Graduate Program Overview

Fraser Hall at midday and clear skies

Overview Graduate Programs

KU Anthropology trains students across a broad range of topics with special emphasis placed on the subdisciplines of:

  • Archaeology
  • Biological anthropology
  • Sociocultural anthropology

Students have many reasons for pursuing graduate degrees in anthropology. Some are curious about the origins of the human species. Others are fascinated the diversity of human experiences in ancient and modern periods. Some students intend to pursue international careers, where they will use languages and work in cultural contexts very different from those in which they were raised. Others plan to work in museums collecting and curating human cultural resources. Some wish to pursue graduate training in one of the field’s subdisciplines, while others seek to use their anthropological training as preparation for professional schools, including law, medicine, public health, journalism, business, and engineering. There are many professions where the broad scientific, humanistic, and multicultural knowledge available through the study of anthropology can be useful, such as education, healthcare, law, social work, business, human resources, public affairs, cultural resource management, or laboratory research.

The Anthropology Department at the University of Kansas maintains a holistic and integrative approach to studying human beings. Our world-class program has particular strengths in the Americas in all three subdisciplines, and is committed to engaged research with community partners.

We are committed to fully funding all PhD students for at least four years. Funding is also available to MA students.

The KU Department of Anthropology recognizes that we are on the traditional territories of the Wazhazhe Manzhan (Osage), Washtáge Monzhán (Kaw/Kansa) & Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux). Lawrence is home to many Indigenous people from across what is now called the United States. Specifically, the University occupies land ceded in an 1825 treaty with the Kaw Nation and a later treaty with the Shawnee enforced in 1854.