University of Texas at Arlington
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
M.A. Program in Anthropology
GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK
INTRODUCTION
This handbook is meant to provide a compact source of information and
guidance for graduate students in anthropology at UTA. It is meant as a
supplement to, not a substitute for, the UTA Graduate Catalog, which is the
University's official source of information on Graduate School regulations,
policies, and courses.
All comments and suggestions regarding this document should be directed to
the Anthropology Graduate Advisor, Dr. Shelley Smith. Although every effort has
been made to ensure that the statements in this handbook are accurate, students
should verify all requirements and deadlines. The provisions in this document do
not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student,
or faculty member, and The University of Texas at Arlington Department of
Sociology and Anthropology or Graduate School, or The University of Texas
System.
GRADUATE FACULTY
Joseph W. Bastien
M. Kathryn Brown
Ritu G. Khanduri
Karl M. Petruso
Shelley L. Smith
Christian Zlolniski
ADJUNCT GRADUATE FACULTY
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The M.A. Program in Anthropology at The University of Texas at
Arlington provides students with a general education in three subfields of
anthropology: cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology.
The program stresses an integrative approach to the discipline. Graduate study
in anthropology at UTA trains students to understand human behavior in an
evolutionary, adaptive, and holistic cultural context.
Two educational objectives are envisioned. One is to provide an M.A. degree
that will prepare students interested in admission to Ph.D. programs in
anthropology. The other aim is to give students methodological and conceptual
skills that apply to related professions in health, teaching, social work,
forensics, museum work and environmental studies.
The Masters of Arts in Anthropology at UTA has two tracks. The Thesis
option requires completion of an M.A. thesis and should be undertaken by
students who intend to pursue the Ph.D. or are oriented toward academic
research. Such students will put their training into practice by carrying out an
original research project and writing an M.A. thesis. This option provides a
broad foundation in anthropological theory and method, as well as the
opportunity for specialized work in a particular subfield under close faculty
guidance. The Thesis track requires 30 semester credit hours.
The Non-Thesis option is recommended for students who wish to learn
anthropological skills and perspectives to enhance their careers in other
fields, or in the field of 'applied anthropology.' Anthropology offers such
methodological skills as participant observation and cross-cultural analysis as
means for understanding human variation and behavior. Students learning these
skills will be able to bring them to bear in a supervised internship relating to
their career field. The Non-Thesis track requires 36 semester credit hours,
ordinarily including a three-semester-hour practicum.
Under both options, the student must meet the requirements of the Graduate
School for the Masters degree as described in the UTA Graduate Catalog. After 12
semester hours, the student should decide upon the Thesis or Non-Thesis option
and an advisory committee should be chosen upon the completion of 18 semester
hours, if not before. A form is available from the graduate advisor to secure
the agreement of faculty to serve on a thesis or internship committee.
ANNUAL REVIEW
An evaluation of all graduate students enrolled in the program takes place
on an annual basis late in the spring semester. Students whose progress is for
any reason deemed unsatisfactory will be informed of this assessment and
provided with positive and supportive suggestions for improvement. It is to be
emphasized that under such circumstances positive change is imperative if the
student is to remain in the program. Specific suggestions will depend upon
actual circumstances pertinent to the individual case. In certain cases a
written contract between students and faculty may be drafted, specifying a
finite length of time within which demonstrable improvement or completion of a
project must be accomplished. Students should be aware that a faculty member may
at any time indicate to a student an unwillingness to continue in the capacity
of advisor if it is judged that acceptable progress is not being made.
ADMISSION
Procedures
Students interested in applying to the Anthropology graduate program must
follow the procedures outlined in the UTA Graduate Admissions Guide, which is
available in the office of the Graduate School, Room 333 Davis Hall. Students
must file an application with the Graduate School. Applications are inside the
guide. Other materials that should be forwarded to the Graduate School include
transcripts, application fees, and GRE scores. At least three letters of
recommendation should be sent to the Anthropology Graduate Advisor, Department
of Sociology and Anthropology, Box 19599, UT Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019. At
least two of the letters must be written by professors; the third may be from an
employer if necessary. A graduate catalog may be purchased from the University
bookstore.
Students should be cognizant of admission deadlines, which are listed in
the admissions guide. In general, students wishing to apply for the fall
semester should have all the necessary materials to the Graduate School no later
than the end of the third week of June. (For international students, the
deadline is early in April.) The deadline for admission for the spring semester
is in mid-October. Students who are interested in the Anthropology M.A. program
should make an appointment with the Graduate Advisor prior to completing their
application. Students requesting assistantships should submit a complete
application by the end of April.
Note: Prospective applicants can save themselves a world of anxiety by
having a complete application package for evaluation by the Graduate School and
the Anthropology faculty. Delays in sending transcripts or taking the GRE can
affect your admission.
Criteria for Admission
Once the Graduate School has received your application, it will be
forwarded to the Anthropology Graduate Advisor who, in conjunction with the
Anthropology Graduate Studies Committee, will make a recommendation for
admission/denial to the Dean of the Graduate School. Final determination on
admission or denial is made by the Graduate Dean. Since it can take about eight
weeks from application deadline to notification to the student, it is a good
idea for the student to keep track of his or her application status.
Criteria for admission to the Anthropology M.A. program are set by both the
Graduate School and the Anthropology program. Students are evaluated according
to the extent to which these criteria have been met, and recommendations by the
Anthropology Graduate Studies Committee are made accordingly. As explained
below, your admission status will be determined by a combination of
undergraduate grade point average, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and
background in anthropology.
Types of Admission
There are three types of admission to the M.A. Program in Anthropology:
• Unconditional admission means that the student has met all of the criteria set both by the Graduate School and the Anthropology Graduate Studies Committee.
• Probationary admission means that the student has not met one or more criteria but has demonstrated potential for success at the graduate level.
• Provisional admission means that the student is being accepted provided that stipulated conditions are met.
Applications may also be deferred or denied.
• Deferral means that the decision on a student's admission status has been delayed until such time as the student has either provided complete application information or made up one or more deficiencies.
• Denial means that the student has failed to meet the standards set by the Graduate School and/or the Anthropology Graduate Studies Committee and therefore has not been accepted into the M.A. program.
Admission status is determined by the combined value of GPA, GRE scores,
academic preparation, and letters of recommendation. Undergraduate GPA and GRE
requirements are set by the Graduate School. Relevant GRE score is the sum of
the verbal and quantitative scores. This total should be at least 1000. (A high
score on the analytical portion of the GRE will be viewed favorably as well.)
Relevant GPA is for the last 60 undergraduate hours. This GPA should be at least
3.0. Undergraduate level courses should include a minimum of one course at the
sophomore level or above in each of the three subfields offered by the program
(cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology).
Students should understand that the foregoing consists of the minimum
requirements set by the Graduate School and Anthropology Graduate Studies
Committee. Fulfilling minimum requirements does not automatically guarantee
acceptance since students are accepted on a space-available basis.
A student admitted with probationary status may not receive a C in any
course for the first 12 semester hours. A grade of C while on probation will
result in dismissal by the Graduate School. Completion of 12 graduate semester
hours without a C will alter a student's status to unconditional. A student on
probation should ordinarily not enroll for more than 6 semester hours per
semester, until such time as he or she is off probation. A student admitted
provisionally can remain in that status for one semester only.
FINANCIAL AID
(1) Teaching Assistantships
A limited number of university teaching assistantships are available to
qualified students. These assistantships may take the form of assisting a
professor by preparing and grading exams, giving occasional lectures, etc.
Advanced students may teach a section of a course independently. The
availability of teaching assistantships is limited. Only students who are
unconditionally admitted to the program and who are not currently on probation
may hold teaching assistantships. For announcements, check your department
mailbox.
Graduate students who wish to apply for teaching assistantships should send
a cover letter, rÈsumÈ, and any other relevant supporting documentation (such as
previous teaching experience or fieldwork) to the Graduate Advisor by the
application deadline. The deadline will be announced each semester for the
following semester's positions. The cover letter should indicate preference
regarding the type of assistantship (i.e., grader/professor's aide or sole
teaching responsibility). To be the sole instructor for a class, students must
have successfully completed 18 semester hours of graduate anthropology.
Applications for graduate student assistantships will be considered by the
Anthropology Graduate Studies Committee. Factors considered include GPA, GRE
scores, and the completion of basic required coursework. Preference is given to
advanced students and to students with relevant experience. Such experience
might include completion of a teaching seminar or a previously demonstrated
ability to teach, and/or fieldwork experience.
Appointments will ordinarily be for one semester at a time. Assistantships
will preferentially be awarded to students who cannot qualify for and obtain
alternative support, such as fellowships. Students are encouraged to seek
external funding. To hold an assistantship, students must enroll for nine
semester hours.
