Deadline for the 2010 - 2011 year is 5 P.M. on Tuesday, December 15, 2009.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Important: Deadlines should represent the endpoint in the application process (i.e., the final completion of your file) rather than the beginning of that process. The timely completion of your application is your responsibility. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. To ensure that the Graduate Coordinator will have sufficient time to assemble all materials submitted on your behalf, you should submit the online application and all supplemental materials at least 2 weeks before the stated deadline. The Department of Anthropology does not accept responsibility for postal or courier service delays for those materials submitted via the U.S. Postal Service.
***Note: Please make sure your name (including name changes) appears on everything you submit so we can match up records accurately.***
In applying to our graduate
programs,
please submit the following (email attachment in Microsoft Word or pdf format submission preferred for letters of recommendation, writing sample, statement of purpose and GTF application, as well as all program inquiries, to anthgradadmit@uoregon.edu, Subject line: Graduate Admissions):
· Two (2) official copy of academic transcripts from the institution(s) granting your degree(s), one sent to the Department of Anthropology, and the other sent to the Office of Admissions. One official copy of transcripts from all other schools attended is also needed by the Department.
· A Statement of Purpose to the Department of Anthropology Admissions and Awards Committee describing in detail your interests in the field of anthropology and your career plans. Please limit the length of this document to no more than 5 - 7 single-spaced pages. It should describe your research interests, professional goals, how these integrate with this department, and why you wish to be admitted to the Department of Anthropology at the University of Oregon. Be sure to indicate the faculty member (or members) and the resources and aspects of the program that seem particularly suited to your educational needs (faculty interests are listed on faculty websites, CLICK HERE). This statement will be read closely and should be prepared with care.
·Writing Sample. One sample of your written work. The sample should indicate your potential as a graduate student and budding anthropologist, so choose carefully. Term papers, papers given at professional meetings, and papers submitted for publication are likely choices.
· Letters of Recommendation (3) from former professors or similar professionals who are in a position to evaluate your potential for successful completion of a graduate degree in Anthropology. Recommendation forms included in the application packet are preferred (download recommendation forms). For tips on requesting letters of recommendation, please visit this link to one of our faculty websites: http://www.uoregon.edu/~mmoss/ref-let.htm. The best approach for the recommendation form is to complete your portion, print it out, scan it and email it to your recommenders who can then use the same method to email it to me with their letters.
· Official Score Report Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required. Ordinarily this test may be taken at the counseling center of the nearest college or university. You should take the exam no later than summer term, since it requires about 5-8 weeks to process the results, and the scores must reach the department by December 15. The codes you need when taking the exam to ensure your scores are delivered to the right institution are; School: 4846, Department: 1701.
·Application For Graduate Teaching Fellowship should you wish to apply for this award (download application for Graduate Teaching Fellowship). This fellowship comes with a full tuition waiver, health insurance and a small monthly stipend. If you wish to be considered for this type of funding during your first year you will need to include this application with the rest of your materials.
International
students must fill out an International Financial
Statement.
To access the on-line PDF version of this form, CLICK
HERE .
Email submission preferred for letters of recommendation, writing sample, statement of purpose and GTF application, at anthgradadmit@uoregon.edu, Subject line: Graduate Admissions).
Materials submitted via U.S. Postal Service should be addressed as follows:
Graduate Coordinator
Department of
Anthropology
308 Condon Hall
1218 University of Oregon 1321 Kincaid Street
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1218
Every year the Department supports the majority of its graduate students in residence through GTFs. Presently, however, there is no guarantee of any level of support. Students typically receive funding in their first or second year in our program, however. The Department is working toward offering multiple years of funding, assuming academic merit and timely progress through the program.
