Mission of the Department of Anthropology (Graduate)

The courses offered by the Department of Anthropology are designed to: provide undergraduates with instruction in anthropology; provide undergraduate majors in Anthropology with a program of work leading to the bachelor's degree; and prepare graduate candidates for advanced degrees in Anthropology. Anthropology is devoted to the study of human beings and human societies as they exist across time and space. It is distinct from other social sciences in that it gives central attention to the full time span of human history, and to the full range of human societies and cultures, including those located in historically marginalized parts of the world. It is therefore especially attuned to questions of social, cultural, and biological diversity, to issues of power, identity, and inequality, and to understanding the dynamic processes of social, historical, ecological, and biological change over time. Education in Anthropology provides excellent preparation for living in a multicultural and globally-interconnected world, and helps to equip students for careers in fields including law, medicine, business, public service, research, ecological sustainability, and resource management. Students may pursue degrees in Anthropology at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.

The Department of Anthropology offers a wide range of approaches to the topics and area studies within the field, including archaeology, ecology, environmental anthropology, evolution, linguistics, medical anthropology, political economy, science and technology studies, and sociocultural anthropology. Methodologies for the study of micro- and macro-social processes are taught through the use of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The department provides students with excellent training in theory and methods to enable them to pursue graduate study in any of the above mentioned subfields of Anthropology.

Learning Outcomes (Graduate)

The purpose of the master's program is to further develop knowledge and skills in Anthropology and to prepare students for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is achieved through completion of courses in the primary field, as well as related areas, and through experience with independent work, area specialization and field research.

The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research and analysis in Anthropology. Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the doctoral program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of Anthropology and to interpret and present the results of such research.

1. Archaeology;
2. Ecology and Environment; and
3. Culture and Society

See Department of Anthropology Graduate Program Flyer and the Department of Anthropology PhD Handbook for information concerning the Anthropology graduate programs.

For more detailed description of the Anthropology Master of Arts Program, see Department of Anthropology About the Master of Arts Program and the Stanford University Bulletin Explore Degrees .

For more detailed description of the Anthropology Doctor of Philosophy Program, see Department of Anthropology About the Doctor of Philosophy Program and the Stanford University Bulletin Explore Degrees .

Any Stanford majors, alumni, faculty, and staff who wish to connect with the Stanford Anthropology community are welcome to join! Search for “Anthropology Stanford” on Linkedin, or click on the link below to go directly to our Linkedin page. (Note: this group is administered by the Anthropology Student Services Office, who verifies student, alumni, faculty or staff status against Stanford University records before individuals are approved.)