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Graduate Studies

Anthropology is an inquiry into the nature of humanity. The theme of all anthropological investigation is the examination of human biological and cultural diversity both past and present. This is an expansive definition for a field of study; yet among anthropology's greatest contributions to knowledge is the holistic perspective with which it approaches its subject matter.

Given the size of the USM anthropology faculty, it cannot be all things to all students. The graduate program emphasizes exposure to the four fields of anthropology as a means of preparing for further graduate study, applying anthropological principles in the public service or government sectors, or teaching at the undergraduate level. At the same time we expect students to develop an in-depth grounding in their subfield of interest, from theoretical, methodological, and practice standpoints. We also encourage development of a personal research interest as quickly as possible, ultimately expressed as thesis research. We encourage students to explore topics about which the faculty can provide useful input either through coursework, directed reading, or personal expertise.

We also offer two dual-master's programs designed to train graduates for employment in the public sector. The first, which offers a dual-master's with History, will focus on Applied Cultural Heritage Studies, and will be of interest to those wishing to work in museums, historic homes, and for goverment agencies (such as the National Park Service). The second, which offers a dual-master's with Library Science, will be of interest to those wishing to work in academic libraries and archival settings. In pursuing their degrees, students will take coursework in both departments and write a thesis in one department. Further information may be found at the following links: Applied Cultural Heritage Studies and MSLIS/MA in Anthropology.

Currently, the program has approximately 23 full-time graduate students, and four master's degrees were awarded during AY 2006-2007.

Graduate Handbook (pdf)

M.A. in Anthropology

Graduate Applications and Admissions

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and students may begin their studies in any semester. In order to be considered for an assistantship, however, all application materials must be received by March 15.

The materials that are evaluated in the admissions decision include the following:

  • An application form, completed on-line and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies.
  • Transcripts from all previous graduate and undergraduate coursework, to be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies.
  • GRE scores (Verbal, Quantitative, Writing) from within the last five years, to be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies.
  • Three letters of recommendation (at least two from academic sources), to be sent to the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
  • A statement of purpose, describing what you wish to gain from graduate study in Anthropology and how the program will help you achieve those goals, to be sent to the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
  • A writing sample, which is not required but is encouraged, to be sent to the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
  • Other materials, such as a curriculum vitae or resume, that the student wishes to be considered, to be sent to the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.

Applicants who are admitted will be given either regular or conditional status. All admissions decision notifications will be made by the Office of Graduate Studies.

Requirements:

Coursework. The master's degree (MA) requires a minimum of 33 semester hours, 18 of which must be earned in course work at the 600 level or above; completion of a seminar in each of the four subfields (ANT 631, ANT 621, ANT 641, ANT 651); and completion of an approved thesis. The seminars are taught in alternating pairs during fall semesters so that all will be offered during a normal three-semester residency. No more than 6 hours of field courses (ANT 516, 536) and no more than 9 hours of independent study courses (ANT 692, 792) will be applied to the degree.

An acceptable proficiency in one foreign language, or proficiency in statistics is required. This may be satisfied by taking 6 hours of a foreign language at the 500 level or above, or by taking two graduate courses in statistical methods approved by the faculty. An outside minor of nine hours in an approved related field may be included toward the total hours required. Normally, minors are developed to augment specific anthropological interests and must be approved by the faculty.

Comprehensive Examinations. The comprehensive examination entails a six-hour exam that covers major issues and knowledge relevant to the student's area of thesis research. Examinations will be administered on campus during the third week of the spring semester and are taken after a student completed all four subfield seminars. Questions will be contributed and evaluated by the thesis committee.

