Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in our graduate program in Anthropology. Detailed information about The Graduate School at Michigan State University and application procedures can be found online at https://grad.msu.edu/admissions.
Additional information about the Anthropology graduate program and possible degree specializations within the College of Social Science is available on the College of Social Science website: https://socialscience.msu.edu/graduate/index.html.
The MSU Graduate School application is available online at https://grad.msu.edu/apply/.The Department of Anthropology also requires additional materials specific to our program. Details about these requirements can be found at https://anthropology.msu.edu/graduate/graduate-application-checklist/. The application deadline for receipt of all materials is December 1st.
Below are listed some of our policies and procedures to assist you as you prepare an application for admission. These include:
Graduate Program Application Procedures
Admission to the graduate program is offered only for the fall semester. While an undergraduate degree in anthropology is not required, applicants are encouraged to have foundational knowledge in anthropological theory, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.
The university’s graduate application is available at https://grad.msu.edu/apply. The application fee can be paid online using a credit card. Use major code 4307 for the MA program and 4308 for the PhD program. Be sure to indicate your area of interest and list the faculty members you are interested in working with.
The Department of Anthropology requires additional forms and supporting documents, which should be uploaded directly to your application in the student portal by the December 1 deadline. Detailed information about the application process, including a checklist, is available on our website: https://anthropology.msu.edu/graduate/graduate-application-checklist.
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework must be sent directly to the department for uploading to your application. Transcripts for coursework completed at MSU are not required. If you wish to apply for a graduate assistantship, please indicate this in the appropriate section of the application.
In general, students are admitted to the Ph.D. program if they already have a Masters degree. If a student does not have a Masters degree, they may still be admitted to the graduate program, and the faculty may recommend completion of the Masters degree before official admission to the PhD program. We rarely admit students who are interested only in the Masters degree, although every student has the opportunity to earn a Plan B (without thesis) Masters degree on their way to earning a PhD degree.
Graduate Student Funding
Each year, a limited number of teaching and research assistantships are offered to incoming graduate students, typically for the first four years in the program. These assistantships include a monthly stipend, nine (9) credits of tuition per semester (fall and spring) and student health insurance. Continued funding is contingent on adequate progress in the program and the availability of department funds.
Because of the uncertainty and limited extent of departmental funding, students are encouraged to apply for funding from other MSU sources, as well as from government funding agencies and foundations. In general, most students do find support and funding.
If we can be of further assistance, please write or call the Department at 517-353-2950 (fax 517- 432-2363). Our graduate program director, Dr. Heather Howard, can be reached via e-mail at howardh@msu.edu and our academic program coordinator, Courtney Crivelli, can be reached via e-mail at crivelli3@msu.edu.