Course Requirements

The Master of Applied Anthropology program consists of core courses (18 credits), an internship sequence (12 credits), and further study in your selected area of specialization (12 credits).

Please note that new students are accepted for Fall term only because core courses are offered only once per year.

Generally, students are expected to complete their first two semesters of core courses before moving on to an internship (usually conducted during the summer between the first and second year). Upon completion of the Internship, you may pursue the remaining coursework at your own pace because it consists primarily of work in your area of specialization.

Please note that students enrolled in the MAA program at the University of Maryland, College Park, are eligible to take courses in a number of associated institutions, including those in the:

University of Maryland System
Consortium of Washington Area Universities

Scroll down the page or follow the links below for descriptions of core course offerings within the MAA program:

First Semester Requirements - (offered Fall term only)
Second Semester Requirements - (offered Spring term only)
Required Internship - Summer Session between first and second years
Third Semester Requirements
Specialization Sequence - Selected courses filling requirements for desired specialization

Other MAA requirements include:

Comprehensive Oral Examination
Annual Reviews
Post-Internship Project
Graduate Colloquium

Required Courses - First Semester (Fall term only)

ANTH 601 - Applied Anthropology (3 credits)
An overview of the history and theory of applied anthropology. This course examines the relationship between applied anthropology and other major subfields of the profession. It explores the interdisciplinary and public context of application, as well as problems of significance and utility of applied work.

ANTH 606 - Methods of Cultural Analysis I (3 credits)
This course focuses on the objectives of cultural analysis and their relationship to policy and decision-making. It is an introduction to problem formulation, qualitative and quantitative research design, and the conduct of research. It also explores problems of reliability and validity in social research.

ANTH 640 and 625 - Core Seminar (3 credits)
Students are required to complete both of the following core seminars :

ANTH 625 - Applied Biological Anthropology
Introduction to major contributions to applied biological anthropology. Topics include reproduction and fertility, nutrition, pollution, physical fitness, and degenerative metabolic disease.

ANTH 640 - Historical Archaeology
The expansion of European culture through colonization of outposts and countries around the world after 1450 is explored through material remains and artifacts from areas that may include Africa, India, South Africa, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere.

ANTH 610 or 650 - Core Seminar (3 credits)
Students are required to complete one of the following core seminars :

ANTH 610 - Culture, Health and Community Development
Introduction to the relationships between culture, health practices, and community development viability. Focus on ethnographic research and stakeholder analysis.

ANTH 650 - Resource Management and Cultural Process
Introduction to anthropological contributions to resource management and environmental protection, to include natural resources, agricultural development, heritage management, urban and regional resource planning, and tourism development. Focus on ecological and cultural approaches.

Required Courses - Second Semester (Spring term only)

ANTH 630 - Quantitative Approaches to Applied Anthropology (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to a variety of statistical techniques applied to problems in policy and decision-making. It provides practical experience in computer applications for problems in cultural analysis and management and explores the uses of existing statistical data sources.

ANTH XXX - Concentration Course (3 credits)
Concentration course requirements are determined in conference with your Faculty Advisor.

ANTH 701 - Internship Preparation (3 credits)
Practicum training in the development, presentation and evaluation of position papers, proposals and work plans. This course also examines the use of literature searches and other secondary data sources in decision-making affecting applied research and practice. The focus of this course is on the professional development of students for work in non-academic settings.

Required Internship - Summer Session between first and second year

ANTH 789 - Internship Experience (3-12 credits)
All students in the MAA program are required to complete a problem-oriented internship with an appropriate public agency or private institution. Before beginning any internship, students first must select a graduate committee, consisting of a Faculty Advisor and two other members. Students are expected to secure their own internship, which must meet the approval of their faculty committee. Students must then produce a formal internship proposal and pass an oral examination by the faculty committee, which determines whether the student is sufficiently prepared to begin the Internship. The Internship is then conducted under the direction of the student's Faculty Advisor and an agency supervisor. Upon completion of the Internship, students are required to complete the Internship Analysis (ANTH 712). In order to complete the program within two years, most students conduct the Internship during the Summer Session between the first and second year, but some internships have been begun later or lasted well into the next semester.

Required Courses - Third Semester

ANTH 712 - Internship Analysis (3 credits)
The preparation and presentation of an internship report. The purpose of this course is the development of skills in analysis, writing and presentation through the completion of a professional-quality report based on the internship experience. This course is taken as an independent study with the student's Faculty Advisor and includes a review of ethics and professional development.

ANTH XXX - Concentration Course ( 3 credits)
Concentration course requirements are determined in conference with your Faculty Advisor.

Specialization Sequence (Total = 12 credits)

Your program will consist of core seminars, concentration courses, and additional requirements specific to your individualized study plan. In all cases, courses designated to fulfill your program must be approved by your Faculty Advisor. To fulfill requirements for the MAA, students are generally encouraged to take courses :

within the department that offer specific specialization (e.g., Grassroots Development, Historic Archaeology);
taught by anthropologists in other departments on campus or within the University of Maryland System (see below);
in other related departments on campus or within the University of Maryland System (e.g., College of Education, American Studies Department, School of Public Health); or
within the Consortium of Washington Area Universities (see below).

For more information regarding course offerings in other disciplines at the University of Maryland consult the UM Graduate Student Catalogue online.

University of Maryland System

All students enrolled in the MAA program are eligible to take classes at any University of Maryland System institution. The university itself has four (4) campuses:

In addition, the following institutions also are members of the University of Maryland System:

Consortium of Washington Area Universities

The University of Maryland also participates in the Consortium of Washington Area Universities. This allows MAA program students to enroll in courses at the following institutions while paying University of Maryland at College Park tuition rates:

Many MAA students have taken advantage of consortium classes to complete supporting coursework requirements in their area of specialization. Approval from your Faculty Advisor is required in order to apply courses from any other institution or department toward the MAA degree.

Details on registering for Consortium courses can be found on Testudo.

Internship Review

During the semester in which you will have completed the first 18 credits (usually the second semester), an oral examination based on your Internship Proposal will be conducted by your Internship Review Committee. During this meeting they will determine : (1) your preparation in general and applied anthropology; and (2) whether you are adequately prepared to complete the Internship. The Internship Review must be completed prior to beginning the Internship. Refer to the MAA Handbook for details.

Annual Reviews

All graduate students are reviewed once a year by the faculty. Upon completion of the review, each student receives an assessment of progress toward completing the MAA degree.

Post-Internship Project

MAA students are expected to complete a tangible "product" appropriate to their internship. The exact nature of the post-internship project is determined in consultation with the Faculty Advisor. It may be a professional report or other performance (dictated by the nature and needs of the internship agency or institution), or a publishable article related to the internship experience.

Graduate Colloquium

Prior to graduating from the program, all students are required to present a professional paper on their internship at the annual Graduate Colloquium held during the Spring term.

Students graduating in the Winter term may be required to register for one additional credit during the Spring term in order to complete the Graduate Colloquium requirement.