Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology

The doctoral program in Anthropology at Texas A&M University is structured around the holistic study of the human condition. Students receive comprehensive training within a variety of theoretical and methodological frameworks, integrating a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches to produce culturally informed and socially engaged graduates. Our program facilitates discovery and innovation by exposing students to ground-breaking, original research being conducted by world leading faculty experts. Department faculty and graduate students work at numerous archaeological, paleoanthropological, primatological, and cultural anthropological sites around the world, both on land and at sea. Department faculty and graduate students also conduct laboratory-based research in some of the most cutting-edge ancient DNA, stable light isotope, and nautical and terrestrial archaeology laboratories and facilities in the country.

The PhD program in Anthropology is research-intensive and allows students to specialize in one or more of the following areas: (1) Biological Anthropology; (2) Cultural Anthropology; (3) Nautical Archaeology; and (4) Archaeology. Cross-cutting these programs, students engage with our Bridging Themes – including (1) Ecology and Evolution; (2) Diet, Subsistence, and Nutrition; (3) Dispersals, Diaspora, and Migration; and (4) Technology and Material Culture – to develop their own unique, individualized educational curricula. The program provides formal training, research opportunities, and intensive fieldwork experiences for students seeking careers in professional research and/or teaching careers in academic institutions, governmental agencies, museums, or private industry. 

Work leading to the PhD degree is designed to give the candidate a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of his or her professional field, as well as training in methods of research. The final basis for granting the degree shall be the candidate’s grasp of the subject matter of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability to do independent research. In addition, the candidate must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written form. The degree is not granted solely for the completion of coursework, residence, and technical requirements, although these must be met.

For more information about specific department requirements for the PhD, please see https://liberalarts.tamu.edu/anthropology/graduate/graduate-coursework/.

Steps to Fulfill a Doctoral Program