Explore an advanced degree consisting of a combination of coursework, independent study, and mentored research.
About the Program
Ph.D. students in Anthropology are advised by a major advisor and other faculty members representing the student's major and minor foci of study. Doctoral students must show a broad factual and theoretical background in the fields of anthropology, authoritative knowledge of a special field of research, a thorough grasp of research methods, and good critical judgment.
In addition to our traditional Ph.D. program, the School of Anthropology is also pleased to offer a dual Ph.D. program in Anthropology - Middle Eastern and North African Studies (MENAS) and a joint Ph.D. program in Anthropology - Linguistics.
Most students admitted to our programs have communicated with potential advisors before submitting their applications. Prospective students are therefore strongly encouraged to contact potential advisors via email to share their interests and confirm that they will accept students. Faculty expect and welcome this contact.
Anthropology Program Strengths
In addition to the four sub-disciplines of anthropology (Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Sociocultural Anthropology), the School of Anthropology has a number of program strengths and expert faculty in these areas.
- Anthropology of the Southwest
- Anthrozoology
- Community-Based Research and Cultural Heritage in Arizona and the Southwest
- Ecological and Evolutionary Anthropology
- Health, Medicine, and Discursive Practice
- International Migration, Borders, and Refugees
- Mediterranean Studies (including Archaeology of the Mediterranean World)
- Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
Degree Requirements
The dissertation requires the equivalent of at least 48 units of class credit, including 36 units in the major and 12 to 15 units in the minor. This equates to a minimum of two semesters of full-time work after completing the M.A., assuming 30 units are transferred from the M.A.
In addition, at least 18 units of ANTH 920 (dissertation units) are required. With the prior approval of the student's dissertation committee and the Head of the School, dissertation work may be done in absentia. In addition to the unit requirements, there are foreign language, statistics, and written and oral comprehensive examination requirements for the doctorate.
Ph.D. Minor Requirements
All Ph.D. students in the School of Anthropology are required to have a major and a minor component in their academic program, following the rules of the UArizona Graduate College.
The School of Anthropology offers many ways to satisfy this requirement:
- Minor in one of the four anthropology subfields other than the chosen major.
- Minor in another UArizona department or instructional unit.
- Multidisciplinary minors that combine two distinct disciplines.
- Minor in a Graduate Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program (GIDP).
- A synthetic minor in Anthropology, in one of the following topics:
- Applied Anthropology
- Ecological and Environmental Anthropology
- Medical Anthropology
- Southwest Land, Culture and Society