BA in Archaeology/MA in Anthropology
The dual Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology/Master of Arts in Anthropology program allows students to complete the graduate degree on an accelerated timeline by completing 12 graduate credits as part of the undergraduate program. In addition to traditional class work, archaeology students fulfill requirements through lab research and fieldwork, with sites including Ireland, Israel and Kenya.
Students are advised to consult their departmental advisor regarding the details of the degrees and course of study.
Application Requirements
Eligible students will apply for formal admission into the BA/MA program by February 15, through the CCAS Combined Degree Application process. Students will be recommended for admission to the MA program on the same basis as other applicants for the degree, with the final decision being made by the CCAS graduate dean.
Degree Timeline
Combined degree students are admitted to the master's program with the understanding that during their undergraduate program, they will complete 12 credits of master's coursework, which also count toward the bachelor's degree.
This leaves 24 credits left to finish out their 36-credit master's degree. Most students complete six credits over the summer, nine credits in the fall semester and nine credits in the final spring semester, totaling one calendar year beyond the bachelor's degree. During that year, they are officially graduate students and eligible for consideration as teaching assistants or graders.
Sample BA in Archaeology/MA in Anthropology Schedule
- ANTH 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004 (13 hours)
- Language requirement, if needed (12 hours)
- GCR courses (ca. 39 hours) (parts of natural science, social science, and foreign culture fulfilled as part of Anthropology major, one or two of the others can be substituted for electives in junior year)
Any Summer (3-6 hours)
- Archaeological Field School
Fall (15 hours)
- Upper-level Archaeology (from Anthropological Archaeology or Ancient Civilizations sections)
- Upper-level Art History (from Anthropological Archaeology or Ancient Civilizations sections)
- Upper-level Classics (from Ancient Civilizations section)
- Electives/ GPAC courses
Spring (15 hours)
- Upper-level Archaeology (from Anthropological Archaeology or Ancient Civilizations sections)
- Upper-level Art History (from Anthropological Archaeology or Ancient Civilizations sections)
- Upper-level Classics (from Ancient Civilizations section)
- Upper-level History (from Ancient Civilizations section)
- electives/ GPAC courses
- Apply to the BA/MA
Fall (15 hours)
- Graduate seminar (e.g., Anth 6302)
- Four electives, which may include a second graduate-level course or an upper-level undergraduate course taken for graduate credit
Spring (15 hours)
- Methods course (e.g. Anth 3531 or 6351, Anth 3838)
- Proseminar (e.g. Anth 6101, Anth 6102, Anth 6103, Anth 6104)
- Three electives, which may include a graduate-level course or upper-level undergraduate course for graduate credit
Summer After Senior Year (three–six hours)
- Anth 6995, Research
Fall (nine hours)
- A Proseminar not taken in Senior Year (Anth 6101 biological anthropology, Anth 6104 linguistics, Anth 6102 sociocultural, Anth 6103 Archaeology)
- Placing-out exams two other proseminars (of your choosing)
- Two electives (could include thesis research or internship)
Spring (nine–12 hours)
- Three electives (could include thesis research or internship)
- Hand in thesis or other culminating exercise
Course Requirements
Students take 12 graduate credits as part of their undergraduate program. All requirements for both the BA in Archaeology and the MA in Anthropology must be fulfilled.