Standard GTFs
GTF positions are generally teaching assistant positions, although they sometimes involve research or lab work. Usually, GTFs will lead 50-minute discussion sections of a large lecture class. Typically, GTFs are offered beginning at .2 FTE (Full Time Equivalent), and may increase to .49 FTE (the maximum for graduate students allowed by the university). GTFs teaching 2 sections are at .25 FTE, those teaching 3 sections are at .38 FTE, and those teaching 4 sections are at .48 FTE. This funding formula is subject to change due to budgetary limitations. Readerships are appointed at .2, .3, and .4 FTE, depending upon course enrollment. The baseline formula for hours worked is that a student appointed at a .2 FTE works no more than 88 hours per term according to the collective bargaining agreement between the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation and the university. A student with a .25 FTE works 110 hours a term, one with a .38 FTE works 167 hours a term, and one with a .48 FTE works 211 hours a term.
Readerships are GTF positions in which the graduate student assists the instructor in grading a moderate-sized lecture class, but does not run her or his own weekly sections. Readers are assigned to courses based on enrollment, following this formula:
0.2 FTE if enrollment is greater than or equal to 50, but less than 75,
0.3 FTE if enrollment is greater than or equal to 75, but less than 100,
0.4 FTE if enrollment is greater than or equal to 100, but less than 125.
Classes with enrollments of 125 or more generally tend to have weekly sections run by GTFs.
In ANTH 366, Human Osteology, sections run for 80 minutes, hence GTFs receive .38 FTE for teaching two sections and .48 FTE for teaching three sections.
The pay structure is determined by the university and is broken down into three different pay rates. Students without a master’s are designated “level 1,” those with a master’s, but not yet advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. are “level 2,” and those who have advanced to candidacy are “level 3.”
To be considered for a GTF position, students must submit a complete application by the announced deadline. Late or incomplete applications cannot be considered. A complete application includes a current CV, a current transcript, two “Reports on Graduate Applicant,” (also known as “letters of recommendation” or “letters of reference”), a cover letter indicating prior teaching experience and teaching philosophy, and the courses for which the applicant is most suited. The applicant should use this letter to make the strongest case for his or her appointment and to explain any tardiness in making timely progress through degree programs. Of the two “Reports on Graduate Applicant,” one should be from the advisor. The other “Report on Graduate Applicant” should be from a faculty member who is familiar with the student’s work and progress. If the student has already served as a GTF, at least one of these letters should be from a faculty member for whom the student served as a GTF. International students who are non-native speakers of English are required to take the "Speak Test." More information about this test can be found at http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/?page=intlGTFLangRequirement.
Students must meet the deadline for the GTF competition, usually at the end of winter term. Everyone is invited to apply for a GTF for their second year in the program. Even if a student thinks s/he may not be on campus for the subsequent year or that s/he may have alternate funding, completing an application is the prudent course to take. Although the majority of GTF appointments are made in April for the following academic year, there are occasional openings during mid-year. Interested students should, therefore, periodically inform the Director of Graduate Studies of their continued interest. Additionally, students have the opportunity to apply for GTFs in other departments. In the past, anthropology students have held GTFs in Biology, Ethnic Studies, Humanities, International Studies, Religious Studies, Women’s Studies, General Science, Dance, Physical Education, the English Department’s Writing Program, and other departments through campus. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History, and on occasion, the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology also advertise GTF positions.
GTF Selections
GTF selections are made by the Graduate Committee, which includes a representative (either standing or ex officio) of all subfields. Regular GTFs are awarded to students who have not accumulated 3.6 FTE+ in prior GTF appointments in the Department of Anthropology and according to merit, as gauged by timely progress through the program, grades, faculty references and reports, and quality of past teaching. Other criteria include: publications, grants and proposal development, and conference presentations appropriate to the student’s level. Graduate students who have accumulated 3.6 FTE or more in prior GTF appointments should apply, but, priority will go to qualified students who have not yet received 3.6 FTE in prior appointments. Eligible students who have accumulated 3.6 FTE or more will receive alternate status and will receive GTF assignments as the need to make further GTF appointments arises. There is no single formula applied to all applicants. The decision-making is not cut-and-dried but depends upon the Graduate Committee’s overall evaluation of relative merit, given these criteria and the overall quality of the applicant pool. To the extent that a course requires the GTF to have specific skills and background, this requirement may loom large in the committee’s choice of GTF for that course.
