Transcript What are your interests? - UTM Anthropology Society

APPLYING
to
GRADUATE SCHOOL
in ANTHROPOLOGY
H. M.-L. Miller 2005
Applying to Graduate School
Seminar Outline
• Why graduate school?
• Which program, which university?
• Graduate supervisor? Making contact
• Components of an application
• Funding
• Extra questions?
Why graduate school?
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Academic career vs. non-academic career
MA versus PhD
Anthropology or something else?
Identify your interests: if anthropology,
which subfield? Narrow further…
What are your interests?
definitely pick subfield
• cultural/social
• linguistics
• archaeology
• biological
• medical
identify what it is about
the subject you like
 identify more specific
topics of interest -e.g. for biological anthro:
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health & nutrition
skeletal biology
paleoanthropology
forensic anthropology
e.g. for archaeology:
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faunal analysis
hunter-gatherers
states
also, choice of world area!
Which programs, which universities?
• Research programs and people BEFORE
you make contact!
• Use internet for research on programs,
ask faculty here at UT
• American Anthropological Assn. website
• Dr. David Smith’s website: “Archaeology
WWW Pages” for universities in Canada
• Canada, the US, Britain/Europe, etc.
• The people or the program (MA vs PhD)
• The question of supervisor (next)
Looking for a Potential
Grad Supervisor and/or Program
 Look
for supervisors / programs whose broad research
areas match your interests
• Check university websites for research interests
 Check association websites and
member directories
• Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology, American Assoc. for Physical Anthro
• Society for American Archaeology, Canadian Archaeological Association
• American Anthropological Association, CASCA (Canadian Anthropology Society)
 Attend conferences to see
current research & meet people
 Check department website for
information about program
and supervisor BEFORE emailing
Contacting a Potential Grad Supervisor
 E-mail
to confirm s/he is taking students
• $75 + per application!
• Tell them your interests & include a brief CV (see info on CVs, below)
• Indicate that you have checked the department website for program info,
but ask if there are other expectations that the prof has for his/her students
 Second emailing
•Thank them for their time!
• If they are not taking students, ask if they can recommend any colleagues
 Meet the person
• Can you work with this person for 2 years - or longer?
 Talk to current grad
students
• What do they think of supervisor?
How to apply
 Check Department Requirements AND
Graduate School Requirements (both websites!!)
• Grades: minimum & recommended
• Any Entrance Exams
sometimes need for scholarships, if not for admittance
e.g., Graduate Record Exams (= GREs) in U.S.
• Statement / Letter of Interest
( . . .  more)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
( . . .  more)
• Letters of Recommendation
( . . .  more)
• Academic work (papers, etc.), if requested
 Funding opportunities (dept., grad school, outside)
( . . .  more)
Writing the statement of interest
 Research interests
• General statement
e.g. skeletal biology with an interest in past populations (bioarchaeology)
e.g. archaeology of complex societies, particularly the Maya
• Particular research topics
e.g. sex determination, growth and development
e.g. faunal analysis, landscape studies, origins of social complexity
 Your goals
• Immediate academic goals (grad school), and beyond
• How does degree desired relate to goals?
 Ask faculty member
to review & provide comments
(allow PLENTY of time for this)
Writing a CV (Curriculum Vitae)
Name (on every page)
Address, Phone & Email
--be sure to give summer addresses too!
Education
--highest degree 1st
Then remaining sections (see
list to right), as appropriate.
Order depends on which are
your strongest sections - put
these first.
Be sure to have your name & page
numbers (1 of 3, etc.) on every page of
your CV!
Possible sections:
• Scholarships
• Awards (academic or otherwise)
• Publications or Reports
• Presentations, Talks (Conferences, etc.
-- NOT in classes)
• Field Experience
• Lab Experience
• Other Volunteer/Work Experience
related to Anthro
• Volunteer/Work Experience
not related to Anthro
• Papers for Independent Projects
(in classes or outside of them)
• Anthro Organizational Affiliations
(CAPA, OAS, CAA, etc.)
• Skills (computer, languages)
• Research Interests (topics, etc.)
Letters of Recommendation
Who to ask:
• Someone who knows your best work, in class and/or in field
• Can provide examples of your insight, judgment, abilities, (teamwork)
• Ask if they can provide a good reference
Ask AT LEAST 2 WEEKS in advance (especially for 1st letter)
• Remind them by email or phone a few days before letter must be sent
Provide for your letter writer (IN WRITING):
• Specific Date Due and What is Needed (letter? form?)
• Information provided from institutions about letters of recommendation
PROVIDE URLs for on-line forms
• Your CV (Curriculum Vitae)
• Statement of Intent of some kind - preferably a draft of application statement
• ?Past work done for them (essays, etc., to remind them of your work)
Canadian Governmental Funding
OGS (Ontario Graduate Scholarship)
• $15,000 12 months
SSHRC-CGS (Canada Graduate Scholarship)
• Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council
• MA/MSc $17,500 for 12 months
ALSO
NSERC-CGS (Canada Graduate Scholarship)
• Natural Sciences & Engineering (for some bio anth )
CHIR - Masters (for medical anth)
All have Internal deadlines – must apply through this university
See U of T Graduate website - important dates & deadlines
Canadian Govt. Funding Deadlines
apply fall 2011 if starting fall 2012
Scholarship
NSERC-CGS (Masters)
OGS - Master
SSHRC-CGS (Masters)
CHIR - Masters
Due Date to UT ANT
Oct. 4, 2011
Oct. 17, 2011
Nov. 7, 2011
Nov. 9, 2011
Must submit to ANT Graduate Office at St. George!!
University-Based Funding
Check web site for department!
Talk to the Grad Secretary
Entrance scholarships
• some apply with entrance application
• some apply after acceptance
Check website for School/Dean of Graduate Studies
(if still have questions, call their inquiries number)
• other scholarships
• many small scholarships specific to university
Good luck!