PhD in Anthropology

The Department of Anthropology offers MA and PhD degrees and professional training in Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, and Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology. We do not have a terminal MA program, and a formal master’s degree is not required for advancement in the program. Graduate students typically request the award of an MA in the course of their doctoral program participation.

We are committed to a rigorous funding philosophy that enables us to recruit, train, and graduate outstanding students. Our admissions process is highly selective and all admitted students are offered six years of funding. Regular faculty reviews and mentorship of graduate students help to ensure our students’ prompt and significant progress. We are committed to training that instills the highest scholarly, professional, and ethical standards. In addition to our curriculum, we offer workshops on research ethics, grant writing, academic publishing, teaching strategies, non-academic careers, and the job search process.

Doctoral students must earn at least 64 hours (which may include 599) at the Urbana-Champaign campus. After the residence requirement has been fulfilled, the student may petition the Graduate College for permission to register in absentia. Most Ph.D. candidates spend at least three years in residence at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Students must be registered in the semester of their defense of thesis. A thesis is required for the Ph.D. degree.

Program Description

Doctoral students must earn at least 64 hours (which may include 599) at the Urbana-Champaign campus. After the residence requirement has been fulfilled, the student may petition the Graduate College for permission to register in absentia. To register in absentia for thesis credit, approval must be obtained from the Graduate College by petition through the advisor and the department head. Most Ph.D. candidates spend at least three years in residence at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Students must be registered in the semester of their defense of thesis. A thesis is required for the Ph.D. degree. Ordinarily the thesis is based on either a combination of field and library research or a combination of laboratory and library research.

A doctoral student may work directly for the Ph.D. degree without taking an M.A. If an M.A. is taken, all requirements for it must be met by the time of, or before, the completion of the preliminary examination for the Ph.D. degree.

Program Requirements

The following are General Requirements for All Students regardless of subfield concentration.

All doctoral students are required to take the two-semester 0.5 unit course ANTH 515IA Introduction to Illinois Anthropology in their first year of graduate study.
A doctoral student is also required to show a high proficiency in one or ordinary proficiency in two foreign languages prior to taking their preliminary examination.
- In the former case, the language must have an established scholarly literature. In the latter case, at least one of the two languages must have such a literature.
- Students may substitute a relevant skill such as advanced mathematics, computer applications, or labanotation for one foreign language at ordinary proficiency.
The doctoral program requires a minimum of 96 hours of graduate credit.

Additional course requirements vary according to subdiscipline. Please see the Illinois Anthropology Graduate Program Handbook for additional information about graduate program requirements.

Program Contact Information

Dr. Krystal Smalls, Interim Director of Graduate Studies Program
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109 Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: Not Available
Email: ksmalls@illinois.edu

Ms. Joyce Dowell, Graduate Studies Program Coordinator
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109F Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217)-300-9167
Email: joyce14@illinois.edu