For practical reasons, the fit between the Department’s needs and a student’s background and preparation are considered. For example, we generally have a greater need for biological anthropology GTFs than for cultural or archaeology GTFs. The Biological core class (ANTH 680) or comparable experience is a prerequisite for receiving a GTF for biological anthropology courses. It is conceivable that the pedagogical requirements of particular courses will overshadow other criteria and that appointment will be made out of specific staffing needs. As described above, receiving GTFs from other campus units will not adversely affect the ability of a person to receive a GTF in Anthropology.
The Stern and Barnett (Graduate Teaching) Fellowships
Each year the Graduate Committee chooses Stern and Barnett (Graduate Teaching) Fellows at the same time it chooses regular GTFs. Applicants must be advanced to candidacy no later than the spring term of the year they are applying for one of these fellowships. Graduate students propose to teach a class and submit a letter of interest, letters of recommendation, CV, and syllabus for the proposed class. These fellowships offer a year long GTF with a level of appointment ("FTE") of .4 for the terms in which the student does not teach his or her own course and .49 for the term in which s/he does teach his or her own course. Generally, two students are selected each year, one as the Stern Fellow and the other as the Barnett Fellow in honor of distinguished University of Oregon Department of Anthropology faculty Theodore Stern and Homer Barnett.
Stern and Barnett Fellowship Selection
The Stern and Barnett Fellows are chosen by Graduate Committee and endorsed by the faculty. The graduate student is evaluated in part in terms of timely progress through the Master's and/or doctoral degrees; only those who are advanced to candidacy or will achieve candidacy in the spring prior to the fellowship year may apply. The Stern and Barnett Fellowships are awarded primarily for academic merit. Winners tend to have sterling records in terms of grants, publications, and faculty support, and the course they propose teaching is a well designed and significant contribution to our course offerings for the year in which they will hold the fellowship.
Assigning GTFs to Particular Courses
The Director of Graduate Studies attempts to make the regular GTF assignments for the entire year at the end of spring term of the previous year. GTFs and the faculty teaching the courses requiring GTFs are asked to identify their preferences and e-mail these to the DGS. Although the DGS tries to honor both student and faculty requests, students must be willing to accept the GTF assignment that they are given. The DGS reserves the right to make these decisions as s/he sees fit to meet curricular and departmental needs. Because students’ schedules change (for example, when they receive grants supporting field research off-campus), adjustments have to be made prior to the beginning of each term. The DGS and Graduate Secretary greatly appreciate students’ flexibility and cooperation during this process.
Summer Session/Summer Sandwich
The summer term (typically mid-June to mid-August) is a little different from fall, winter, and spring terms. GTFs who are employed during the spring term and have a GTF appointment the following fall, but do not have a position for the summer quarter, are entitled to a "Summer Sandwich." With this, they may take courses at a reduced fee (typically the same fee paid by GTFs who are employed during the summer). In order to get a Summer Sandwich, a qualified student needs to complete forms available on the Graduate School website http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/?page=summerSandwich.
Occasionally, employment during summer is available as a GTF. Advanced graduate students sometimes have the opportunity to teach their own courses in the summer. Interested students should inform the faculty person in charge of summer session that they are interested in a position as soon as possible. Decisions about the summer teaching schedule are usually made during the first half of fall term.
Cressman Prize
The Cressman Prize (named after Luther Cressman, founder of the UO Department of Anthropology) is an annual competition in which students submit research papers. The award consists of $250.00 plus one-term tuition waiver, the student being able to decide when he uses the tuition waiver in the year of the award. The winner presents his or her paper at a Department Colloquium the following academic year. A special selections committee of faculty is formed in the beginning of every academic year to choose the winner of this prize.
The McFee Dissertation Writing Grant
The McFee Dissertation Writing Grant is occasionally offered to an exceptionally promising graduate student to support their final term of dissertation writing. It has been awarded once or twice in the past decade, and consists of a 0.2 FTE and tuition waiver.
Department Travel and Research Awards (DTRA)
The Department of Anthropology allocates a small sum to support student travel and/or research most years. Students must compete for these funds by providing a one-page description and budget of the proposed activity. Note that if the proposed activity costs more than the award limit, the applicant should indicate how s/he will supplement the Department's award. Instructions for the complete application and application deadlines are announced in the fall.
