Since its inception in the 1960s, the graduate program has been nationally recognized as a leader in applied anthropology. We define applied anthropology as research with practical application and impact, but anchored in a rigorous foundation in anthropological theory and method, whether from cultural, biocultural, or medical anthropological, or bioarchaeological, historical archaeological, or archaeological perspectives, for example. With grounding in core anthropological and archaeological theory and method, we train our students to be skilled researchers who can traverse both academic and non-academic settings, bringing to their research a sound intellectual base, and skills for application and practice.
The M.A. degree in Applied Anthropology at UK is designed to train students to apply the theories, methods, and practices of anthropology to solve real world problems with community and organizational partners, and to prepare students for careers in different domains of application or for further graduate study. The program draws on the department’s considerable research strengths in a variety of areas (see website for more information), and puts strong emphasis on training in theory, application, and proficiency in a broad range of current research methods and technical skills. The M.A. in Applied Anthropology program has three Areas of Concentration - Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology and Medical Anthropology. Students must declare their area of concentration in their program application.
Admissions Requirements
If you are entering the Anthropology M.A. program without previous training in anthropology, you might want to read Perspectives: An Open Invitation to Cultural Anthropology (a free online textbook available at http://perspectives.americananthro.org/) and/or a text recommended by your advisor (e.g., Charles Orser’s 2016 text Historical Archaeology) prior to your first semester.
Degree Requirements
The degree completion requires 30 credits of coursework. The M.A. degree requires a written report based on the practicum. The report is written with the guidance of a committee of three faculty members. The final examination for the Master’s degree is an oral presentation of the practicum project to the department. There is no foreign language requirement for the Master’s degree in applied anthropology.
Archaeology Concentration:
The Archaeology concentration is aimed at preparing students for careers in applied archaeological anthropology, including cultural resource management, museum and heritage studies, and public archaeology.
Students are expected to have archaeological field school training before starting graduate school. UKY offers or recommends an archaeological field school each summer, and students who have not participated in a field school will be encouraged to seek mentored field experience through or beyond the program.
Students interested in careers in Cultural Resource Management will be encouraged to enroll in ANT 545 and electives in Historic Preservation, and program revisions are underway to further accommodate CRM career preparation.
Plan of Study:
Cultural Anthropology Concentration:
The Cultural Anthropology concentration is designed to prepare students for careers in various domains of application, including economic development, rural and urban development, business anthropology, public anthropology, human services, education, consulting and research, program monitoring and evaluation, and work with corporations, governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Plan of Study:
Medical Anthropology Concentration:
The Medical Anthropology concentration is based on fundamental concerns with the study of social forces and health inequalities, and various programmatic endeavors and community-based responses to them. Participants in the program will receive training in ethnographic methods, community-based participatory research and/or program evaluation along with instruction in anthropological perspectives on health and the intersection of anthropology with public health.
Plan of Study:
Requirements for all M.A. Students:
Practicum:
All M.A. students must enroll in 6 credit hours of ANT 760 (Practicum in Applied Anthropology). The practicum is expected to be the equivalent of a full-time effort for at least one academic semester.
Departmental Presentation:
All M.A. students are required to write a report and to deliver a presentation to the department as a condition of graduation.