The 2023-2024 AnthroGuide is the last print version. Edits for graduate programs are due July 31, 2023.

University of Missouri, Department of Anthropology
112 Swallow Hall 507 S 9th St Columbia MO 65211-1440 United States
Phone+1 573.882.4731
Email muasanthropology@missouri.edu
General Description / Special Programs

The department of anthropology at MU is a leader in evolutionary anthropology, with an integrative program in Human Adaptation, Ecology, & Evolution. Core areas include demography, ecological and environmental anthropology, ethnobiology, evolutionary archaeology, archaeometry, human behavioral ecology, genetics, human variation, and biomedical anthropology. Cross-cutting research links include cooperation and conflict, epidemiology, evolution of culture and intelligence, human interactions with plants and animals, life history and child development, religion, and hominid evolution. Our department has strong interdisciplinary ties with the MU Departments of Biological Sciences, the MU Research Reactor, MU School of Health-Related Professions, the College of Engineering and the MU Medical School. The graduate program provides rigorous coursework in combination with hands-on field and laboratory research experience. All degree programs emphasize a scientific approach with emphasis on ecology and evolutionary theory.

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Degrees
Degrees Offered Anthropology PhD, MA, BA
Highest Degree Offered PhD
AA/AS Field Areas
Anthropology
Archaeology
Biological Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
Medical Anthropology
BA/BS Field Areas
Anthropology
Archaeology
Biological Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
Medical Anthropology
BA/BS Requirements
Requirements include 30 hours of anthropology coursework in addition to general education requirements specified by the University. Anthropology majors are required to take core courses in all three focal areas of the discipline (archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology) as well as the Capstone Seminar in Anthropology. Three tracks are available for remaining courses: Culture & Human Ecology, Archaeology & Heritage, and Health & Human Biology. Honors BA: Minimum GPA requirements exist for acceptance into the honors program in anthropology. In addition, a student must fulfill the basic course requirements of the regular major plus conduct research on an independent project, submit the results in a formal honors thesis, and defend it in an oral exam.
MA/MS Field Areas
Anthropology
Archaeology
Biological Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
Medical Anthropology
Experience Offered
Conferences
Fellowships/Grants
Field Work
MA/MS
MA/ MS Requirements Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the Bachelor of Arts degree. At least 9 of the required hours must be 8000-level anthropology courses and seminars, and must include at least one content course. All students must complete a 3-course core sequence. Students lacking a basic course in statistics are required to take at least one course, preferably during the first year of graduate work. A thesis is required for terminal MA degrees. Graduate students pursuing a PhD at MU with MA degree en route are required to complete either a thesis, a proposal formatted for a major granting agency, or a primary-authored paper submitted for publication as a peer-reviewed journal article or book chapter.
MA/MS Specializations Graduate training is offered in cultural anthropology, physical/biological anthropology, and archaeology. Specialized topics reflect the active research interests of the faculty.
PhD Field Areas
Anthropology
Archaeology
Biological Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
Medical Anthropology
Phd
Phd Requirements Minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate (normally 40-60 units beyond MA level), teaching experience, oral and written exams, and dissertation required; fieldwork recommended. Coursework and residency requirements can be found on our website.
Phd Specializations PhD candidates normally specialize in cultural anthropology, physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, or in consultation with the student's advisory committee, a combination of some of these areas or a combination of these areas with academic disciplines outside of traditional anthropology. Specialized topics reflect the active research interests of the faculty. Our faculty have broad and varied areas of interest and their research takes them across many continents. A full list of research areas can be found on our website.
Internship / Grants / Funding
Internships Available 0
Internship Required 0
Support Opportunities <p>Teaching, research, student assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships are available to qualified students on a competitive basis.</p>
Program Details
Research Facilities <p>Museum of Anthropology: A teaching, research, and outreach facility. It is the only anthropology museum in the state of Missouri and one of a few in the Midwest. It has the largest holding of prehistoric Missouri artifacts in the world and includes millions of items dating from 9,000 B.C. to modern times. Collections of archaeological and ethnographic materials are available for use by faculty, students, and other qualified researchers (anthromuseum.missouri.edu). Museum of Art &amp; Archaeology: Museological opportunities in classical and medieval archaeology, art, and Museum Studies graduate minor available through MU Museum of Art &amp; Archaeology (maa.missouri.edu). Archaeometry Lab at the MU Research Reactor: Analytical equipment, computing facilities, reference collections, and databases useful for sourcing obsidian, pottery, chert and basalt are available at MURR. Capabilities include neutron activation analysis, x-ray fluorescence, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (with laser ablation) (archaeometry.missouri.edu/information.html). MU GIS graduate certificate provides a thorough background in GIS analysis and database management (geography.missouri.edu/grad/graduate-gis-program).</p>
Certs Offered 0
Contacts
Online Courses
Online Courses: 1
Online Course Info: <p>Courses offered regularly: General Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, North American Indian Cultures. For more information, contact online.missouri.edu.</p>
Application Deadlines
Grad program: October 15 and January 10
Club / Honor Society
Anthropology Club: 1
Lambda Alpha Chapter: 0