Juda Fund Student Travel/Research Grants
The Department of Anthropology awards small travel and research grants through the Pauline Wollenberg Juda Memorial Endowment Fund. The awards assist undergraduate and graduate students in the anthropological study of nutrition. Travel awards are to be used for attendance at professional meetings or transportation in connection with research related activities. Research awards may be used for expenses, including the purchase of equipment, undertaken in the examination of nutritional topics, including sociocultural, biological, and archaeological efforts. Students may apply for both the travel and research awards. The deadline for the 2008-2009 academic year is October 15, 2008. Graduate students may be awarded up to $350 in travel support and up to $1,000 in research support. Applicants should submit a completed application form, two-page long description of the activity for which you seek support, budget, and a letter of recommendation from their faculty advisor. Awards must be used within one year of the date of the award.
Research Assistantships
Faculty members sometimes have grant-supported positions similar to GTFs for students. In some cases these positions are structured like GTFs with tuition waivers, and in other cases, a position may simply provide an hourly wage. More information about such positions is available from individual faculty.
Graduate School
In recent years the Graduate School has awarded the Department of Anthropology three $500 awards to give to graduate students proposing to carry out research or creative projects, present a paper or engage in other aspects of professional development, acquire special training, or process data related to research. The Department announces the Graduate School Research Awards (GSRA) in fall term; the Graduate Committee decides who receives these awards on the basis of the student's application, which includes a cover letter, an itemized budget, a current CV, and his or her advisor's "Report on Graduate Applicants" (http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/?page=forms and click on gs_620. pdf).
Every year, the University of Oregon awards one or more Doctoral Fellowships to outstanding graduate students. To be considered for this award, a student must be nominated by the Department. The nomination packet includes a research prospectus for the dissertation of not more than 20 double-spaced pages; a current CV; a copy of the nominee's transcript; three letters of recommendation from faculty familiar with the candidate's research, academic background, and potential as a developing scholar; and a letter of nomination from the Department's chair. The award carries a cash stipend of $18,000, and each fellow receives a University tuition waiver. Fellowships are tenable for up to 12 months.
The Donald and Darel Stein Graduate Student Teaching Award recognizes experienced Graduate Teaching Fellows who have demonstrated a commitment to developing their instructional skills, while at the same time excelling in their academic degree program. Each chosen GTF receives an award of $1,000.00. To be considered for the award, it is necessary to be nominated by the Department. The deadline for the Department's nominee to apply is mid-April. His or her application must include a one-page teaching statement, a list of courses he or she has taught, and a statement describing teacher training and/or professional development activities the GTF has participated in.
The Graduate School offers the Margaret McBride Lehrman Fellowship, which includes a full-year tuition waiver and a stipend of $ 10,000. The award is intended "to provide support for graduate students with financial need who are pursuing studies that emphasize communication, especially writing skills." Applications are available from the Graduate School and the deadline is early March. This award is not offered every year.
The Graduate School offers a few Gary E. Smith Summer Grants, which are $3000 awards to provide support during summer term to make significant progress toward the degree. Examples of summer activities that may be funded are travel and expenses to attend a summer conference or specialized training, a summer colloquium, off-site research, and course preparation workshop. The application deadline is in May.
The Graduate School offers several Stephen L. Wasby Dissertation Research Grants, which are $1000 awards to doctoral students who are at the beginning stages of their dissertation research. Application deadline is in March.
The OUS-SYLFF Graduate Fellowships for International Research are awarded for one year of full-time graduate work involving research and scholarly endeavors in programs and projects with an international dimension. The focus is on masters and doctoral degree-seeking students within OUS who have high potential for leadership in international affairs, in public life, or in private endeavor. Outstanding students in the social/behavioral sciences, arts and humanities, and directly related professional fields will be considered through nomination by their department. The nomination packet includes a letter of nomination prepared by the Department chair or DGS, the nominee's application, a three-page statement prepared by the nominee and describing the proposed work while an OUS-SYLFF fellow, three letters of recommendation, official graduate and undergraduate transcripts, and GRE scores. The application deadline is mid-April. See http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/OUS_SYLFF_Fellowship.html
Center for the Study of Women in Society
The Center for the Study of Women in Society(CSWS) offers CSWS travel and research grants to students working on topics about gender, feminist theory, or any aspect of women's experience. CSWS Graduate Student Travel Grants (from$100 to $400) have application deadlines in fall and spring, and support travel for research and to attend conferences. CSWS Graduate Student Research Support Grants, which range from $100 to $2000, also have deadlines in fall and spring. The CSWS Laurel Research Award offers $2500 to graduate students of under-represented groups; the CSWS International Laurel Research Award offers $2500 to international students. Applications for the Laurel awards are due in April. CSWS also offers the Jane Grant Dissertation Fellowship, a $10,000 award, to a graduate student working on topics of gender, feminist theory, or any aspect of women’s lives; its deadline for applications is in early May. See http://csws.uoregon.edu/grants/index.shtml
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) offers several awards each year, most of which range from $500 to $1000. The Mary Chambers Brockelbank Endowed Assistance Fund Awards of $500-$1000 will be made to outstanding students of limited means, teaching assistants, instructors, or support staff who are students. Students are nominated by the department. The Risa Palm Graduate Fellowship provides an annual source of income to supplement support for one or more graduate students (M.A., M.S., Ph.D. degree candidates) in any of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) departments or programs. Candidates shall show exceptional promise for achievement in their chosen academic field as evidenced by GPA, originality of research, publication, teaching evaluations or other applicable criteria. Typically, awards will be made for one year, but may be repeated for not more than two consecutive years. At present, the annual award is $1,000. The John L. and Naomi Luvaas Graduate Fellowship award criteria are the same as those for the Risa Palm Fellowship described above. The deadlines for applications and nominations are usually in mid-February, and the awards are announced in March or April. See the CAS website, http://cas.uoregon.edu/uogetpage.php?page=http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/%7Efinaid/index.htm.
The University Club Foundation Fellowship also awards a yearly scholarship of $5,000. These scholarships, which can go to students at any stage of their graduate work, are based on an initial selection process held by the Graduate School, which sends the names of finalists on to the Club each year. The deadline for nominations from the department to the Graduate School is mid-April. See: www.uclubpdx.com
The University of Oregon Center on Diversity and Community, CoDaC, and the Graduate School provide 10 $1,000 summer stipends for outstanding UO graduate student research projects on issues relating directly to the Center's mission. Applications may be for a portion of research projects already underway (such as theses or dissertations), or to launch a new project. See http://www.uoregon.edu/~codac
The University of Oregon Diversity-Building Scholarship recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who enhance the educational experience of all students by sharing diverse cultural experiences. These scholarships are an integral part of the university's effort to meet the educational-diversity needs of its students, and they complement other programs in the UO campus diversity plan. The Diversity-Building Scholarship is a tuition-remission scholarship with awards ranging from partial to full tuition and fee waivers. The amount of each award is determined by the UO Diversity-Building Scholarship Committee. Scholarships are renewable. The duration of each award depends on the recipient's class standing at the time of initial award. Recipients must meet specific scholarship-renewal requirements to retain their scholarships. See http://financialaid.uoregon.edu/SCG-dbsinfo.htm.
National Science Graduate Fellowships offer recognition and three years of support for advanced study to approximately 900 outstanding graduate students (nation-wide) in the mathematical, physical, biological, engineering, and behavioral and social sciences, including the history of science and the philosophy of science, and to research-based PhD degrees in science education. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals who are at or near the beginning of their graduate study. Awards that were made in March 2003 carry a stipend for each fellow of $27,500 for a 12-month tenure (prorated monthly at $2,291 for lesser periods) and an annual cost-of-education allowance of $10,500, paid to the Fellow's institution in lieu of tuition and fees. See http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov.
