University of Nevada, Reno

DOCTORAL PROGRAM CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

a) Qualifying Exams: Master's level competence in the four fields of anthropology (cultural anthropology, linguistics, physical anthropology, and archaeology) is required of all students entering the doctoral program.Students new to UNR must complete the four core seminars and associated comp exams, which constitues as a qualifying exam, including the integrative question. In addition, they must prepare 3 bibliographic essays in line with their dissertation research. After these essays are turned in, the student takes a two hour oral comprehensive exam. The exam covers the three topics selected by the student and the student's committee during the first year. Following a successful oral exam, the student prepares and defends a dissertation prospectus.

b) Core Seminars: All students must complete the four 700-level core seminars and have the necessary prerequisites (within five years from date of admission) for each core seminar prior to registration for that course. Students take a comprehensive exam for each of the subdisciplines immediately following the completion of each core seminar. After successful completion of the four seminars (and associated comps), a student will register to take 1 credit of Comp Exam (Anth 795) to take a two hour exam that deals with an 'integrative' question (one that pulls all four fields together). In lieu of taking the seminars, students may elect to challenge one or all seminars by taking a challenge exam at the appropriate level. Challenge exams are scheduled at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Programs and the students advisory committee. Applicants who received their master's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno (within five years from the date of admission to the doctoral program) are exempt from the 700-level core seminars.

c) Coursework: A minimum of 73 graduate credits is required, which includes at least 48 credits in coursework (30 credits must be at the 700 level, including 18 from the MA program), 24 credits in dissertation (Anth 799, cannot exceed 24 credits), and one credit in comprehensive examination (which does not count towards the number of 700 level credits needed). Upon approval by the students advisory committee, a maximum of 24 credits of coursework from a master's degree program or previous postbaccalaureate graduate studies program, with a grade of "B" or better, may be applied toward the doctoral degree.

d) Foreign Language: Students are required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of a foreign language that has a substantial scholarly literature. The department reserves the right to require competency in a second foreign language if the student's dissertation research and career goals warrant it. The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by completing the fourth semester course in a language through the university or by taking a translation examination. The latter must be arranged by the student, with the approval of the chairs of the anthropology and foreign languages and literatures departments.

e) GPA: No grade lower than "B" will be accepted for the fulfillment of a graduate program requirement, and a minimum GPA of 3.5 must be maintained.

f) Graduate Advisory Committee: A student must form and meet with a graduate advisory committee to develop an approved program of study no later than February of the first year in the program. It is the student's responsibility to form the committee in consultation with his/her graduate advisor and the department's director of graduate programs. The advisory committee consists of five members, one of which must be a graduate school representative outside the department; of the remaining four members, two have to be from the Department of Anthropology and one from a department or program related to the student's area of study; the Chais is ordinarily from the department. Only individuals on Graduate Faculty can chair committees. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the student being dropped from the program.

g) Progress: Students are evaluated for satisfactory progress at the end of each academic year.

h) Financial Support: TA's are available on a competitive basis for PhD studetns who would either assist a professor in a large lecture course or, during their second year, teach a large lecture course on their own. First year PhD students ordinarily get no more than a three quarters TA (15 hours/week) but are eligible for 20 hours during their second and third years. There is a 60 hour maximum distributed over three to four years. All graduate students can compete for other types of research assistantships available through the departmetn and university.

i) Defense of Dissertation Prospectus: Students must defend their dissertation prospectus the semester following successful completion of the comprehensive exam. Optional tracks for dissertation research include prehistoric archaeology, historical archaeology, cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.

j) Candidacy Advancement: Students are advanced to candidacy upon the successful completion of the residency requirement, comprehensive exam, defense of dissertation prospectus, and foreign language requirement. Residency entails spending at least two successive semesters, excluding summer sessions, in full-time residence on campus at the University of Nevada, Reno.

k) Dissertation Defense: A dissertation, representing original and independent investigation that comprises a contribution to knowledge, must be successfully defended and completed. The dissertation must be approved by the student's advisory committee, and the student is required to present the results of their research in a public forum (followed by questions from the committee).

l) Time Limit: The Graduate School allows a doctoral student a maximum of eight calendar years to complete the degree requirements, but the department encourages students to finish in four to five years. However, the Anthropology Department does not look favorably upon any doctoral student remaining in the program for the maximum time allowed by the Graduate School. 'Failure to thrive' (i.e.: make satisfactory progress from year to year) can lead to dismissal from the program in some cases.