Anthropology (Ph.D.)

Basic Degree Information/Description

The Ph.D. program in Anthropology at UTSA offers a four-field approach to training and research in environmental anthropology. Environmental anthropology develops empirical understandings of how humans culturally construct and organize their environments, and of the power relations embedded in these activities. The over-riding research agenda is one of praxis, the merging of theory and practice toward new syntheses, new ways of understanding, and new forms of engagement. At base, therefore, environmental anthropology is an applied social science, expressly directing anthropological knowledge toward the resolution of real-world problems. The doctoral program in anthropology at UTSA will prepare leading professionals for applied fields as well as academic research and teaching careers. Graduate course offerings view environmental anthropology through multiple lenses: political economy, landscape ecology, cultural ecology and evolution, medical anthropology, and primate conservation and behavioral ecology.

Why pursue a Ph.D. in Anthropology at UTSA?

• Four-field training
• The focus of anthropology and the environment
• Varied field opportunities

Admission requirements and pre-requisites:

Admission Prerequisites:

• Required Degree: A B.A., B.S., or M.A. degree in anthropology or related area.
• Other Degree Requirements: None.

Application Requirements:

Admission to the program is limited and competitive. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Competitive applicants often exceed minimum requirements. Applicants must submit a complete Graduate School Application. For more specific requirements, please visit the Online Graduate Catalog.

• General University Requirements:A degree seeking applicant must meet university wide requirements.
• Application: A complete Graduate School application.
• Transcripts: Official transcripts from all institutions attended. All international transcripts must be recorded in English or officially translated to English.
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae: None.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation, attesting to the student’s academic and personal attributes for success in the program and potential for contributing substantially to a field of study related to the degree.
• Statement of Purpose: A 750-900 word statement describing research interests and purpose for pursuing the Ph.D. in Anthropology
• Test Scores: General GRE, not older than five years.
• Other: A writing sample.
• Evaluation of Foreign Credentials: All applicants including non-U.S. citizens (International), U.S. citizens (Domestic), or permanent residents who have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions are required to submit an evaluation from an approved Foreign Credential Agency of transcripts from all foreign institutions attended. If official transcripts are used in the foreign credential evaluation, the official transcript requirement will be considered met. However, if unofficial documents are used in the foreign credential evaluation, final official transcripts must be sent to UTSA.
  
  • An approved evaluation requires a detailed course-by-course evaluation. Summaries will not be accepted.
  • The Foreign Credentials Service of America (FCSA) is a private corporation that provides evaluations of foreign school credentials. The application is available at: Application for Credentials Evaluation.
  International Applicants:
  
  • IELTS: Minimum score of 6.5.
  • TOEFL: Minimum scores of 79 or 60 for Internet or paper versions, respectively.
  Additional Requirements: A degree seeking applicant must meet international graduate student admission requirements. 

Career Options

• Museum curators and anthropologists
• Cultural resource management
• Teachers
• Applied anthropology in non-governmental organizations
• Further graduate work, e.g. PhD, MPP, MPH, MD

Research Opportunities

Faculty research specializations include:

• Archaeology of the Maya lowlands and Andean South America
• Archaeology of Texas and the Greater Southwest
• Primate behavioral and conservation ecology in Southeast Asia and Africa
• Conservation and mining practices in the South Pacific
• Indigenous and environmental politics in lowland and Andean South America
• The cultural anthropology of Texas and the Plains
• Medical anthropology of the U.S.-Mexico border region