NSF also offers Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in Physical Anthropology, Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology. Awards of up to $12,000 to meet expenses associated with doctoral dissertation research. Items normally requested include per diem for time spent away from the home institution, travel funds, supplies and equipment, costs associated with field research and analysis fees. Salary for research at one’s home institution is not permitted. Recent panel advice to applicants in cultural anthropology notes that “projects which advance our theoretical understanding are more scientifically meritorious than descriptive projects which add a case study of some (albeit fascinating and topical) situation. Outstanding proposals specify how the knowledge to be created advances our theoretical understanding of the study situation, so that people interested in similar situations in different contexts will learn from the project's outcome. The key is to be explicit in showing how the general theory explains the local situation, and in showing how the new knowledge from the local situation will advance the theory.” This advice is relevant to applicants in all subfields.
Fulbright Fellowships for Graduate Study and Research Abroad: These awards provide travel and maintenance, and specific book or research allowances for study or research projects in over 100 nations. Level of required language training depends on the project or study plan and the country in question. The UO interviews applicants and forwards applications in a single institutional packet. For application materials see Kathy Poole, OIP, 346-1212. The campus deadline is in late September or early October.
Preservation Technology and Training Grants (PTTGrants) Program: The PTT Grants program supports research, training, meetings and conferences, and publications that advance the application of technology to the preservation of cultural resources. Preservation technology refers broadly to any equipment, method, or technique that can be applied to the discovery, analysis, interpretation, conservation, protection, and management of historic objects, sites, structures or landscapes. Research priorities includeprotecting cultural resources against vandalism, looting and terrorism, studying environmental effects of pollution on cultural resources, and documenting and preserving threatened cultural landscapes. The proposal deadline is usually in December. More information can be found at www.ncptt.nps.gov.
National Institute of Mental Health: TheNational Institute of Mental Health is the lead Federal agency for research on mental and behavioral disorders. NIMH does support some doctoral research, please see http://www.nimh.nih.gov/nimhhome/index.cfm and discuss with your advisor.
Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
The Student Career Experience Program is a strong recruitment source for Federal agencies that need to attract diverse and talented students with skills which will be critical to the future workforce needs of the Federal Government. For example, both the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management use this program to train and recruit archaeologists and heritage specialists. The program provides for work-study partnerships between the students, the university, and a Federal agency. The SCEP provides an opportunity to gain work experience directly related to an academic field of study, and allows for a flexible work schedule. See http://www.usajobs.gov/EI14.asp, and the appropriate federal agency website.
Canadian Embassy - Canadian Studies Graduate Student Fellowships
The purpose of the fellowship is to offer graduate students an opportunity to conduct part of their doctoral research in Canada. The fellowships will support research in the social and human sciences, journalism, business, trade, environment, and law with a view to contributing to a better knowledge and understanding of Canada and its relationship with the U.S. and/or other countries of the world. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and should have completed all doctoral requirements except their dissertations at the time of application. All dissertations must be related in substantial part to the study of Canada, Canada/U.S. or Canada/North America. The fellowships are available for up to nine months, with a maximum stipend of up to $850 per month. See http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/washington/studies/graduate-en.asp.
Please note: the Canadian Embassy is just one example of an international funding opportunity.
American Association of University Women: One of the world's largest sources of funding exclusively for graduate women, the AAUW Educational Foundation supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented. See http://www.aauw.org/fga/index.cfm.
Ford Foundation Predoctoral and Dissertation Fellowships for Minorities: Open to U.S. citizens who are members of one or more groups: Alaskan Natives, Native American Indians, Black/African Americans, Mexican Americans/Chicanos, Native Pacific Islanders, and Puerto Ricans. The awards are made for study in research-based doctoral programs that will lead to careers in teaching or research at the university or college level in the behavioral and social sciences, humanities, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, and life sciences. Predoctoral Fellowships are for students with fewer than two years of graduate study completed. The awards include a stipend of $16,000 plus and $7,500 institutional allowance toward tuition. Dissertation Fellowships are for candidates who have finished all degree requirements except for the writing and defense of the dissertation and who expected to complete the dissertation during the fellowship year. The award provides a one-year stipend of $21,000 and expenses paid to attend three Conferences of Ford Fellows. See http://www7.nationalacademies.org/fellowships/index.html.
