The Department of Anthropology offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Arts degree in Anthropology. The course work in this program is conceptually three-field, with faculty strengths in archaeology, cultural anthropology, and biological anthropology. The department follows an apprenticeship model, and thus the MA student works directly under the supervision of their graduate adviser. Students are informed of who their graduate adviser is when they are admitted to the program. Visit the Faculty Page for the UCF Department of Anthropology for more information about our faculty. Students can choose to pursue a thesis or non-thesis option. Students in the program are prepared to enter doctoral programs or begin professional careers following the MA degree.
Degree-seeking students in the Anthropology MA program may elect to follow either a thesis or non-thesis plan of study. Each plan of study requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, 15 of which must be at the 6000-level. The thesis option is designed for students who plan to enter doctoral programs, while the non-thesis option is more appropriate for students entering or continuing profession careers following the MA degree.
The anthropology faculty conduct research in many geographical areas including Bolivia, Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, the United States and various other locations in the Caribbean and Europe. The department also has multiple research facilities on the Orlando campus that including the following: an archaeology lab specializing in lithic and ceramic analysis, a forensic anthropology lab, a paleoethnobotany archaeology lab, a bioarchaeological sciences lab, and an interdisciplinary geospatial science lab. Students may have the opportunity to conduct research projects in the various countries or research facilities as part of their program.
Degree-seeking students in the Anthropology MA program may elect to follow either a thesis or a nonthesis program of study.
Both thesis and non-thesis options require 30 hours of course work, of which half must be at the 6000 level.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
- Personal statement of intent that must include the student's research interest, geographical area of interest, faculty they would like to work with, and future career plans (500 words).
- An academic writing sample such as a term paper or thesis chapter, usually between 2,500 and 5,000 words.
- A curriculum vitae.
- Three letters of recommendation that assess the applicant's potential as a graduate student. These letters should come from the applicant's previous professors and should not be more than 12-months old at the time of application.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
- Contact with a potential adviser is recommended prior to application. Advisers are unable to grant admission to applicants prior to all application materials being submitted and reviewed by the department.
The applicant's record will be reviewed on an individual basis and evaluated to assess the applicant's potential for success in the program. Students will be selected for the program on a competitive basis. Supplemental course work may be recommended for students who do not have a degree in anthropology or are missing key undergraduate course work.
Meeting minimum UCF admission criteria does not guarantee program admission. Final admission is based on evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance, recommendations, match of this program to the applicant's career/academic goals, availability and match to a faculty adviser, and the applicant's potential for completing the degree. There is no automatic connection between acceptance as a non-degree-seeking student and acceptance into this degree-granting program. Please consult the graduate program director whenever questions arise.
Application Deadlines
| Anthropology MA | *Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Domestic Applicants | Jan 1 | Feb 1 | Nov 1 | |
| International Applicants | Jan 1 | Jan 1 | Jul 1 | |
*Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date.
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource. For more information on how the Department of Anthropology allocates funding please visit our department website.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