(2) Graduate Student Fellowships
A limited number of fellowships are available from the Graduate School.
Incoming students with excellent GPA and GRE scores should inquire about this
source of support.
(3) Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are occasionally available through faculty
grants or contracts. The faculty member holding the grant or contract, in
consultation with the Graduate Advisor and Program Director, awards such
research assistantships. Only students who are unconditionally admitted to the
program and who are in good academic standing are eligible for research
assistantships. Preference is given to advanced students in excellent standing,
those with relevant experience or those who are judged most able to participate
successfully in the research to be conducted, and those who do not have an
alternative source of funding.
(4) Other Financial Support
Other support, such as work-study funds, may also be available.
Students should check with the Financial Aid Office to determine eligibility for
work-study appointments. Work-study application forms are available through the
Financial Aid Office. If eligible, a student should notify the Graduate Advisor.
We may be able to fund more students than would otherwise be the case through
work-study funds.
ADVISING
The Role of the Graduate Advisor
The Graduate Advisor is the person with whom you should make initial
contact concerning the policies and requirements for the Anthropology M.A. The
Graduate Advisor must approve all registration, tentative and final programs of
work, and thesis or internship proposals. The Graduate Advisor will also be
available to you to discuss career plans and objectives, academic problems, or
other matters relating to your tenure in the M.A. program. It is your
responsibility to keep the Graduate Advisor informed of your progress and to
know relevant Graduate School deadlines through the various phases of the M.A.
program. Students have the ultimate responsibility for the timely completion of
all required paperwork.
After you choose a Thesis Advisor, the Graduate Advisor's role will change.
You will seek guidance mainly from your Thesis Advisor, although you should
still meet each semester with the Graduate Advisor to check on your progress and
to be cleared for registration.
The Role of the Supervising Professor (Thesis or Internship Advisor)
The supervising professor will work more closely with your thesis or
internship project than will any other member of the committee. He or she will
guide you through the theoretical and methodological issues involved in the
research or practicum, and will at the same time offer constructive criticism
and moral support throughout the process. In seeking a potential advisor, look
for an anthropology faculty member who is knowledgeable about the proposed
project. The supervising professor will have the greatest authority in assessing
your work and conveying your progress and level of effort to the rest of the
committee. If you are 'floundering' during research and/or writing, it is highly
recommended that you contact your advisor immediately for ideas on how to get
over hurdles. Your supervising professor is also an advocate and understands the
experience of the research process. He or she is familiar with the very common
experiences of writer's block, literature immersion, procrastination and other
temporary maladies that afflict graduate students during this phase of their
program.
The Role of the Thesis or Internship Committee
The goal of the advisory committee is to assist you in reaching a
certain level of anthropological competence and to evaluate that competence in
an objective and professional manner. The committee must consist of at least
three professors who are members of the graduate faculty. Two must be
anthropology faculty. The third member may come from outside the program; often
it is advantageous to gain the expertise of a faculty member from an allied
discipline.
In addition to your supervising professor, two (or more) other members of
your committee will provide supplementary guidance for the thesis or internship
project. These individuals also should be selected on the basis of their
knowledge of the research area. Your thesis/internship committee will meet with
you to approve the proposal, will read drafts of the thesis or report as it
progresses, and will discuss your results in the thesis defense or internship
presentation. Ultimately, the committee will evaluate your project and give
final approval to it.
The student should bear in mind at all times that the term 'advisory
committee' means just that! Responsibility for the creative process of problem
selection, proposal writing, research and analysis, and the final product
(including meeting Graduate School mechanical guidelines) lies with you.
ACADEMIC COURSE LOADS AND COURSE WORK
Academic Load
The normal full-time graduate academic load is from nine to twelve
credit hours per semester. Students with outside responsibilities generally
enroll for six or fewer hours per semester. Students holding graduate
assistantships may carry a maximum of twelve and a minimum of nine hours.
Seminars
Many of the graduate course offerings in the program are in the form of
seminars. Graduate seminars require the participation of students to a much
greater degree than most undergraduate courses. Students are expected to
contribute to discussions and to offer critical insight as well as to ask
questions. Another major distinction between undergraduate and graduate
coursework is the shift from textbooks (secondary sources) to research
monographs and journal articles (primary sources). Students in graduate seminars
are expected to perform the functions of synthesis and integration that
textbooks provide for undergraduates.