Jacob K. Javits Fellowships provides financial assistance to students who have demonstrated: (1) superior academic ability and achievement; (2) exceptional promise; and (3) financial need to undertake graduate study leading to a doctoral degree or a master's degree in which the master's degree is the terminal (highest) degree in the selected field of study. The Department of Education awards fellowships in selected fields of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Fellowships can be offered to individuals who at the time of application have not yet completed their first full year of a doctoral or master's degree program (whichever is the terminal degree for the field of study) or are entering graduate school for the first time in the next academic year. http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/index.html
The Newberry Library offers the Frances C. Allen Fellowship for Women of American Indian Heritage. This fellowship is for women of American Indian heritage working on a project appropriate to the collections of the Newberry Library. Applicants may be working in any graduate or pre-professional field. Financial support varies according to their need and may include travel expenses. Allen Fellows are expected to spend a significant part of their tenure (one month to one year) in residence at Newberry's D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian History. Applicants must submit a budget of travel and research expenses. Awards will vary from $1,200 to $8,000 of approved expenses. See http://www.newberry.org/research/felshp/fellapp.html.
School of American Research is a nonprofit center for advanced studies, contributes to the understanding of the human condition by supporting the study and practice of anthropology and Southwest Indian arts. Two Weatherhead Fellowships are available for either Ph.D. candidates or scholars with doctorates whose work is either humanistic or scientific in nature. The Katrin H. Lamon Fellowship is available for a Native American scholar, either pre- or post-doctoral, working in either the humanities or the sciences. See http://www.sarweb.org/scholars/scholars.htm.
Social Sciences Research Council: International Dissertation Field Research Fellowships are available to provide 9-12 months of dissertation field research abroad in social science and humanities disciplines, especially comparative, cross-regional, and/or cross-cultural projects that build knowledge about some part(s) of the world other than the U.S. Upon completion of the field research, fellows will participate in multi-disciplinary workshops. Applicants may be citizens of any country, but must have completed all Ph.D. requirements except the research component by the time the fellowship begins. Support includes maintenance funds plus travel, normally under $15,000 per award. See www.ssrc.org.
Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research: The Wenner-Gren Foundation seeks to further the discipline of anthropology. Dissertation Fieldwork Grants are awarded to individuals to aid doctoral dissertation or thesis research. Applicants must be enrolled for a doctoral degree. Application must be made jointly with a thesis advisor or other scholar who will undertake responsibility for supervising the project. Awards are contingent upon the applicant's successful completion of all requirements for the degree other than the dissertation/thesis. Applications may be submitted before such requirements have been met; however, should an award be approved, the foundation will at that time request evidence of that the applicant is "all-but-dissertation/ advanced-to-candidacy." Qualified students of all nationalities are eligible. See www.wennergren.org
Woodrow Wilson Foundation: Founded in 1945, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the encouragement of excellence in education through the identification of critical needs and the development of effective national programs to address them. Graduate student funding opportunities can be found at <http://www.woodrow.org/students_graduate.html>.
American Indian Graduate Center: Founded in 1969 to assist American Indian college graduates who want to pursue graduate degrees, AIGC fellowships are made to enrolled members of U.S. federally recognized Indian tribes and of Alaska Native groups in need of financial aid. See www.aigc.com for more information.
Students are encouraged to join professional societies such as the American Anthropological Association and other organizations tailored to regional and topical interests. Most of these societies provide students with reduced membership fees and offer scholarship opportunities to student members.
The American Anthropological Association (AAA), the primary professional society of anthropologists in the United States since its founding in 1902, is the world's largest professional organization of individuals interested in anthropology. The AAA provides numerous online resources for graduate students, and an extensive list of funding opportunities. Please see <http://www.aaanet.org/students.htm>.
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is an international organization dedicated to the research, interpretation, and protection of the archaeological heritage of the Americas. With more than 6,600 members, the society represents professional, student, and vocational archaeologists working in a variety of settings including government agencies, colleges and universities, museums, and the private sector. See www.saa.org. The SAA presents the Arthur C. Parker Scholarship and National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships for Archaeological Training for Native Americans and Native Hawaiians. See the SAA website for application deadlines. The Dienje Kenyon Fellowship is presented in support of research by women students in the early stages of their archaeological training. It is presented in honor of Dienje Kenyon and was awarded for the first time in 2000. The Student Paper Award is designed to recognize the best student research paper presented at the Annual Meeting. All student members of SAA are eligible to participate.
The American Association of Physical Anthropologists is the world’s leading professional organization for physical anthropologists. Formed by 83 charter members in 1930, the AAPA now has an international membership of over 1,700. The Association’s annual meetings draw more than a thousand scientists and students from all over the world. Their webpage provides links to several funding sources that support biological anthropology including the Leakey Foundation, National Geographic Society, National Institutes of Health, Decade of Behavior, and Ellis R. Kerley Forensic Sciences Foundation. The AAPA also awards several student prizes to graduate students. See http://www.pysanth.org/.
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society - Founded in 1886, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit membership society of more than 70,000 scientists and engineers who were elected to the Society because of their research achievements or potential. Sigma Xi has more than 500 chapters at universities and colleges, government laboratories and industry research centers. In addition to publishing American Scientist, Sigma Xi awards grants annually to promising young researchers. See http://www.sigmaxi.org/ for more information.
Examples of regional societies include:
The Oregon Archaeological Society offers the Roy F. Jones Memorial Scholarship. This $1500 award is made to a student enrolled in a college or university in Oregon or Washington, to assist in funding a worthy archaeological project. This scholarship was established in 1973 to honor the memory of a man who was an enthusiastic supporter of archaeology. The deadline is usually in February. See http://www.oregonarchaeological.org for more information.
The Association for Oregon Archaeologists accepts proposals for funding archaeological research in Oregon. Grants will provide funds for technical analyses necessary for ongoing research in the state. The total amount of this award is $500. Proposals may target all or part of this amount. The application deadline is usually in February, and announcement of the winner usually takes place at the Northwest Anthropological Conference in March.
While this list is not comprehensive, it does provide a good sampling of the types of professional organizations that support graduate students in anthropology.
The Graduate Student Handbook describes the graduate program in detail, including requirements, funding, and many other related topics. To download the Graduate Handbood (pdf) click here.
UO master's students who are currently
enrolled and who desire admission to the Doctoral Program mustfile a
statement of purpose along with other application materials with the
Graduate Secretary by the end of Winter term.
The application will consist of the following documents, for review
by the Graduate Committee:
1. The form "Application
to Transition into the Doctoral Program" This form should name a
comprehensive
examination/dissertation prospectus committee comprised of a chair and
two members. (Typically these members are all anthropology
faculty; there may be reasons, however, to name someone in
another department as the third member.) Every person named should sign
the form. It should also identify the topic of the proposed
dissertation research.
2. Statement of purpose (3 to 5
double-spaced pages). The statement should describe and justify
the dissertation project and indicate how, where, and when it
will be pursued. It should also describe the present state of
your preparation to undertake this project and what further preparation
you require before beginning the research. The applicant should write this document
thoughtfully and with care,
since it will reveal whether the applicant is suitable for the doctoral
program.
3. Current curriculum vitae.
4. Current transcript.
5. Three "Reports on Graduate Applicant."
One of these should be from the chair of the committee, who
should describe the graduate student's readiness to pursue a Ph.D. The
other two referees may be briefer in their remarks.
6. E-mail proof of your having requested letters from three referees.
Incomplete applications will not be
considered. It is the applicant's responsibility to be
certain that the file, as described above, is complete. Make sure that those you have asked to file
a "report on graduate
applicant" have done so by the deadline. Applications received
after the March 17th deadline will be considered in next year's
applicant pool.
The intent of this procedure is to assure that those admitted to the
doctoral program can conceptualize a substantial piece of
research and indicate (through the stipulation of the comprehensive
examination topics) a solid course of study. The project and
program of study the student identifies should fit with the
Department's
faculty expertise.