BA Requirements
The bachelor of arts with a major in archaeology is an interdepartmental program offered by the Department of Anthropology in cooperation with the Department of Arts and Art History and the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
Additional curriculum requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Language requirement | ||
| Students must complete 12 credits or demonstrate equivalent skill, in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, Latin, or Greek. | ||
| Students whose preparation allows them to waive this requirement are encouraged to begin study of a second language. Graduate study in archaeology usually requires knowledge of two or more languages besides English, and students planning to pursue advanced study should consult with an advisor early in their program. | ||
| Major requirements | ||
| No course can be counted toward more than one of the following requirements: | ||
| Core courses | ||
| ANTH 1002 | Sociocultural Anthropology | |
| ANTH 1003 | Archaeology | |
| ANTH 3838 | Theory and Practice in Archaeology | |
| or ANTH 3838W | Theory and Practice in Archaeology | |
| Field and laboratory work | ||
| One or two courses (3 or 6 credits) selected from the following: | ||
| ANTH 3832 | Paleoanthropological Field Program | |
| ANTH 3833 | Field Research: New World | |
| ANTH 3834 | Field Research: Old World | |
| ANTH 3835 | Historical Archaeology Field Program | |
| ANTH 3839 | Lab Research Methods in Archaeology | |
| ANTH 3995 | Undergraduate Research (With the advisor's approval.) * | |
| ANTH 6806 | Technology (Qualified juniors and seniors with departmental approval.) | |
| Anthropological archaeology | ||
| Four or five courses (12 or 15 credits) selected from the list below. Students must take at least one course marked with an asterisk. A course counted toward this requirement cannot also be counted toward the Ancient Civilizations requirement (below). A total of only one course from (ANTH 2821 or ANTH 2822) or (ANTH 3812 or ANTH 3814) can be counted toward this requirement. | ||
| ANTH 2821 | Myths and Mysteries in Archaeology | |
| ANTH 2822 | Archaeology in Film and Television | |
| ANTH 3801 | African Roots from Australopithecus to Zimbabwe | |
| or ANTH 3801W | African Roots from Australopithecus to Zimbabwe | |
| ANTH 3802 | Human Cultural Beginnings | |
| or ANTH 3802W | Human Cultural Beginnings | |
| ANTH 3803 | Old World Prehistory: First Farmers to First Cities | |
| or ANTH 3803W | Old World Prehistory: First Farmers to First Cities | |
| ANTH 3805 | Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands * | |
| or CAH 3106 | Art and Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands | |
| ANTH 3806 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age * | |
| or CAH 3104 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age | |
| ANTH 3808 | Archaeology and the Celts * | |
| or CAH 3104 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age | |
| ANTH 3811 | Historical Archaeology | |
| ANTH 3812 | The Aztec Empire * | |
| or CAH 3116 | Aztec Empire | |
| ANTH 3813 | Archaeology of North America * | |
| ANTH 3814 | Ancient Mexican Civilizations * | |
| or CAH 3107 | Ancient Mexican Civilizations | |
| ANTH 3823 | Archaeology of Ritual and Religion | |
| ANTH 3891 | Special Topics in Archaeology | |
| Ancient civilizations | ||
| Five courses (15 credits) selected from the following list, which must include at least one course in each of the categories below. Courses marked with an asterisk can count in only one category. | ||
| Art history | ||
| CAH 3101 | Ancient Art of the Bronze Age and Greece | |
| CAH 3102 | Ancient Art of the Roman Empire | |
| CAH 3103 | Art and Archaeology of Egypt and the Near East | |
| CAH 3104 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age | |
| or ANTH 3806 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age | |
| CAH 3105 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology | |
| or CLAS 3115 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology | |
| CAH 3106 | Art and Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands | |
| or ANTH 3805 | Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands | |
| CAH 3107 | Ancient Mexican Civilizations | |
| CAH 3117 | Special Topics in Precolumbian Art and Archaeology | |
| or ANTH 3891 | Special Topics in Archaeology | |
| Classics | ||
| CLAS 2105 | Special Topics | |
| CLAS 2106 | Mythology of the Classical World | |
| CLAS 2107 | Greek and Roman Drama | |
| CLAS 3114 | Topics in Ancient Literatures and Cultures | |
| CLAS 3115 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology * | |
| or CAH 3105 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology | |
| History | ||
| HIST 2112 | History of Ancient Greece | |
| or CLAS 2112 | History of Ancient Greece | |
| HIST 2113 | The Roman World to 337 A.D. | |
| or CLAS 2113 | The Roman World to 337 A.D. | |
| HIST 2803 | The Ancient Near East and Egypt to 322 B.C. | |
| or CLAS 2803 | The Ancient Near East and Egypt to 322 B.C. | |
| HIST 2804 | History of Ancient Israel | |
| or CLAS 2804 | History of Ancient Israel | |
| HIST 3111 | Topics in Ancient History | |
| Archaeology of ancient civilizations | ||
| ANTH 2821 | Myths and Mysteries in Archaeology | |
| ANTH 3804 | Origins of the State and Urban Society | |
| ANTH 3805 | Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands * | |
| or CAH 3106 | Art and Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands | |
| ANTH 3806 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age * | |
| or CAH 3104 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age | |
| ANTH 3808 | Archaeology and the Celts * | |
| or CAH 3116 | Aztec Empire | |
| ANTH 3812 | The Aztec Empire * | |
| ANTH 3813 | Archaeology of North America * | |
| or CAH 3116 | Aztec Empire | |
| ANTH 3814 | Ancient Mexican Civilizations * | |
| or CAH 3107 | Ancient Mexican Civilizations | |
| ANTH 3891 | Special Topics in Archaeology * | |
| or CAH 3117 | Special Topics in Precolumbian Art and Archaeology | |
MA Requirements
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.
A minimum of 36 credits in graduate coursework, including 9 credits in proseminars and 3 credits in an approved methods course. Students must also complete either a thesis (for which they must register for 3 to 6 credits of ANTH 6999 Thesis Research) or a culminating journal article. The remaining credits are fulfilled with electives and, if a concentration was selected, concentration courses. Students are encouraged to plan their programs with an advisor.
Foreign language—There is no language requirement for the MA degree. However, thesis projects that require language skills will only be approved by department advisors provided students show evidence of having language skills that are required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core requirements | ||
| Proseminars | ||
| At least three proseminars selected from the following: | ||
| ANTH 6101 | Proseminar in Biological Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6102 | Proseminar in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6103 | Proseminar in Archaeology | |
| ANTH 6104 | Proseminar in Linguistic Anthropology | |
| Students with significant background in a field, as determined by evaluation of a petition to the proseminar instructor, may waive one proseminar. Those who are permitted to waive a proseminar must take one course from group A and one from Group B. | ||
| Group A | ||
| ANTH 6101 | Proseminar in Biological Anthropology | |
| or ANTH 6103 | Proseminar in Archaeology | |
| Group B | ||
| ANTH 6102 | Proseminar in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
| or ANTH 6104 | Proseminar in Linguistic Anthropology | |
| Methods | ||
| One approved 3-credit methods course. | ||
| Thesis or other culminating project | ||
| Students must write either a thesis or a culminating journal article. Students who choose to write a thesis must register for 3 to 6 credits of ANTH 6999 Thesis Research.. | ||
| Electives | ||
| 18 to 24 credits in elective courses, depending on the number of credits taken in core course requirements. Students may choose to pursue a concentration (below), in which case any credits remaining after core and concentration requirements have been met are taken in elective courses. | ||
| In addition, students can enrich their degree through courses in programs at GW's other research centers or through the DC- schools consortium. | ||
| Optional concentrations | ||
| In addition to completing all core requirements for the degree, students may choose to pursue a concentration as part of their program of study. All requirements for the concentration must be fulfilled. | ||
| Museum training concentration (12 credits) 1 | ||
| 12 credits in courses selected from the following. 6 of these credits may be in an internship. | ||
| ANTH 6200 | Museum Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6201 | Methods in Museum Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6203 | Preventive Conservation Concepts | |
| ANTH 6204 | Preventive Conservation Techniques | |
| ANTH 6205 | Problems in Conservation | |
| ANTH 6230 | Internship in Museum Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6291 | Special Topics in Museum Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6508 | Ethics and Cultural Property | |
| International development concentration (12 credits) | ||
