Admissions

Graduate Admission Requirements

You must complete the Graduate School application and pay appropriate fees. In addition, the following elements are required of applicants to the Anthropology graduate program :

Statement of purpose
Statement of experience
Transcripts from all institutions attended
Three letters of recommendation
An overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (exceptions can be made if a student demonstrates relevant careeer experience beyond the bachelor's degree)
Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other nationally standardized exam

NOTE : Your statement of purpose and statement of experience are included in the electronic application and will be forwarded automatically to the department after you have submitted your application. The electronic application allows your referees to submit their letters electronically or to print out the necessary form and to submit by post.

Transcripts, letters of recommendation sent by post, and any additional materials should be sent to the Enrollment Services Office (ESO) at the following address :

University of Maryland College Park
Enrollment Services Operations
Application for Graduate Admission
Rm 0130 Mitchell Building
College Park, MD 20742

Please consult with the department if you have unusual or non-document materials (video tapes, cassette recordings, etc.).

Deadline January 5

Applications are accepted for Fall semester entry only, and application deadlines are strictly enforced. All materials must be received by January 15 in order for an applicant to be considered for entry the following Fall.

Note : International candidates must also meet the January 5 deadline.

Review of Applications

Applications are reviewed by the Department's Graduate Admissions Committee. Faculty reviewers place considerable emphasis on the statements of purpose and experience and the letters of recommendation. Statements should exhibit an understanding of the MAA program's objectives and include a description of your views on the utility of anthropological knowledge in your particular area of interest. You also should indicate specific interest in one of the program's areas of concentration. The Department forwards recommendations for admission to the Graduate School, which makes the formal offer of admission.

Note : The areas of concentration are intended to frame your research. They are not discrete categories. Please feel free to explain your interests outside the areas of concentration, or as a combination of areas, if your interests don't seem to make an exact fit.

Students who are offered acceptance but lack preparation in a particular area (which will be noted in the acceptance letter) may be admitted to the program provisionally but are required to correct course or requirement deficiencies within the first year.

For more information, check out the Frequently Asked Questions, or refer to the M A A Handbook.

How to Apply

Students may apply for admission online, using the department code ANTH. To begin the application process, follow this link to the Graduate School admissions page.