Anthropology (M.A.)
M.A. Anthropology
Program Overview
The Department of Anthropology at Texas State prepares M.A. students for their future endeavors. M.A. students regularly take part in field schools and internships, collaborate with faculty on research projects, work with professionals on applied projects, present their research at professional conferences, and publish their work in academic journals.
Course Work
TXST offers an intense two-year M.A. program. During this time, students complete 36 credit hours, taking seminars in archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology; data collection and analysis; and electives appropriate to their sub-discipline.
Thesis research is typically conducted during the summer between years one and two. In year two, students take six credit hours of thesis during the fall and spring semesters as they write their theses.
| Degree | Concentration | Hours | Thesis Option | Minor Option | Areas of Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Degree M.A. | Concentration Archaeology | Hours 36 | Thesis Option Thesis | Minor Option No minor | Areas of Research Hunter-gatherers, complex societies, iconography, ceramic and lithic analysis, Native American ethnohistory, paleoenvironment, geoarchaeology, experimental archaeology, and cultural resource management |
Degree M.A. | Concentration Biological Anthropology | Hours 36 | Thesis Option Thesis | Minor Option No minor | Areas of Research Modern human skeletal variation, bioarchaeology, paleopathology, forensic anthropology, primate behavioral ecology and conservation |
Degree M.A. | Concentration Cultural | Hours 36 | Thesis Option Thesis | Minor Option No minor | Areas of Research Medical anthropology, anthropological theory, political economy, globalization, race and gender, Latino culture, linguistics, phonetics, sociolinguistics |
Program Details
The M.A. program at Texas State provides students with the solid foundation they need to become professional anthropologists.
At TXST Anthropology, we are transcending the borders that divide us and restrain us - whether that's transnational borders, disciplinary borders, or the borders between academic and practicing anthropologists. Our research and learning engage theoretically-grounded, evidence-based, applied, public, and creative anthropologies to make impacts beyond the borders of anthropology.
The mission of the M.A. program is to educate and train students to become professional, practicing anthropologists in the 21st century. M.A. students can focus their studies in archaeology, biological anthropology, or cultural anthropology.
Career Options
Graduates of the program have successfully achieved professional careers in the corporate and business sector, public agencies, and non-profit and community-based organizations. Graduates have also successfully entered and completed top-tier doctoral programs.
Faculty in the department conduct research across the world, in the U.S., and locally in Texas. Faculty regularly include M.A. students in their research and mentor them as they pursue their own projects.
The department also hosts the Center for Archaeological Studies, the Forensic Anthropology Center, and the InnoAnth Lab, all of which provide hands-on educational opportunities and training to ensure M.A. students have marketable skills for employment and/or the skills to continue their education in a Ph.D. program.
Contact The Graduate College for general questions about getting started with your application, funding your degree, and more. If you have program-specific questions after reviewing the program details, we encourage you to contact the following individuals.
Graduate Advisor
Dr. Heather Smith
ma_anthropology@txstate.edu
512.245.8272
Evans Liberal Arts (ELA), Room 266
Advisor Support
Dr. Emily Brunson
eb32@txstate.edu
512.245.6783
Evans Liberal Arts (ELA), Room 237
Advisor Support
Gerardo Galeana
gbg18@txstate.edu
512.245.5852
Evans Liberal Arts (ELA), Room 266
Apply Now Already know that Texas State is right for you?
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term | U.S. Citizen | International |
|---|---|---|
Entry Term Fall | U.S. Citizen January 15 | International January 15 |
This program's deadline is firm. This type of deadline means the application and other application requirements must be submitted by the program's specified deadline day.
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Funding Information For scholarship, fellowship or assistantship consideration, applications must be completed by the deadline above. |
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Decision Timeline This program reviews applications on a firm basis. |
Admission Requirements
The items required for admission consideration are listed below. Additional information for applicants with international credentials can be found on our international web pages.
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Application
- completed online application
Review important information about the online application.
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Application Fee
- $55 nonrefundable application fee, OR
- $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials
Review important information about application fees.
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Transcripts & GPA
- baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university. (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
- a copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
- a 3.0 overall GPA or a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
Review important information about transcripts. Official transcripts, sent directly from your institution, will be required if admission is granted.
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Test Scores
GRE
- GRE is required
Effective fall 2024, the GRE will no longer be required.
Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores
Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our exempt countries list.
- official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
- official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
- official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and
- minimum individual module scores of 6.0
- official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
- official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall
This program does not offer admission if the scores above are not met.
Review important information about official test scores. -
Documents
- resume/CV
- statement of purpose detailing your academic interests in one of the concentrations and identifying possible areas of anthropological research. If applicable, include any crossover areas of research from the other anthropological concentrations.
- three letters of recommendation
Review important information about documents.