The program comprises two separate tracks: evolutionary anthropology and critical interventions in theory and ethnography (CITE), the cultural
anthropology program.
Requirements for the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) program include 48 approved course credits and 24
research credits. Within the 48 credits, all students in evolutionary anthropology entering starting in fall 2015 must take the following core
courses, which will be offered in a regular cycle: 16:070:561 Human Behavioral
Ecology, 16:070:558 Evolution of the Hominidae, 16:070:568 Primate Ecology and
Social Behavior, 16:070:508 Evolutionary Theory and Processes, 16:070:502
Proseminar in Anthropology II, and either 01:070:426 South African Archaeology
or 16:070:585 Problems in Archaeology. Students who entered the program earlier
may follow this new curriculum or the previous curriculum (16:070:502
Proseminar in Anthropology, 01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research [or an
equivalent], either 16:070:508 Evolutionary Theory and Processes or 16:070:560
Natural Selection and Social Theory, one graduate-level course in
paleoanthropology and archaeology and at least one graduate-level course in the
behavioral ecology of humans and nonhuman primates). Students in evolutionary anthropology are not
allowed to take more than three independent study courses. Students in CITE must take 16:070:505 History
of Anthropological Theory, 16:070:506 Research Design and Methods in
Social/Cultural Anthropology, and 16:070:514 Language as Social Action.
All second-year students are required to present a scholarly paper at a departmental colloquium. Ph.D. students also are required to prepare two "field
statements," textual summaries with extensive bibliographies that are
state-of-the-art literature reviews and analyses in two areas of research
broader than, but related to, their dissertation topic. Students must also prepare a
dissertation research proposal, and they must pass an oral defense of this proposal. When the dissertation is completed, it is evaluated in an
oral dissertation defense.
Students who enter the Ph.D. program may earn a master of arts (M.A.) degree along the way by
applying for one after completion of at least 30 credits and completion of the
two field statements. Some students may enter a terminal master's program. Students who enter the master's program are expected to
take two of the three required courses listed above for the Ph.D. program. They may
either complete a written comprehensive exam after 30 course credits or write a
6-credit master's thesis (with an oral exam) after 24 credits of coursework.
Students who enter the master's program may then apply to enter the Ph.D.
program.
Students are urged to complete their Ph.D. within five years. While there is
no formal fieldwork requirement, most students find fieldwork necessary for a
doctoral degree. There is no specific language requirement, but students are
expected to acquire any languages necessary for successful completion of their field
and/or library research. There is no residency requirement, though students are strongly encouraged to establish New Jersey residency as soon as possible.
Selected courses may be taken in other programs, such as geological
sciences, history, political science, women's and gender studies, psychology,
sociology, urban planning, ecology and evolution, nutrition, geography, and computer science.