Thesis. Based on discussion with committee members, background research, interests, and opportunities, the student will present a formal thesis proposal to his/her committee. Normally a proposal defense should be scheduled within one year of passing the general examination. The thesis proposal will outline the problem to be addressed, a brief literature review, the method of data collection, the relevance of the proposed project as a contribution to anthropological knowledge, and an assessment of the project's feasibility. An oral defense of the proposal will be conducted at a meeting between the student and the committee. The defense will provide an opportunity for the student to clarify ideas, and receive additional feedback about the thesis topic. Once a final draft is completed and the thesis director deems it appropriate, a thesis defense will take place. At the defense, which may be attended by any student or faculty member of the university, the student will be asked to present their research findings and address any questions that may arise. The committee members will vote in private as to whether the student has successfully defended the work. They may agree to accept the thesis as finished, as acceptable with minor revisions, or as unacceptable. If the latter decision is reached, the student will not be eligible to graduate during that term and must re-defend the thesis at a later date.

Guide to writing a thesis (pdf)

Graduate Student Funding:

To the extent that it is fiscally possible, the program is committed to providing support for full-time graduate students. The actual number of assistantships available is beyond the control of the faculty. Support is awarded on an annual basis and normally limited to two academic years.

Graduate Assistantships. Each graduate assistant will be expected to put in the required amount of work time each week. Generally students on assistantships will be assigned to individual faculty members who may utilize them for teaching or research activities at their own discretion. Students on academic probation are not eligible for assistantships.

Teaching Assistantships. A very limited number of students may be selected to take responsibility for sections of Anthropology 101. Only second-year graduate students will be considered, since the university requires at least 18 hours of graduate coursework in anthropology in order to teach. In addition, student teachers must have taken ANT 601 during their first year and be enrolled while they are teaching. Heather Sanchez and Angela Santure are current teaching assistants.

Archaeological Internships. Pending annual funding renewal, the Anthropology program is able to offer two graduate internships with the U.S. Forest Service, working on the DeSoto and Chickasawhay National Forest near Hattiesburg. The positions are normally limited to second-year students, and are assigned on a competitive basis. The internships include two summers of full-time work in addition to part-time work during the academic year. Current USFS interns are Dave Martin and Andrew Thompson

Graduate Courses

(Click here for the current course offerings)

516. Ethnograpic Field Methods
521. Anthropological Theory
522. Ecological Anthropology
523. Economic Anthropology
524. Religion and Healing
525. Kinship and Social Organization
528. Political Anthropology
531. Advanced Prehistoric Analysis
533. Prehistory of Southeastern Indians
534. Historical Archaeology
535. Urban Archaeology
536. Archaeology Field Methods
537. Heritage Resources and Public Policy
541. Human Variation
542. Medical Anthropology
545. Bioarchaeology
552. Language, Gender, and Culture
593. Irish Studies
599. British Studies
601. Teaching Anthropology
602. Researching Anthropolgy
621. Seminar in Ethnology
631. Seminar in Archaeology
641. Seminar in Physical Anthroplogy
651. Seminar in Linguistic Anthropology
691. Cooperative Internships
692. Special Problems
697. Independent Study and Research
698. Thesis

Current Graduate Students

Recent Graduates:

