Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology - Heritage

Anthropology of Heritage focuses on the management of heritage and cultural resources and the identification and study of both material and intangible cultural resources as they relate to our ability to understand the relationships between the past and the present. Within the Department of Anthropology, archaeology exists through the strong emphasis on historical archaeology and is intimately linked to analysis of the role the past plays in the present, and particularly the ways in which the past is understood, valued, consumed, and mobilized. Historical archaeology is focused on class structure in Annapolis, labor struggles in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania, environmental degradation caused by European settlement in Iceland, cultural resilience and transformation in Ireland, impacts of diaspora and immigration in the U.S., the survival of Native American ecological patterns when confronted with European intrusion into the American Southwest and Southeast, as well as the role of heritage in pursuing and sustaining social justice.

Applicants are expected to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (exceptions can be made if a student demonstrates relevant career experience beyond the bachelor's degree). A degree in Anthropology is recommended, but not required for admission. A basic familiarity with the discipline of Anthropology, however, is assumed. Applicants will be asked to define their interest in the subdiscipline of historical archaeology or sociocultural anthropology. In addition, students are requested to identify an area of research concentration in which they are interested (anthropology of environment, anthropology of health, or anthropology of heritage). Students who are recommended for admission but lack preparation in a particular area (which will be noted in the department's letter) may be accepted to the program provisionally but are required to correct course or requirement deficiencies within the first year.