Graduate Degrees in Anthropology

Anthropology

Terminal Master of Arts

• CU Boulder offers terminal MA degrees in two subdisciplines: archaeology and cultural anthropology.
• 30 total credit hours
• Minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.00
• Letters of recommendation and evidence of previous anthropologically oriented experience and work are carefully considered.
• The terminal MA is a nonthesis degree, but does require that students take a 3-credit independent research course (ANTH 7840) that will include the completion of a publishable paper and an oral defense of that paper by their MA committee.

GRE/GMAT Requirements

• Graduate Record Examination scores for verbal and quantitative aptitude tests are not required.

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2025 domestic application deadline: 10 p.m. MT Dec. 15, 2024
• Fall 2025 international application deadline: 10 p.m. MT Dec. 1, 2024

Fall 2025 application cycle opens early July 2024.

  For program details, review the course catalog for the MA in anthropology.

Dual Master of Arts in Anthropology & Master of Business Administration

• The dual MA/MBA offers you the opportunity to earn both degrees together in less time than if the degrees were earned sequentially. Dual degree students will be required to complete 43 hours of MBA coursework and 30 hours of anthropology coursework (3 hours of which may be an approved elective in the MBA program). 
• Students must apply and be admitted to each program separately.
• Students must meet the application requirements and admission standards for each program, and are urged to have a conversation with the anthropology faculty member who is most closely aligned with their interests before submitting an application. It is important that students clearly indicate their interest in the dual degree program in their personal statement to the Department of Anthropology.
• For admission to the MBA program, at least two years of full-time postgraduate work experience is strongly recommended. Work experience adds relevance and depth to the learning process, and allows greater contribution to classroom discussions and project work.
• Dual degree students may start either program first; however, in the first year of the dual degree program, courses are taken in one of the two departments exclusively, and in the second year, courses are taken in the other department exclusively.

GRE/GMAT Requirements

• The Department of Anthropology does not require Graduate Record Examination scores for verbal and quantitative aptitude tests.
• The Leeds School of Business requires MBA applicants to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the GRE General Test (GRE) or submit a test waiver essay.

Application Deadlines

MA:

• Fall 2025 domestic application deadline: 10 p.m. MST Dec. 15, 2024
• Fall 2025 international application deadline: 10 p.m. MST Dec. 1, 2024

MBA: 

• 2022–23 domestic application deadline: June 5, 2023
• 2022–23 international application deadline: May 15, 2023

  For program details, review the course catalog for the dual MBA and MA in anthropology and information sheet for the dual MA in anthropology and MBA.

Doctor of Philosophy

• CU Boulder offers PhDs in three major curricular options: archaeology, biological anthropology and cultural anthropology.
• Coursework beyond the MA must include a minimum of 12 credit hours and 30 dissertation credit hours.
• Applicants should have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (4.00 = A) and/or an MA in anthropology or a closely related topic.
• An MA in anthropology is not required for admission to the PhD program. Applicants to the PhD program should have a solid background in anthropology or a closely related discipline, and should demonstrate familiarity with the theories and methods of anthropology. 
• Applicants who have a master's degree in anthropology or a closely related discipline may be eligible to transfer up to 21 credits.
• Letters of recommendation and evidence of previous anthropologically oriented experience and work are carefully considered.

GRE/GMAT Requirements

• Graduate Record Examination scores for verbal and quantitative aptitude tests are not required.

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2025 domestic application deadline: 10 p.m. MT Dec. 15, 2024
• Fall 2025 international application deadline: 10 p.m. MT Dec. 1, 2024

  For program details, review the course catalog for the PhD in anthropology.