Conference Courses
Courses of individualized, directed study (ANTH 5392) may be taken with
a particular faculty member. The Graduate Advisor will advise students regarding
the areas of expertise of individual faculty members, but the student is
responsible for securing the agreement of the faculty member to supervise the
conference course. Because a conference course involves an additional teaching
load, a faculty member has the option to decline to give one. The following
regulations apply to graduate conference courses in anthropology:
The primary purpose of conference courses is to expand the student's
learning opportunities. If the student finds the need for training in areas not
covered by regular courses, he or she may request that a faculty member with
appropriate interests supervise a conference course. In such courses all
requirements and evaluations are decided upon by the faculty member in
consultation with the student.
The student must file an 'Application for Graduate Conference Course' form
with the Graduate Advisor before registration. Copies of this form are available
from the Graduate Advisor.
Following completion of the conference course, a copy of the 'Conference
Course Report' form must be filed with the Graduate Advisor before a grade can
be assigned and credit granted. The grades awarded are 'P' for passing or 'F'
for failure. It is the student's responsibility to prepare both of these forms
and to secure the instructor's signature on each.
Conference courses cannot be substituted for core coursework or topics
courses. Students should realize that taking multiple conference courses will
raise the number of hours earned prior to graduation.
Lab Fees
Modest lab fees are charged for some biological anthropology courses.
These fees are used for acquisition and upkeep of the program's teaching
collection of skeletal materials and fossil casts, which are heavily used in
these courses.
THESIS TRACK
Overview
The thesis track is recommended for those students wishing to pursue a
Ph.D. in Anthropology or for those who wish to do research. Writing a thesis
provides invaluable skills necessary for anthropologists: how to use adequately
the results supplied by others, how to contribute by his or her own
investigations, how to make the disconnected facts intelligible by theoretical
and methodological perspectives, and how to write this up in a thesis with
organizing principles, narrative skills, explanations, and conclusions. This
option provides the student with the opportunity to work closely with professor
mentors in a detailed research project. The student must first plan and propose
a research project with theoretical, methodological, and analytical
considerations. This may be done in a conference course with an advising
professor. The proposal is submitted to committee members for evaluation and
then a meeting is scheduled for approval of the proposal. The research project
may entail the collection of data through fieldwork, archival research, or the
implementation of some questionnaire or interview method. However, some students
analyze secondary data (i.e., information collected by other researchers). The
student then analyzes the data statistically, comparatively, or contextually.
Writing of the thesis is a valuable exercise in writing skills, organization,
and clarity of expression. The thesis must follow the format dictated by the
Graduate School. A student should submit a complete draft of the thesis to
advisors for evaluation one month before the defense. The thesis is defended at
a public forum before the thesis committee. Make certain to consult your
graduate catalog to keep abreast of thesis and thesis defense deadlines.
Requirements
Required/core courses are the following:
ANTH 5310: 3 hours
ANTH 5351: 3 hours
ANTH 5330: 6 hours
A graduate- or undergraduate-level statistics course (as determined by Thesis
Supervisor)*: 3 hours
Topics courses: 6 hours
Elective: 3 hours
Thesis: 6 hours
Total Semester Hours: 30
*Note: If Graduate Statistics is not taken, an additional Topic or Elective course (3 hours) is needed to achieve 30 graduate hours.
Students in the thesis track may apply up to six hours of thesis (ANTH
5398, 5698) toward their total of thirty hours of required graduate work. The
Graduate School requires that after initial enrollment in thesis hours, the
student must maintain continuous enrollment in thesis hours (summer terms
excluded) until the thesis has been accepted by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Students may enroll in ANTH 5398 until the semester they will graduate; for the
final graduating semester, they must enroll in 5698. The sooner students
complete the thesis successfully, the lower their total tuition expenses for the
M.A. degree.
Anthropological Theory (ANTH 5310) and The Emergence of Humankind (ANTH
5351) must be taken by all students. Two methods courses must also be taken.
Students take one course in ethnological methods. A choice may be made between
archaeological methods and bioanthropological methods. (Both of the latter may
be taken by interested students, in which case one will count as an elective or
topic course.)
