Graduate Programs

Explore our Graduate Programs

Thank you for your interest in our program. The Department of Anthropology typically admits six to nine graduate students annually. Admission is offered only for the Fall term except under highly unusual circumstances. The application deadline is December 5th, for admission the following fall.  The University of Oregon supports every student, regardless of immigration status.

anth_graduate programs_kirstin sterner

Director of Graduate Studies 
Kirstin Sterner
ksterner@uoregon.edu
Office: 316 Condon

 

 


Woman analyzing a artifact

Doctoral Degree

The UO Department of Anthropology offers the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree with a concentration in one of three subfields: Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, or Cultural Anthropology. While graduate students choose one subfield on which to focus their studies, many follow an interdisciplinary path that bridges between subfields, as well as to different disciplines. This approach is encouraged in our department, which is distinctive in its commitment to the integration of the anthropological subfields via our five areas of expertise and focus.

PhD Requirements



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Choosing a Subdiscipline

Each prospective graduate student should select an anthropological subdiscipline (Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology). Although a core subdiscipline needs to be identified for your application, we recognize that anthropological work today is highly interdisciplinary and an interest in more than one subdiscipline is encouraged and supported.

Subdisciplines

Funding Graduate Studies

Nearly all graduate students in the Department of Anthropology receive funding for all or most of their graduate study. Most graduate students are supported through departmental Graduate Teaching Fellowships, which are teaching assistant positions that involve leading discussion or lab sections.

Funding and Research Support


Prepare for the Professional World

The goal of virtually all the students in our graduate program is to obtain a PhD in preparation for an academic career in research/teaching or for a career as a professional anthropologist doing applied work. We rarely admit students whose sole aim is to obtain a master's degree, except in the case of a student interested in obtaining a master's so s/he can work professionally in the field of Cultural Resource or Heritage Management.

Career and Professional Development


Our Graduate Students

Our graduate program attracts outstanding students from across the nation and around the world. Students in the program work closely with a primary advisor, who supervises their graduate training through formal coursework and supervised research and teaching activities.

Resources for the Graduate Community


Events

NW-NALRC Consultation and Assistance Time
Mar11
NW-NALRC Consultation and Assistance Time Mar 11
Filmlandia Screening Series: "Coraline"
Mar11
Filmlandia Screening Series: "Coraline" Mar 11 Lawrence Hall
History Undergraduate Lecture: "Finding Accidental Archives of Atrocity"
Mar11
History Undergraduate Lecture: "Finding Accidental Archives of Atrocity" Mar 11 McKenzie Hall
Institutional Design and Latiné Belonging: Equity Across Schools and Workplaces
Mar12
Institutional Design and Latiné Belonging: Equity Across Schools and Workplaces Mar 12 Knight Library
NW-NALRC Consultation and Assistance Time
Mar18
NW-NALRC Consultation and Assistance Time Mar 18
Geography Colloquium: "Documenting and Projecting the Human Costs of Climate Change"
Apr2
Geography Colloquium: "Documenting and Projecting the Human Costs of Climate Change" Apr 2 Knight Library
Comparative Literature Work In Progress Series
Apr7
Comparative Literature Work In Progress Series Apr 7 Prince Lucien Campbell Hall (PLC)
CAS Social Impact Forum: Increasing the Social Impact of Research
Apr8
CAS Social Impact Forum: Increasing the Social Impact of Research Apr 8 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches)
Apr8
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches) Apr 8 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
Ada Limón: 2025–26 Cressman Lectureship “The Unleaving: How Poetry Helps You to Not Miss Your Life”
Apr8
Ada Limón: 2025–26 Cressman Lectureship “The Unleaving: How Poetry Helps You to Not Miss Your Life” Apr 8 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)