Update on Fall 2021 Anthropology Ph.D. Graduate Admissions

This coming academic year, the Department of Anthropology is pleased to announce the recruitment of a graduate cohort with an emphasis on “Critical Studies of Race and Racisms” that spans the multiple subfields of Anthropology (from biological anthropology to archaeology to sociocultural anthropology) for Fall 2021. 

This opportunity is made possible with a “Creating Inclusive Cohort Grant” from the University of Minnesota Graduate School that helps us to continue graduate admissions, despite a pandemic, for this coming academic year; increase the diversity of our graduate program; as well as to train all students in this cohort on the important topic/method of “Critical Studies of Race and Racism.” Specifically, in addition to the courses of study and research foci in each of their subfields (which can be biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology), this cohort would be explicitly trained and mentored with a dedicated multi-subfield graduate seminar on race and racism, co-taught by faculty across the multiple subfields.

The in-depth critical study of race and racisms, in the context of anti-racism, is indispensable methodological, conceptual, theoretical, ethical, and professional training for any anthropologist, especially one coming of age in this contemporary moment. This emphasis would be integrally mapped onto existing strengths, programs of study, and subfields in our department. It is important to note that this emphasis does not mean that all applicants must be already trained or experts in this field, or that they must necessarily write their dissertation on this topic, but rather that broad training in this field will behoove all graduates, their projects, and the larger discipline.

If you are interested in applying to the Department of Anthropology, but you are unclear as to whether or not you align with the themes of this cohort, please feel free to contact dgsanth@umn.edu.

You can find more information on the benefits of being involved in this cohort by visiting the following websites: Creating Inclusive Cohort Grant and Summer Institute.

Because of ongoing budget uncertainties related to the pandemic, we recommend that applicants wait to submit their application and pay the application fee until closer to the December 15th deadline.

The requirement to submit GRE Exam scores has been temporarily lifted for those applying for admission to the Department of Anthropology’s Ph.D. program for Fall 2021, due to difficulty in taking this exam related to COVID-19.

Additionally, please review the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency web page for the options available for international students about providing proof of your English language proficiency. There are various options available for those applying to programs for admission in Fall 2021 that would not otherwise be available.