Master of Arts in Anthropology
Welcome to the graduate program in the Department of Anthropology at 萝莉社 University!
Our graduate students research a diversity of topics in archaeology, biological anthropology and forensics, and cultural anthropology. We are proud to offer approximately 80% of our graduate students with financial support from the Department of Anthropology and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences over the course of their residence. In addition to scholarships, graduate students are employed and work closely with faculty as teaching assistants, laboratory managers, museum facilitators, and research assistants. Many of our graduate students are active members of Lambda Alpha, and international honors society in anthropology. Our graduates advance with careers in applied anthropology, such as forensic identification, cultural resource management, museums, teaching, and non-profit management, or prepare for PhD programs in anthropology and beyond.
Program Requirements
The Master of the Arts in Anthropology is a 36-credit hour degree designed to be completed in two academic years. After prerequisites are met, all students receive training in the three major subdisciplines of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology as well as training in research design and proposal writing. Students must then take advanced seminars in two of the three subdisciplines. The MA can be completed in three tracks (thesis, project, or internship), so that students can tailor the program to their specific interests and career projections. For more details, check out the
The Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies is a 15-credit hour certificate that can be completed independently or in tandem with the MA. There are four core courses in methods, museum exhibition, administration and financial management. Three credit hours are flexible for electives, independent study, or internship study. The coursework is designed to be hands-on, with students producing their own exhibits for the Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology and other divisions on campus. For more details, check out the .
Tracks of Study
There are three tracks for the master's degree in anthropology:
Track 1: Thesis
Traditional academic independent research project that contibutes to scholarly knowledge. Must adhere to the formatting requirements of the Graduate School.
Track 2: Project
Independent research project for a specific audience, such as forensic professionals, cultural resource management fields, museums, or communities of interest. Projects utilize academic research and applied anthropology and produce a written report that often turns into an academic or public publication.
Track 3: Internship
Supervised research and learning within a field of applied learning, by approval of committee chair. Requires submission of an internship portfolio.
All Tracks:
All tracks are formatted as two sets of 2-credit hour courses. Students must present to their committee a proposal for their thesis, project, or internship before completion of the second set of track hours. Students in all tracks are required to form a thesis/project/internship committee of at least two full time graduate teaching faculty from within Wichita State's Anthropology Department and at least one graduate faculty from another department. This committee must be formed prior to or upon the completion of 18 hours of graduate study. All students who present a thesis, project, or internship must pass an oral defense (presentation) of their effort. Theses, project, and internship reports must be submitted to the committee at least 10 working days prior to the date of the actual defense.