| Required | ||
| ANTH 6301 | The Anthropology of Development | |
| Two courses selected from the following: | ||
| ANTH 6302 | Issues in Development | |
| ANTH 6330 | Internship in Development Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6391 | Anthropology and Contemporary Problems | |
| ANTH 6501 | Gender and Sexuality | |
| ANTH 6507 | Nationalism and Ethnicity | |
| One approved graduate-level course in quantitative analysis. | ||
| Health, science, and society (HSS) concentration focus options (12 or 15 credits) | ||
| The HSS concentration offers a choice of two focus areas: medical anthropology (15 credits) and science and technology studies (12 credits). Please consult with the advisor for each focus area. | ||
| HSS concentration—Science and technology studies focus (12 credits): | ||
| Required | ||
| ANTH 6504 | Social Study of Science and Technology (This cornerstone course should be taken in the first year of the program.) | |
| One approved 3-credit methods course | ||
| 6 credits in sociocultural anthropology coursework selected from the list below. For courses not directly focused on health, students should direct their learning toward health issues to the extent possible, e.g., by selecting a health-related term paper topic. With the concentration advisor's permission, other anthropology courses, including courses offered through the Consortium of University of the Washington Metropolitan Area, may be taken to fulfill this concentration requirement. | ||
| ANTH 3503 | Psychological Anthropology (for graduate credit) | |
| ANTH 3991 | Special Topics (Race and Policing (taken for graduate credit)) | |
| ANTH 6506 | Topics in Medical Anthropology (Culture and Psychiatry) | |
| ANTH 6591 | Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology (Either Materiality: The Anthropology of Things AND/OR Anthropology of Environmental Politics) | |
| AMST 2620 | Human Mind and Artificial Intelligence (taken for graduate credit) | |
| AMST 6610 | Constructing the Natural, Unnatural, and Artifactual | |
| HSS concentration—medical anthropology focus (15 credits): | ||
| Required | ||
| ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology (This graduate seminar is the required cornerstone class and should be taken in the fall of first year) | |
| 6 credits in research methods courses, which must include one course in qualitative methods and one course in quantitative methods, selected from the following: | ||
| Qualitative methods course options: | ||
| ANTH 6331 | Research Methods in Development Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6531 | Methods in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
| SOC 6232 | Qualitative Methods | |
| Quantitative methods course options: | ||
| PUBH 6003 | Principles and Practices of Epidemiology | |
| 6 credits in sociocultural anthropology coursework selected from the following courses. For courses not directly focused on health, students should direct their learning, as much as possible, toward health issues, for example, by selecting a health-related term paper topic. (With the concentration advisor's permission, other anthropology courses, including courses offered through the Consortium of University of the Washington Metropolitan Area, may be taken to fulfill this concentration requirement.) | ||
| ANTH 6301 | The Anthropology of Development | |
| ANTH 6302 | Issues in Development (Anthropology of Intervention) | |
| ANTH 6391 | Anthropology and Contemporary Problems (Anthropology of Security) | |
| ANTH 6501 | Gender and Sexuality | |
| ANTH 6504 | Social Study of Science and Technology | |
| ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6506 | Topics in Medical Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6591 | Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology (Displacement and Diaspora) | |
| ANTH 6707 | Issues in Middle East Anthropology (Anthropology of State and Government AND/ OR Anthropology of Citizenship and Displacement) | |
| IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender and Development or Indigenous People) | |
| Undergraduate courses and graduate internships may be taken for credit toward the HSS concentration—medical anthropology focus with the permission of the concentration advisor. Examples include, but are not limited to the following: | ||
| ANTH 3503 | Psychological Anthropology | |
| ANTH 6330 | Internship in Development Anthropology | |
1Students whose primary interest is in museum techniques, rather than anthropology, are advised to apply to the MA in museum studies program. (Note that an MA in teaching in the field of museum education is also available through the Graduate School of Education and Human Development.)