Program Overview

The M.A. in Applied Anthropology is designed to help students develop skills in applying or using anthropological knowledge which can be used across a wide range of careers. Specifically, its mission is to enable students to build on their knowledge of cultural anthropology, physical anthropology and archaeology to address real world problems and issues. The program seeks to provide a structure through which students can develop as practitioners by working closely with faculty on projects that are often done in collaboration with regional organizations. Graduates of our program have secured positions in public, private, and non-profit organizations as researchers, designers, administrators, and program developers. The M.A. program is built around three broad sets of research skills: (1) ethnographic methods for understanding how social systems, including organizations and communities, function in the regional environment; (2) assessment and evaluation skills, especially those based on qualitative methods that complement quantitative methods; and (3) the planning and design of programs, organizations, services, and artifacts.

Students graduating from this program should:

• Understand a range of anthropological research methods and be able to conduct research relevant to problem solving in various settings and for different clients or partners
• Know basic models of applying anthropology in different settings and have the skills to be able to function as practitioners in several
• Be knowledgeable about (a) the discipline of anthropology in general and how it contributes to understanding and improving contemporary society; and (b) a particular field of anthropology in greater depth
• Be able to function effectively in at least one content area or domain of application
• Understand personal, political, and ethical issues inherent in research and application
• Develop professionally as practitioners with skills in contracting, project management, and budgeting, as well as the ability to communicate about project goals and findings and the discipline of anthropology to diverse audiences
• To be knowledgeable about the region as a social and cultural system with complex state, national, and global interconnections