The 6 required Topics hours must be in-class hours in
anthropology. Ordinarily, these hours should be at the graduate level; with the
approval of the graduate advisor and the professor of the course, one
upper-division 3 hour class at the undergraduate level in anthropology may be
elevated to graduate level and applied to the Topics requirement. Field school
hours, whether from UTA or transferred from another university, can count as
Elective hours but not Topics hours. The 3 hours of Electives may include
conference course hours (including for work on a thesis proposal), field school
hours, approved graduate hours from another program, or a suitably-elevated and
approved anthropology undergraduate course if such a course is not used to
fulfill a Topics requirement (i.e., a maximum of one elevated undergraduate
class in anthropology will be counted toward the degree requirements). If
graduate-level statistics is waived by the student’s committee chair, 6 Elective
hours are available.
INTERNSHIP TRACK
Overview
As part of the Non-Thesis Option for the Master of Arts degree, a
student may complete a minimum three-hour practicum in an endeavor relevant to
his or her academic interests. It is the intent of the practicum to provide
students with an opportunity to integrate their coursework in anthropology with
their current or intended career fields. Appropriate practicum experiences might
include work in museums, nonprofit concerns, local, state or federal agencies,
research organizations, or other institutions in either the private or the
public sector. A student may volunteer his or her time in fulfillment of the
practicum or be compensated in salary. Students must take a course in applied
anthropology either before undertaking the practicum or concurrently with it.
Internship students are advised to read the 'thesis track' section of this
handbook.
Students are encouraged to be creative in seeking out and designing a
practicum, and to discuss possibilities with the faculty. The practicum should
involve at least an amount of time in hours per week equivalent to the time that
would be invested in a three-hour graduate course.
Requirements
Required/Core courses: 12 hours
ANTH 5310
ANTH 5351
ANTH 5330 (2)
A graduate- or undergraduate-level statistics course (as determined by the Committee Chair)*: 3 hours
Topics courses: 12 hours
Elective: 3 hours
Practicum: 3 hours
Course in Applied Anthropology: 3 hoursTotal Semester Hours: 36
*Note: If Graduate Statistics is not taken, an additional Topics or Elective course (3 hours) is needed to achieve 36 graduate hours.
A committee of three, including an academic supervisor, will be chosen
by the student. This committee will be responsible for reading the student's
final report and administering the student's oral presentation. In addition, the
student will identify an outside supervisor to guide his or her practicum work.
The 9 required Topics hours must be in-class hours in
anthropology. Ordinarily, these hours should be at the graduate level; with the
approval of the graduate advisor and the professor of the course, one
upper-division 3 hour class at the undergraduate level in anthropology may be
elevated to graduate level and applied to the Topics requirement. Field school
hours, whether from UTA or transferred from another university, can count as
Elective hours but not Topics hours. The 6 hours of Electives may include
conference course hours (including for work on a thesis proposal), field school
hours, approved graduate hours from another program, or a suitably-elevated and
approved anthropology undergraduate course if such a course is not used to
fulfill a Topics requirement (i.e., a maximum of one elevated undergraduate
class in anthropology will be counted toward the degree requirements). If
graduate-level statistics is waived by the student’s committee chair, 9 Elective
hours are available.
DEPARTMENT FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS
Computing Facilities
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has both Macintoshes and PCs
available at their computer labs conveniently located in various buildings
throughout the campus. There are computer labs in the Main Library (5th floor),
in Ransom Hall, and in University Hall (basement), to name just a few. For
further information regarding the location and hours of operation for all of the
ACS computer facilities, visit the ACS website at http://www.2.uta.edu/acslabs/index.htm.
Field Experience
Often field schools are given during the summer. Announcements are made
in the Spring. Students may also wish to attend field schools offered by other
universities. Also, through their contacts around the world, faculty members may
be able to place graduate students in archaeological and ethnographic research
projects operated by other institutions. For details see individual faculty
members.
Anthropology Lab
The department has a laboratory/classroom facility located on the
fourth floor of University Hall. Additional lab and storage space is available
in the basement of University Hall.
There exists a very good teaching skeletal collection, donated to the
program by a local biomedical company in 2000. In addition, the department has
many cast materials available for study. The lab fees students pay for
biological anthropology classes help in the augmentation and curation of these
collections.
Anthropology Club; Lambda Alpha
A very active Anthropology Club provides undergraduate and graduate
students with ample opportunities to listen to outside speakers, for informal
get-togethers, and for networking and companionship. Graduate students are
encouraged to participate.
Lambda Alpha is a national anthropology honors organization which
particularly encourages and invites graduate students to join. This organization
provides opportunities to discuss research as well as to listen to speakers.