Anthropology PhD

The Ph.D. program assumes previous broad anthropological training in the undergraduate major and competence in a special field at the master's level (see Graduate Studies in Anthropology). Ph.D. programs are flexible in content and are constructed individually within the field of specialization by the candidate, in consultation with the appropriate faculty.

Students working toward the Ph.D. degree in anthropology who prefer to pursue a program leading to a specialization in, for example, linguistic anthropology, may elect to take a joint degree. The requirements for such candidates will be determined by the certification committee, which includes members of the participating departments, and must be approved by the Graduate School.

Within the doctoral program, students are expected to seek additional training in areas relating to the field of concentration; in most cases, such related subjects may be taken as the required minor program. The archaeologist, for example, should elect course work in surveying, geology, cartography, zoology, history, and so on, depending on special interests. The biological anthropologist is expected to take work in comparative anatomy, human anatomy, genetics, and other biological sciences. The cultural or social anthropologist are encouraged to take further work in area studies, geography, history, history of science, linguistics, political science, psychology, sociology, and related fields.

The university and vicinity provide many opportunities and facilities for training and research including specialized area and language programs, accessible American Indian reservations, significant archaeological sites, and important archaeological collections. Anthropological fieldwork is conducted in various parts of the world, and there is normally an archaeological field school every second summer. The department has major laboratories for biological anthropology and archaeology, and collaborates with the Center for Climatic Research. The archaeology laboratories maintain comparative collections; microscopes; a thin-section lab; a lab of archaeological chemistry; computerized drafting equipment; and modern drafting, computing, and analytical equipment for research and teaching. Facilities for training and research in biological anthropology include well-equipped laboratories for human and nonhuman primate skeletal biology, wet lab facilities, and computational laboratory with 3D printing and morphometrics, in addition to two large teaching laboratories.

Concentrations within the major are available in archaeology, social and cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, or an intersectional degree track (see description below).

All programs assume that candidates have had general undergraduate training in the discipline equivalent to that required of an undergraduate major at UWMadison. SeeAnthropology.

INTERSECTIONAL DEGREE TRACK

Occasionally students have special interests that can be pursued only through a combined program involving two or more of the subdisciplines within the program. Examples might include paleoanthropology, ethnoarchaeology, or biocultural anthropology. The department offers an intersectional degree track as an option for these special cases. Interested students should write a carefully prepared statement of intent at the time of application to graduate school. This area of study may take longer to complete, and it is strongly suggested that students who are interested in an intersectional program begin in one of the three major sections prior to making this commitment. Admission to the intersectional program requires prior approval by faculty in each section, and students should contact appropriate faculty before writing their statement.

1. Articulates research problems, potentials, and limits with respect to theory, knowledge, or practice within in either biological, archaeological or cultural anthropology in seminar papers and preliminary exam.
2. Formulates ideas, concepts, designs, and/or techniques beyond the current boundaries of knowledge in one of the three subfields above in the preliminary exam and dissertation.
3. Carry out original anthropological research and produce publishable work in the field including the writing of a dissertation; have a command of one or more foreign languages suited to their research when appropriate; actively compete for major intra- and extramural research grants; and teach effectively as assistants to professors in the department.
4. Communicate complex ideas in a clear and understandable manner.
5. Follows ethical principles of the discipline including respect and sensitivity to host cultures and communities, inclusiveness and diversity, civility and colleagiality, and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.