Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2012-2013 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Anthropology, M.A.


The Department of Anthropology and Sociology offers programs within the College of Arts and Letters leading to the master of arts degree in anthropology.

General academic and admission requirements for all graduate degrees are set forth in the front section of the Bulletin. The Anthropology Graduate Admissions Committee will review the following materials in determining an applicant’s eligibility for admission as a regular student in the program: (1) three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic background and qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study; (2) a statement of purpose which describes the applicant’s reasons for wishing to pursue a graduate degree in anthropology and the subfield of specialization which he/she intends to pursue; (3) undergraduate transcript (successful applicants in the past have had an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or above on the last 60 hours); and (4) official GRE scores (all sections). Students who fail to meet the entrance criteria on one of the four dimensions but who show considerable promise based on the other criteria will be considered for conditional admission. Members of all underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Master of Arts


A minimum of thirty-three (33) semester hours, fifteen (15) of which must be earned at the 600 level or above; and completion of three seminars in anthropology (ANT 621 , ANT 631 , ANT 641 ) with a 3.0 GPA in these courses. No more than six (6) hours of field methods courses (ANT 516 , ANT 536 ) and no more than nine (9) hours of independent study courses (ANT 692 , ANT 792 ) will be applied toward the degree. Also required is proficiency in one foreign language or quantitative research methods; successful completion of a comprehensive examination; a thesis defense; and submission of an approved thesis or project. A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement: Students must meet the requirement specified in the front section of this Bulletin.

Responsible Conduct of Research Training: All faculty holding Regular or Associate graduate faculty status, must complete RCR training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments. All graduate students must complete the RCR training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments the first semester they are enrolled in graduate school. The RCR policy and training information are found on the Graduate School web page – www.usm.edu/graduateschool. Contact the Dean of the Graduate School if you have any questions regarding the policy of training information.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plans of Study” link.

Dual Master’s Degrees Program in Anthropology and History


Description of Program

This program, leading to master degrees in anthropology and history, emphasizes applied aspects of cultural and heritage studies to prepare graduates to work in public settings such as museums, archives, historic preservation, oral history programs, or in government or private-sector heritage resource management.

Students must apply to and be accepted by both master’s programs. Students pursue the two degrees simultaneously, and neither degree is awarded until the entire program is completed. Students who withdraw from the dual master’s program in favor of one of the two disciplines will be bound by the degree requirements of that discipline.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plans of Study” link.

A. Coursework:


B. Comprehensive Examination in Anthropology


C. Comprehensive Examination in History


D. Proficiency in One Foreign Language or Quantitative Methods


E. Thesis


Dual Master’s Degrees Program in Anthropology and Library Science


General Provisions

Students must apply and be accepted to both master programs. Students pursue the two degrees simultaneously and neither degree is awarded until the entire program is completed. Students who withdraw from the dual master’s program in favor of one of the two disciplines will be bound by the degree requirements of that discipline. In the event that either one of the two programs should change its master’s requirements, incoming students will be held to the new requirement(s) and currently enrolled students will be “grandfathered.” Students must gain approval for their thesis topics from both programs. The successful thesis must also be approved by both programs. This means that students must have a thesis committee on which faculty from both programs serve.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the second semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plans of Study” link.

A. Coursework:


1. Required:


A total of 60 hours (30 hours each) in LIS and ANT (not including Graduate School mandated foreign language/quantitative research requirements). Students must take 18 hours at the 600 level in each program.

2. Electives


a. Library Science (6 hours)

b. Anthropology (18-21 hours)

*No more than 6 hours of field methods courses (ANT 516  and ANT 536 ); no more than 9 hours of independent study (ANT 692 /ANT 792 )

Note:

*Number of anthropology hours must total 30.

B. Proficiency in One Foreign Language or Quantitative Research Methods


Proficiency in one foreign language (see Graduate Bulletin) or two semesters (6 hours) of graduate level quantitative research methods. (0-9 hours)

C. Comprehensive exam in Library and Information Science


D. Comprehensive exam in Anthropology


E. Thesis


Dual Master’s Degrees Program in Anthropology and Public Health


Description of Program

This program, leading to masters degrees in anthropology and community health, focuses on the interaction of culture, society, and health from both the theoretical and applied perspectives. It is designed to prepare graduates to work in organizations such as hospitals, government agencies, and non-profit groups, especially in non-Western nations or culturally diverse settings within the U.S.

Students must apply to and be accepted by both master’s programs. Students pursue the two degrees simultaneously, and neither degree is awarded until the entire program is completed. Students who withdraw from the dual master’s program in favor of one of the two disciplines will be bound by the degree requirements of that discipline.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement: Students must meet the requirement specified in the front section of this Bulletin.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plans of Study” link.