Introduction and Philosophy

Anthropology is the study of the culture of humankind, done on a comparative basis, to include the whole of human society, its diversity, and its past. The Department of Anthropology offers graduate study leading to the Master of Applied Anthropology (M.A.A.) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. Both degrees reflect the department’s interest and expertise in applied anthropology – the application of anthropological knowledge, anthropology-in-use, and practicing anthropology – in a variety of institutional and community settings. This application of anthropology is intellectually informed by theories and approaches of the four subfields of the discipline (archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural and social anthropology, and anthropological linguistics).

An Applied Focus

The department’s commitment to applied anthropology includes research devoted to the generation and application of anthropological knowledge, perspectives and methods in the service of human problem-solving and decision-making, and support for the practice of anthropology in a variety of professional settings. In practice, the department faculty and students are interested in issues and problems related to human cultural and biological diversity, cultural understanding, the interactions between humans and their various environments, and ethnographic, archaeological, sociolinguistic, and biological research methods.

M.A.A. Program

The Master of Applied Anthropology (M.A.A.) is a program designed both for students interested in an anthropology career outside of academia and for those who plan on continuing to a Ph.D. The program has been offered at the University of Maryland since 1984, and graduates have successfully secured employment or pursued doctoral work in a variety of fields, including medical and health practice, urban and regional planning and development, community development, conservation and heritage resource development, cultural resource management, historical archaeology, and anthropological genetic and ancestry reconstruction. The focus of the M.A.A. program has been to participate in the building of anthropological practice.

Ph.D. Program

A major focus of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program is to direct original research and to encourage theoretical and methodological advancement in such a way as to reflect upon the specific practices of anthropology, with the aim of improving those practices and thereby increasing the value and usefulness of the discipline. Doctoral students are typically prepared for research and development careers outside of academic settings, as well as for academic careers in anthropology departments and other disciplinary settings.

The University of Maryland is part of the Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropology Programs (COPAA)