anthropologist
• Archaeologist
• Archivist
• Conservator
• Cultural anthropologist
• Curator
• Ecologist
• Educator/Teacher/Professor
• Forensic Scientist
• Health services provider
• Market researcher
• Museum exhibit designer
• Park guide/ranger
• Physical anthropologist
• Project evaluator
• Researcher

Opportunities

Anthropology is a fascinating, far-reaching field that involves direct and long-term engagement in the lives of those you seek to understand, whether it is as an archaeologist, who studies those who lived long ago or as an ethnographer, who works among those who are now living. You may have opportunities for exciting fieldwork, including archaeological digs, participant observations of other cultures, archival research and much more.

A Master of Arts in Anthropology will greatly enhance your career opportunities in the field. Graduates of the program may pursue careers in:

• Museums
• Zoos
• Government
• International businesses
• Nonprofit organizations
• Banks
• Private industry
• Health care agencies
• Advertising/marketing agencies
  
• Cultural organizations
• Social service agencies
• Educational institutions

Current Research

University of Idaho faculty in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Justice Studies are recognized for their research and expertise in:

• Indigenous peoples of North America
• American culture with an emphasis on the working class, community, religion and gender
• Prehistory of the Columbia plateau region
  
• Evolution of the hominoids in South China, Southeast Asia (especially Java) and Australia
• Indigenous peoples of South America, particularly of the Amazon region
• Questions of minority group identity
• Historical archaeology of Asian Americans in the West, specifically Chinese American and Japanese American sites, artifacts and history

Hands-On Experience

The department is home to the Laboratory of Anthropology, which houses collections and provides a laboratory environment for student research, teaching and hands-on experience. The laboratory also holds the Archive of Pacific Northwest Anthropology, Archaeological Survey of Idaho Northern Repository, historical and prehistoric archaeological collections, and the Asian American Comparative Collection. The metal cleaning and preservation facilities are among the largest and most modern in the West. 

Each candidate for the Master of Arts in Anthropology will conduct independent research and will complete a thesis.