Dec 04, 2024

2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Applied Anthropology, M.A.

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College of Arts and Sciences
Department: Anthropology

Major Contacts, Deadlines, and Delivery Information

Concentrations:

Archaeological and Forensic Science
Bio-cultural Medical Anthropology
Cultural Resource Management
Heritage Studies

Also offered as a Concurrent Degrees

The Applied Anthropology major, initiated in 1974, was the first in the country to focus on career training for the practice of Applied Anthropology. Faculty at USF specialize in various areas, including medical anthropology, biological anthropology, urban policy and community development, environmental anthropology, education, archaeology, cultural resource management (CRM), economic development, immigration, media, and issues pertaining to race, gender, and ethnicity. Geographic specializations emphasize the Caribbean, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the United States. More than 240 graduates have received an education in anthropology and its practical uses, leading to employment in government and private sector agencies and organizations. For many, the MA is a terminal degree that qualifies them for professional careers in administration, program evaluation, planning, research, and cultural resource management. Others have gone on to earn doctoral degrees and have gained employment in academic or higher level nonacademic positions.

Students entering the Applied Anthropology major at USF choose from one of four tracks: Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, or Medical Anthropology. Although these four tracks share some common requirements, and are bound by general rules of the USF Office of Graduate Studies, they have different curricula and employment trajectories. Archaeology Track graduates typically enter careers in contract archaeology, or public and private agencies and museums responsible for managing archaeological resources. The Cultural Anthropology Track is designed to lead to employment in diverse areas that include education, urban planning, human services, private sector consulting and research, and non-governmental community organizations. Museum and heritage programming represent an area of overlap between the two emphases. Students who wish to pursue these kinds of specialties will develop curricula that draw from both applied and public archaeology requirements in consultation with their advisors. Biological Anthropology students are trained to work in law enforcement, private sector consulting and research, and non-governmental organizations. The Medical Anthropology track prepares students to conduct research, evaluation, and consulting in a variety of settings, including community-based organizations, county and state health departments, and non-governmental organizations. In addition to following the curriculum of a track, M.A. students can select elective courses to fulfill one of four concentrations in Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, Bio cultural Medical Anthropology, Cultural Resource Management, or Heritage Studies.

Our M.A. offers flexibility, depending on the student’s career plans. Students choose from one of three professional development options: research, internship, and internship-based research (a hybrid of the other two). All three options are expected to have an applied component, but differ in emphasis and setting.

Major Research Areas:
Human biology; bio cultural medical anthropology; nutrition/diet; growth and development; population genetics; forensic anthropology and human rights; neuroanthropology; stress; immune function; maternal and child health; reproductive health; HIV/AIDS; disasters; water and sanitation; migrant health; health policy; sociocultural and historical anthropology; transnational migration; labor; neoliberal globalization; citizenship; media and visual anthropology; environmental anthropology; urban anthropology; pedagogy and educational anthropology; heritage and memory studies; Florida archaeology; Eastern U.S. prehistory; Mesoamerican archaeology; Mediterranean prehistory; archaeological science; bioarcheaology; cultural resource management; public archeology.

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below.

a statement of purpose
a signed research ethics statement
at least three letters of recommendation
a resume or curriculum vitae
supplemental department application form
writing sample (optional)

Curriculum Requirements

Total Minimum Hours - 30 credit hours

Core Requirements - 6 hours
Required Track - 18 hours
Optional Concentrations 9-12 hours*
Internship/Thesis – 6 Credit Hours minimum

*students have the option of earning a concentration through coursework options within the track

Core Requirements (6 Credit Hours)

ANG 6705 Foundations of Applied Anthropology I Credit Hours: 3
ANG 5486 Quantitative Methods in Anthropology Credit Hours: 3

Required Track (18 Credit Hours)

Students select from one of the following Tracks:

Archaeology Track

ANG 6110 Archaeology Theory and Current Issues Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6197 Public Archaeology Credit Hours: 3
Two courses in Archaeology Credit(s): 6
One course in Anthropological Methods Credit(s): 3
One course in Anthropology Credit(s): 3 (can be external graduate course with approval)

Biological Anthropology Track

ANG 6701 Contemporary Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 OR
ANG 6110 Archaeology Theory and Current Issues Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6516 Human Variation Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6469 Selected Topics in Medical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 OR
ANG 6585 Theories in Applied Bioanthropology Credit Hours: 3
Three courses in Anthropology Credit(s): 9 (3 credits can be an external graduate course with approval)

Cultural Anthropology Track

ANG 6701 Contemporary Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6766 Research Methods in Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
Four courses in Anthropology Credit(s): 12 (3 credits can be an external graduate course with approval)

Medical Anthropology Track

ANG 6701 Contemporary Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6766 Research Methods in Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6469 Selected Topics in Medical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
Three courses in Anthropology Credit(s): 12 (3 credits can be an external graduate course with approval)

Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program in Applied Anthropology for Returning Peace Corps Volunteers

Students in the Coverdell Program are required to complete internships related to the program of study in underserved American Communities.

For more information on the Fellows Program:
https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/university-programs/coverdell-fellows/

Concentration Requirements (Optional)

Students may select one of the following concentrations. Credit hours used toward the concentation would take the place of discretionary courses in the track.

