The Ph.D. in Anthropology at CSU supports advanced coursework and research with a focus on place, space, and adaptation. Students achieve this perspective on the discipline by engaging with a curriculum infused with geographic methods and approaches. This program provides students with the skills and expertise to address research questions that 1) sit at the intersection of anthropology and geography, 2) apply geographic methods to anthropological questions, and 3) critically evaluate the impact of place and space on human/ecosystem adaptation.
Admitted students are generally recommended for three years of funding, dependent on available resources. Funding is typically in the form of graduate teaching assistantships which cover the cost of tuition and provide a monthly stipend. All applicants to the PhD anthropology program are automatically considered for these assistantships. Seed grants for graduate research are provided by the Anthropology Scholarship Endowment on a competitive basis, and Student Research Scholarships are available to support research as well as travel to conferences. Students are also expected to obtain funding from outside resources to support their dissertation research.
CSU Anthropology and Geography is ranked #5 among U.S. Anthropology Programs in Research Funding and Spending, according to data from the latest National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Explain anthropological and geographic theory to develop original research questions that advance knowledge of human and environmental systems.
- Apply advanced qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial methods to analyze anthropological data across temporal and spatial scales.
- Design and conduct independent, ethical, and rigorous research that produces an original scholarly contribution to anthropology.
- Articulate complex research findings clearly and effectively to academic, professional, and public audiences.
- Demonstrate professional leadership through interdisciplinary collaboration, mentoring, and active participation in scholarly communities.
Effective Fall 2026
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| ANTH 500 | Development of Anthropological Theory | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Place, Space and Adaptation | ||
| Edge Effects--Place, Embodiment, Environment | ||
| Method Courses – 6 credits total | 6 | |
| Select at least 3 credits in ANTH method courses: | ||
| Human Osteology | ||
| Approaches to Community-Based Development | ||
| Method in Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Ethnographic Field School | ||
| Ethnographic Field Methods | ||
| Cultures of Virtual Worlds–Research Methods | ||
| Community Development from the Ground Up | ||
| Zooarchaeology | ||
| Methods of Analysis in Paleoanthropology | ||
| Psychiatric Anthropology Laboratory | ||
| Cultural Analysis of Qualitative Data | ||
| Cognitive Anthropology Field Methods | ||
| Cultural Analysis of Personal Networks | ||
| Ethnographic Discourse Analysis | ||
| Human-Environment Interactions | ||
| Seminar in Archaeological Method | ||
| Foundations of Ethnographic Research | ||
| From Death to Discovery | ||
| Global Mental Health--Theory and Method | ||
| Ecological and Social Agent-based Modeling | ||
| Bayesian Chronologies in Archaeology | ||
| Field Methods Training in Online Environments | ||
| Paleoclimate and Human Evolution | ||
| Field Archaeology | ||
| Research Design and Analysis in Anthropology | ||
| Practicum-Field Archaeology | ||
| Select at least 3 credits in GR method courses: | ||
| GIS for Social Scientists | ||
| Spatial Analysis with GIS | ||
| Land Change Science and Remote Sensing | ||
| Land Change Science Lab | ||
| Remote Sensing and Image Analysis | ||
| Abolition Methodologies | ||
| Theory/Topical electives – 9 credits total (Select at least 3 credits from three of the four categories below) 1 | 9 | |
| Depending on specific content covered, the following courses could satisfy any of the 3 anthropology (ANTH) sub-disciplines below: | ||
| Supervised College Teaching | ||
| Seminar | ||
| Special Topics in Anthropology | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Archaeology courses: | ||
| Seminar in Archaeological Theory | ||
| Regional Prehistory: Great Plains | ||
| Historical Archaeology | ||
| Geoarchaeology | ||
| Archaeology of Complex Societies | ||
| Paleoindian Archaeology | ||
| Field Archaeology | ||
| Practicum-Field Archaeology | ||
| Biological Anthropology courses: | ||
| Contemporary Issues-Biological Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology and Global Health | ||
| Human Origins | ||
| Paleoecology | ||
| Cultural Anthropology courses: | ||
| Resilience, Well-Being, and Social Justice | ||
| Anthropology of Happiness and the Good Life | ||
| Culture and Environment | ||
| Women, Health, and Culture | ||
| Gender, Sexuality, and Culture | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology and Sustainable Development | ||
| The Culture of Disaster | ||
| Globalization and Culture Change | ||
| Food, Hunger, and Culture | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Foundations of Ethnographic Research | ||
| Global Mental Health--Theory and Method | ||
| Culture, Mind, and Cognitive Science | ||
| Mind, Medicine, and Culture | ||
| Theoretical Topics in Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Applications of International Development | ||
| Geography courses: | ||
| Climate Change: Science, Policy, Implications | ||
| The Geography of Commodities | ||
| Land Change Science Lab | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| Forest Biogeography and Climate Change | ||
| Remote Sensing and Image Analysis | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Special Topics in Geography | ||
| Edge Effects--Place, Embodiment, Environment | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| ANTH 799 | Dissertation | 12-15 |
| Outside Department Elective (Select at least 3 credits from subject code other than ANTH or GR) | 3 | |
| Additional Credits: | 3-6 | |
| Supervised College Teaching | ||
| Seminar | ||
| Group Study-Anthropological Theory | ||
| Special Topics in Anthropology | ||
| Independent Study | ||
Electives | ||
| Master's Degree Credit (a maximum of 30 credits may be accepted from a master's degree) 2 | 30 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 72 | |
A minimum of 72 credits are required to complete this program. Students must also complete comprehensive exams that will be assessed through written and/or oral examination by a PhD committee that includes an advisor, two internal faculty members, and one outside faculty member. The exam format is determined in consultation with an academic advisor with options for two 15 page essays that survey the student's chosen research topic, or an oral or written exam with questions provided by committee members one week in advance of the exam. Students must successfully defend a dissertation proposal that outlines research plans that are determined by the PhD committee to be both feasible and of the appropriate level of scholarship with research that will make a substantial contribution to the student's chosen topic. Upon completion of their research, students will submit a dissertation that consists of an introduction, at least three body chapters, and a concluding chapter. The body chapters can be formatted for publication in an academic journal, but this is not required. The final student evaluation is a public dissertation defense that includes a 45 minute presentation, followed by questions from the broader audience and a private discussion with the PhD committee. The committee will meet without the student present to evaluate the dissertation and provide feedback to the student that includes a pass/fail assessment and edits recommended for the final document.
- 1
Students who completed one of more of these categories at the Masters level can petition the graduate committee to take the equivalent number of credits from a category of their choosing.
- 2
Most students entering the Ph.D. program in anthropology will bring in 30 credits from a Master's program in a related field. The above curriculum represents a total of 42 credits beyond the Master's level. If a prospective student has less than 30 credits toward the program, an individualized curriculum plan will be developed by working with primary advisor that will cover possible anthropology deficiencies.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |