Graduate Program Guidelines

Courses and Hours:

At least 72 hours of graduate work for credit are required, at least 45 of which should be in formal course work (graduate seminars, “200-level” courses, and independent study).

At least 18 hours of course work must be in 300-level graduate seminars.  The remainder will consist of dissertation research hours.  During the first 36 hours of course work, students should be concerned with completing distribution requirements and filling gaps in their knowledge.

For new students holding MA degrees, transfer credit may apply to the hourly requirements for up to a maximum of 18 hours (~1 year) of course work.  Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis.  During the student’s first year in residence, his/her advisory committee will coordinate with the DGS to determine how many and which courses will be considered for transfer credit.  However, the number of course hours approved for transfer will be subtracted from a student’s total stipend award.  That is, if two semesters (18 hours) of coursework is approved for transfer credit, two semesters of stipend support will be subtracted from the five-year stipend award.

Full-time students are expected to enroll in the Graduate School during each fall and spring semester. After completion of the required 72 hours for the Ph.D. degree, full-time students register for 0 hours of dissertation research. Candidates for the Ph.D. degree who are away from the University must continue to register for 0 hours of dissertation research to remain in good standing.

Distribution Requirements:

A minimum number of hours are required in each of the four major sub-fields of anthropology.  In addition, at least one course in research methods is required.

In some cases, a student who takes two or more courses (6 or more hours) in research methods may petition his or her advisory committee to waive one course (3 hours) in one of the subfield categories (Group II, III, IV, or V).  This waiver should be consistent with the student’s research focus.

The minimum course distributions are as follows:

Group I:     9 hours of anthropological theory. This will include the two-course core sequence, “History of Anthropological Theory” (Anth 314 and 315), to be taken during a student’s first year in residence.

Group II:    6 hours of ethnography

Group III:   6 hours of archaeology

Group IV:   6 hours of linguistics (may include epigraphy and Native American language or literature): this should include Anth 203

Group V:   6 hours of biological anthropology

Group VI:   3 hours (and up to 6 hours) of research methods (may include a quantitative methods course taught outside of the department)

Advisors:

Upon entry, a new graduate student meets with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and is assigned an advisor based on his or her primary interests.  The student may choose a new advisor, if approved by the DGS, in accordance with changes in the direction of his or her work.  The student should remain in close contact with his or her advisor.

Graduate Advisory Committee:

By the end of the second semester of enrollment, a three-member committee must be formed consisting of the student’s advisor and two other faculty members. At least two different sub-fields must be represented on the committee.  The committee will advise students on coursework, preparation for the qualifying examination, and on the direction of research and the writing of grant applications.  In consultation with the DGS, the membership of the committee may change to better reflect the student’s interests.  The student must meet with the advisory committee at least once a year (in the spring) and a summary report of the meeting must be written by the student, approved by the advisor, and submitted to the DGS before the end of the academic year.  It is the student’s responsibility to initiate these meetings in consultation with his or her advisor.  In addition to this mandatory meeting, students are expected to regularly consult with all members of the advisory committee throughout the academic year.

Ph.D. Committee:

At the time students schedule their qualifying examinations, and no less than one month before taking the exam, a committee of four faculty members (including one from outside of the department) must be formed to serve as the student’s Ph.D. committee.  The Ph.D. committee will oversee the qualifying examination process and evaluate the examination.  This committee shall normally be composed of the student’s graduate advisory committee members and one other faculty member, including someone from outside the department.

DGS:

The Director of Graduate Studies directs graduate studies for the department, maintaining students’ permanent files, organizing examinations, and acting as an arbiter of the graduate program requirements.  The DGS will work closely with the graduate faculty advisors to keep track of student progress.  The DGS will meet with all students in the Fall.  All other duties will be conducted by the student’s advisory / Ph.D. committee or the Graduate Program Committee. 

Graduate Program Committee:

Admissions decisions, departmental awards and recommendations, and general program guidance are provided by the Graduate Program Committee, composed of the DGS and three other departmental faculty members.  Issues that cannot be solved by a student’s advisory committee or the DGS will be referred to the Graduate Program Committee.

Teaching Requirements:

Because teaching is a critical part of the practice of anthropology, Vanderbilt students are provided substantial training in teaching responsibilities.  Students are expected to perform teaching assistant (TA) duties for each semester they are in residence and receiving a stipend.  Please note that graduate stipend awards are based on satisfactory performance in teaching assistant responsibilities, which are expected to amount to an average of 10 hours of work per week. 

Each semester, faculty will provide written statements to the DGS evaluating the performance of his or her Teaching Assistants, who will provide a summary to the student.  Continued funding and successful promotion in the graduate program will depend on evidence of effective performance as a teaching assistant.

Teaching assistant duties should be completed with very satisfactory evaluations in at least three different courses, including two different 100-level (introductory) courses.  More teaching may be required, if the faculty feel it is necessary to round out the teaching skills of a particular student.

Language Requirement:

Before “ABD” status can be achieved a language requirement must be completed.  This may include one foreign language passed at a high level of proficiency in a test that involves a) a brief interview and b) a written translation test.  Alternatively, a student may pass one of certain 200-level Spanish or Portuguese courses with a grade of B+ or better.  A student’s advisory committee will determine which and if any other further language requirements are most appropriate.  

During the fourth semester of academic residence, and no later than April 1, a student will submit a brief Research Prospectus (~10 double-space pages) detailing his or her research intentions.  Ideally, this will constitute a “pre-dissertation” proposal relating to research that the student will conduct the following summer.  Nevertheless, there is no requirement that the Prospectus will constitute the student’s dissertation research in the program. 

The prospectus should clearly outline the student’s objectives and interest in conducting field and/or laboratory research for a particular anthropological project.  It should include and clearly specify (not necessarily in this order):

a) a summary statement (250 words or less).  This should summarize the research project and indicate its broader anthropological implications.  

b) a critical review of relevant research relating to the theoretical, methodological, and geographical domains of the proposed project.

c) a research hypothesis that the student will evaluate via this research project.

d) a clear statement of the project’s research objectives. 

e) a detailed outline of the methods to be employed to evaluate the research hypothesis and address the project’s objectives.  This should include clear statements of the particular data domains to be obtained or investigated and how they will specifically address each of the project’s main objectives.  

f) A timeline for the research project and a statement regarding how it is to be funded.

The purpose of the Research Prospectus is: 1) to encourage a student to broaden his or her research experience and/or dissertation research; and 2) to provide his or her committee with a document outlining these developing interests. A student should seek internal or external funding for the proposed project.    

After completing a minimum of 36 semester hours of course work, including all courses specifically required for the Ph.D., the student may take the Ph.D. qualifying examination.  The purpose of the qualifying examination (AKA “comps”) is to test students’ knowledge of anthropology in general and of their specific fields of specialization.  The examination will assess the student’s control of material from course work as well as overall familiarity with basic research in the discipline’s subfields.  It will also assess the student’s preparation for dissertation research and knowledge of the relevant background research and literature.  Students are expected to demonstrate extensive knowledge in all four subfields of anthropology (cultural, linguistic, archaeological, and biological).  In particular, students must demonstrate exceptional command in the theoretical, methodological, and cultural/geographical domains of their chosen field of specialization.

Qualifying examinations are normally taken after the student has finished all of the formal course work required for the degree at a satisfactory level and has fulfilled the language requirement.  The date for the qualifying examination will be set by the student’s committee in consultation with the DGS; students should notify their committee and the DGS of intent to take the qualifying examinations at the beginning of the semester in which they are to be administered. 

The Qualifying Examination questions will be formulated by the student’s Ph.D. committee in consultation with the DGS.  The examination will be graded by the student’s Ph.D. committee.  To prepare for the qualifying examinations, a student should put together a reading list as soon as possible in consultation with his or her Ph.D. committee.  This list will be divided into three sections to include literature relating to theoretical, methodological, and cultural/geographical themes.  Literature should include both texts read in courses taken in the department prior to the examinations and texts pertinent to student’s dissertation proposal.  Reading lists must include texts that draw on all four sub-fields of anthropology.

Students may receive a grade of “High Pass,” “Pass,” or “Fail” for each question.  With a score of “Pass,” a brief “oral” examination with the student’s committee will address areas of the written examination in which the student was considered to demonstrate relatively weak knowledge. With a failing score, the Ph.D. committee and DGS will require the student to 1) retake the exam or sections of the exam, 2) submit a written assignment on a specified topic, or 3) complete the requirements for a terminal M.A. degree.  The results of the examination shall be reported to the Graduate School. 

 

After the student successfully completes the qualifying examinations, the student (in close consultation with his or her adviser and dissertation committee) will prepare and submit a proposal outlining the research and structure of the doctoral dissertation.  As a guide to suggested length and specificity, students are advised to consult the National Science Foundation guidelines for dissertation research proposals.  The proposal should clearly state the theoretical issues to be addressed, the context of the research, the methodologies to be employed, the types of data to be collected, and the expected results and how these will address the central question.  The proposal should clearly show the student’s command of the relevant literature.  The proposal should be titled (which will serve as a working title for the dissertation) and the structure of the thesis should be outlined (including preliminary chapter titles and summaries) in the fashion of a book proposal.  A realistic schedule for research and writing should also be included.  A bibliography of relevant sources (not just references cited) should be appended to the proposal. 

The student should work closely with his or her Ph.D. committee in developing the proposal.  A final version of the proposal must be accepted by a student’s full Ph.D. committee before a defense can be scheduled.  Any date set before the proposal is accepted by the full committee is simply a target date. 

The proposal defense will start with a brief (20-30 minute) presentation by the student followed by questions from the Ph.D. committee members.  The student should be prepared to answer questions regarding all aspects of his or her proposed research.  At the end of the defense, the Ph.D. committee will vote to 1) pass the proposal as submitted, 2) require minor revisions and resubmission, 3) require a substantial revisions and a new defense, or 4) direct the student to complete the requirements for a M.A. degree.  Students shall be informed immediately following the defense of the committee’s decision.

After a student successfully defends the dissertation proposal, the DGS shall recommend to the Graduate School that the student be admitted to candidacy for the degree Doctor of Philosophy.  At this point, the student is classified as A.B.D. and has four years to submit a final dissertation to the Graduate School.

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in anthropology must present an acceptable dissertation based on original research that makes a substantive contribution to the field.  The dissertation must be completed within four years after a student has been admitted to candidacy for the degree.

Upon completion of the dissertation, the student will petition the DGS to schedule a dissertation defense.  The DGS shall notify the Graduate School in advance of the place and time of the defense and the title of the dissertation.  The candidate will submit copies of the completed dissertation to the Ph.D. committee at least one month prior to the defense. The committee reviews the dissertation and conducts the final examination. 

The final oral examination and dissertation defense is administered by the student’s Ph.D. committee and is on the dissertation and significant related material.  The student is expected to demonstrate a mastery of the topic of research as well as an understanding of the larger context in which the dissertation lies. The public is invited to attend the defense, which will be announced in advance in the Vanderbilt Register and publicized within the department.  The defense will begin with a brief (40-50 minute) presentation by the candidate followed by questions from the public and members of the committee.  After the open question period, the defense will continue in closed session with the candidate and members of the committee.  The candidate will be informed of the results immediately following the defense.

Two copies of the approved dissertation, with the original signatures of the Ph.D. committee members, and two copies of an abstract of not more than three hundred fifty words, signed by the student’s adviser, must be turned in to the Graduate School no later than April 1 (for May graduation).  The Graduate School will publish the dissertation by microfilming.  After microfilming, both copies of the dissertation are bound and presented to the Jean and Alexander Heard Library and will form part of the library’s permanent collection.

A candidate for the Ph.D. degree must submit to the Graduate School a dissertation that gives evidence of original research and thinking.  The dissertation demonstrates that the candidate has conceptual and technical competence in the field and has done research of an independent character.  It must add to or modify what was previously known, or present a significant interpretation of the subject based upon original investigation.  The subject of the dissertation must be approved by the student’s faculty adviser and dissertation committee.

The dissertation must be completed within four years after a student has been admitted to candidacy for the degree.  Upon petition to the Dean of the Graduate School, a one-year extension of candidacy may be granted.  A student may be readmitted to candidacy after such period has expired only upon application to the Dean of the Graduate School and with approval of the program faculty.  In such cases the student may be required, by the Dean or by the Ph.D. committee, to demonstrate competence for readmission by taking a qualifying examination or additional course work.

The candidate submits two copies of the completed dissertation to the Ph.D. committee at least one month prior to the dissertation defense.  The committee reviews the dissertation and conducts the final examination.

Two copies of the approved dissertation, bearing original signatures of not less than a majority of the Ph.D. committee, accompanied by two copies of an abstract of not more than three hundred fifty words and signed by the student’s adviser, must be registered in the Dean’s office no later than two weeks before the end of the term in which the student expects to receive the degree.  A candidate who expects to graduate in May must submit the dissertation to the Graduate School not later than April 1.