Concentration in Archaeological and Forensic Sciences (12 Credit Hours)

Two required courses (3 credits each), consisting of

ANG 6701 Contemporary Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6115 Seminar in Archaeology Credit Hours: 3 (Archaeological Science)
ANG 6745 Forensic Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 OR
ANG 6511 Seminar in Physical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 (Forensic Science)

Two additional courses (3 credits each) selected from one of the following: one may be outside of Anthropology

ANG 6189 Ancient Diets Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6195 Ancient Trade Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6511 Seminar in Physical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 (Anthrogenetics)
ANG 6536 Bioarchaeology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6745 Forensic Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6741 Introduction to Forensic Sciences Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6511 Seminar in Physical Anthropology
Credit(s): 3 (Advanced Methods in Forensic Anthropology)
ANG 6115 Seminar in Archaeology Credit Hours: 3 (Soils)
ANG 6115 Seminar in Archaeology
Credit(s): 3 (Technologies for Heritage Preservation)

External Courses That Also Qualify

(only one can count towards concentration):

GIS 6038C Remote Sensing Credit Hours: 3
GIS 6039 Remote Sensing Seminar Credit Hours: 3
GLY 6255 Tracer Geochemistry Credit Hours: 3
GLY 6285C Analytical Techniques in Geology Credit Hours: 3
GLY 6475C Principles of Applied Geophysics Credit Hours: 4
GLY 6739 Selected Topics in Geology Credit Hours: 1-4

Concentration in Bio-cultural Medical Anthropology (12 Credit Hours)

Four Graduate Medical Anthropology Courses with the ANG Prefix:

ANG 6469 Selected Topics in Medical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 (Theory and Methods in Medical Anthropology)
ANG 6511 Seminar in Physical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 (Theory and Methods of Applied Biological Anthropology)
ANG 6511 Seminar in Physical Anthropology
Credit(s): 3 (e.g. Human Variation, Anthropology of Growth and Development, or Forensic Anthropology)

Or one of the following:

ANG 6469 Selected Topics in Medical Anthropology Credit Hours: 3 (e.g. Issues in Migrant Health, Anthropology and Development, Reproductive Health, Health & Medical System, Socio-Cultural Aspects of HIV/AIDS)
ANG 5937 Seminar in Anthropology Credit Hours: 2-4

Concentration in Cultural Resource Management (9 Credit Hours)

Graduate class in Geographic Information Systems, whether offered in Anthropology or another department.

Graduate students pursuing a concentration in Cultural Resource Management must take the basic course requirements of their graduate program.

ANG 6197 Public Archaeology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6115 Seminar in Archaeology Credit Hours: 3 (Current Issues and Techniques in Cultural Resources Management)

One of the following courses:

(or other course approved by Graduate Director):

ANG 6436 Issues in Heritage Tourism Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6115 Seminar in Archaeology Credit Hours: 3 (e.g. Historical Archaeology, Florida Archaeology, Southeastern Archaeology, Museum Methods) Or other graduate course approved by the Graduate Director

Concentration in Heritage Studies (9 Credit Hours)

ANG 6436 Issues in Heritage Tourism Credit Hours: 3

And two courses from among the following options:

ANG 5395 Visual Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6197 Public Archaeology Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6436 Issues in Heritage Tourism Credit Hours: 3
ANG 7487 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam requirement is satisfied upon successful completion of ANG 6705 Foundations of Applied Anthropology I . Successful completion entails earning a final grade of “B” or better in this course.

Internship/Thesis (6 Credit Hours Minimum)

The MA offers flexibility, depending on the student’s career plans. Students choose from one of three professional development options, which must be decided in consultation with their major professor before the proposal is delivered. All three options are expected to have an applied component, but differ in emphasis and setting. Each option requires a minimum of six credit hours, taken in thesis and/or directed research internship as outlined below.

ANG 6915 Directed Research Internship Credit Hours: 1-19 (0-3 credits for this program)
ANG 6971 Thesis: Master’s Credit Hours: 2-19 (3-6 credits for this program)

Research Option

This option is designed for students who are planning a career in applied esearch and are considering a Ph.D. Degree. The final product is a thesis, which may be delivered as eitehr a traditional thesis or as a peer-reviewed journal article. If an article is submitted, the student must be first author and the journal selected in consultation with the M.A. Committee. The publication must be formally accepted, but not necessarily published, to fulfill this requirement. Students register for six (6) hours of thesis.

Internship-Based Research Option:

This option is designed for students who are planning a career in applied research and pratice. It is designed for students whose thesis research is situated in an Internship setting. A formal Internship is required, and the final product is a thesis, which may be delivered as either a traditional thesis or a peer-reviewed journal article (same guidelines apply as in the Research option). Students register for three (3) hours of directed research internship and three (3) hours of thesis.

Internship Option

This option is designed for students who are planning a career in applied research and practice. A formal Internship is required, and the final product consists of 1) a technical report or installation delivered to the host agency and 2) a substantial Internship report delivered to the M.A. committee. The student must be the first author on the technical report, and it must represent new and original work. The targeted length and substance of the Internship report should be discussed with the M.A. committee and agreement reached in advance. Students register for three (3) hours of directed research and three (3) hours of thesis.

Concurrent Degree

Also available as a Concurrent Degree

University of South Florida

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