Graduate
Understanding how to analyze and compare human cultures has almost limitless applications to our interconnected world, from advising on policies that affect migrants to preserving precious relics of human history. The GW Department of Anthropology’s innovative graduate programs offer expertise in many branches of anthropology and take advantage of the resources available in the nation's capital.
Graduate students can get involved through our sophisticated lab facilities, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology and fieldwork trips around the world. Students also benefit from the department’s century-long scholarly relationship with the Smithsonian Institution.
With a low student-to-faculty ratio, students can find mentors with expertise in Mesoamerica, maritime archaeology, gender and feminist studies, displaced and migrant populations, post-conflict reconstruction and more.
Anthropology Info Sessions
Join us online for an information session discussing the field of anthropology and the GW Master of Arts in Anthropology and PhD in Anthropology programs.
Degree Programs
Spring 2025 Master's Program Applications due October 1st, 2024
Resources for Applicants
- Can the application fee be waived?
The application fee may be waived in some circumstances. Please check the Graduate Application Requirements page to see if you are eligible for a fee waiver.
- GW alumni (those holding a GW degree or graduate certificate).
- Current degree or graduate certificate candidates at GW.
- U.S. military personnel who have been on active duty within three years of submitting their application for admission.
- Current McNair Program Scholars, a completed Certification of McNair Program Participation and Application Fee Waiver form (PDF) must be scanned and attached to your online application or submitted directly to the school to which you are applying).
- Students participating in the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program can find more information on the LSAMP website.
- Applicants who expect to receive (or have already received) an undergraduate degree from an eligible Minority-Serving Institution Award institution.
To request a waiver, create and complete your online application, then click Review Application and then Save & Pay. Before you will be required to pay, you will be given the option to Request Fee Waiver. Enter information in the Reason for Request box and submit. Within two business days you will receive a denied or approved email. Log back into your application portal and click submit your application (after paying the fee if your request is denied) to complete the process.
For more information and updates see CCAS Graduate Admissions FAQ.
- Do the Anthropology graduate programs require the GRE as part of the application?
GRE scores are not required for application to the MA, MS and PhD programs and, if submitted with the application, will play no role in our departmental admissions decisions. The department of anthropology values building a thriving intellectual community that is diverse, equitable and inclusive. We do not consider GRE scores to be a valid predictor of intellectual promise — indeed we believe the GRE often promotes injustices that are contrary to our values.
Department Funding
Work-Study Positions
Limited work-study positions are available with the department for eligible students. The positions usually involve laboratory or administrative work.
Department Administrative Positions
There are administrative jobs in the offices of Anthropological Quarterly and the Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology. Jobs are posted on the department website and in the department office when available; contact the department for more information.
Research Assistantships
Faculty who have current research grants may offer assistant jobs, generally with specific requirements. Contact faculty directly to inquire.
Graduate/Teaching Assistantships
PhD students are given preference over MA students for open teaching assistant positions, which include a stipend, salary and tuition award. However, MA students are regularly invited by faculty to apply for salary-only graduate assistantships.
GW Graduate Student Resources