  • Ashley Marie Siedell (Summer 2007) - Thesis Title: Racial Health Disparities in the Antebellum South: The Childhood Disease Experience in Nineteenth Century Natchez
  • Daniel Benjamin Zivin (Summer 2007) - Thesis Title: An Analysis of Secular Change and Sex and Race Differences in the Sacrum.
  • Miranda Dawn Page (Spring 2007) - Thesis Title: Dietary Reconstruction Through Stable Isotope Analysis at the Moran French Colonial Cemetery on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
  • Erin Royal ( Spring 2007) - Thesis Title: The Maya Classic Collapse in an Urban Environment: A Study of Enamel Defects in Human Teeth from Tikal, Guatemala
  • Krista Lynee Burleigh (Fall 2006) - Thesis Title: Use of Radiographs of Patients with Arthritis and Pain Questionnaire Results to Aid in the Identification of Forensic Anthropology Cases
  • James M. Pittman (Fall 2006) - Thesis Title: The Construction of Alfombra and Identity in La Antigua Guatemala
  • Jason A. Gardner (Fall 2005) - Thesis Title: An Analysis of Ceramics from the Andrews Place Site (1MB1), Southern Mobile County, Alabama
  • Patricia Condon (Fall 2005) - Thesis Title: Move Beyond: Education, African Americans & the American Dream in the Jim Crow South
  • Bryan Tate (Summer 2005) - Thesis Title: Architecture, Archaeology and Landscape at Saragossa and Mount Locust Plantations in the Natchez District of Mississippi
  • Jeffrey Caillouet (Spring 2005) - Thesis Title: Roadside Memorials: A Cultural Response to Sudden Death along Pearl River County Roadways
  • Stacey L. Young (Fall 2004) - Thesis Title: An Analysis of Sub-Floor Pits and What Their Use Implies About Slave Lifeways and African-American Culture
  • Valerie A. Plested (Summer 2004) - Thesis Title: Place in Irish Traditional Music: An Analysis of Tune Repertory and Musicians
  • Brad J. Kavan (Summer 2004) - Thesis Title: The Rise and Decline of Mobile Street: Race and the Impact of Camp Shelby on African-American Hattiesburg
  • Kelly McAllister (Spring 2004) - Thesis Title: A Little Turn-of-the 20th Century Town in the Piney Woods: An Ethnohistorical Examination of Howison, Mississippi
  • Phillip Hodge (Spring 2004) - Thesis Title: Revisting Archusa Creek: An Analysis of Middle and Late Gulf Formational Ceramics from Southeast Mississippi
  • Dale Norton (Spring 2004) - Thesis Title: Intersite Relationship Analysis: Comparative Study Between Two Prehistoric Cemeteries in Northeastern Alabama Using Discrete Genetic Traits and Mortuary Material Remains
  • Jeanne Thomas Crider (Fall 2003) - Thesis Title: From Card Catalogs to Computer Terminals: The Library in an Anthropological Context
  • Justin Murphy (Summer 2003) - Thesis Title: Conflicting Notions of Identity: An Ethnographic Analysis of Irish Americans in New Orleans.
  • Mason Sheffield (Summer 2003) - Thesis Title: Archaic Faunal Exploitation in the Lower Mississippi Valley: Analysis of Faunal Remains from Plum Creek Archaic (16OU89).
  • Kristi Turner (December 2002) - Thesis Title: Discrete Skeletal Traits: A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Factors Affecting the Formation of Postcranial Traits on the Human Skeleton
  • George Philis (August 2002) - Thesis Title: Language & Identity in Corsican Public Discourse
  • Lisa Colonias, (August 2002) - Thesis Title: Death on the River: The Paleopathology of the Williams Landing Site (1JA306), Jackson Co., AL
  • Jessica Allgood (December 2001) - Thesis title: The Diamondhead Site (22HA550): Subsistence and Human Adaptation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
  • Rita Fields (August 2001) - Thesis title:  Settlement Patterns, Site Variability, and  the Organization of Technology in the Pine Hills:  An Intersite Study of the Oo-oo-lation Site (22GN668) and Tanya's Knoll (22WA642)
  • Jennifer Abraham (August 2001) - Thesis title:  Ethnoarchaeology of Rural African-American Houseyards, Natchez, Mississippi
  • Abdullah Alajmi (August 2001) -  Thesis title:  Poetry and the State:  The Politics of Nabat Tradition in Kuwait
  • Brody Fredericksen (August, 2000) - Thesis title: Reconstruction of Subsistence Patterns in the Tennessee-Tombigbee River Valley of Northeastern Mississippi Using Enamel Microwear and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy

Further Information

Copies of the Graduate Bulletin, admission applications, and other materials may be obtained from
 
Last Modified:January 17, 2008 1:35 PM
URL: http://www.usm.edu/antsoc/anthro/graduate.html
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