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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Anthropology

Future students: Graduate admissions

Begin early in the application process with any questions to make sure you're on the right track. Master and Ph.D. application fees will be waived for the 2024 winter, spring/summer and fall semesters.

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Graduate Certificate in Museum Practice

Applicants to the Graduate Certificate in Museum Practice program must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Applicants holding or pursuing graduate degrees must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in their graduate program.

Prospective students can apply directly to the graduate certificate program without being currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at Wayne State University. Current Wayne State graduate students in any M.A. or Ph.D. degree program may also apply to the graduate certificate program and pursue the certificate as an add-on to their plan of work.

Graduate certificate program deadlines

  • Fall semester: January 15 (for applicants who intend to begin coursework in August)
  • Winter semester: October 15 (for applicants who intend to begin coursework in January); notification of acceptance will be sent by December
  • Spring/Summer: January 15 (for applicants who intend to begin coursework in May)

To determine whether the certificate is a good fit with your interests, you are encouraged to discuss your plan to apply for the certificate as early as possible with the Certificate Director, Dr. Andrew Maske or Interim Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Julie Lesnik.

Graduate certificate program application

For applicants who are not currently enrolled in a Wayne State graduate program, application materials and copies of transcripts are to be submitted to the Wayne State University Graduate School Admissions Office. Applicants who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at Wayne State should first contact Dr. Andrew Maske, Certificate Director to request relevant internal paperwork.

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Museum Practice program is contingent upon regular admission to the Wayne State University Graduate School. Applicants must submit:

  • A resumé or curriculum vitae
  • Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework
  • Personal Statement: A two to three-page statement that describes your reasons for pursuing the graduate certificate and how it connects with your career plans or goals
  • No letters of reference are required upfront

Master of Arts

Applicants to the M.A. program must have completed a bachelor's degree or be in their final semester before completion. The department requires a minimum GPA of 3.2 or higher, but typically admits students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students with a lower GPA may be admitted if the rest of their application file is exceptionally strong. International students from non-English speaking countries must have a TOEFL score of 550 or above for admission.

M.A. program deadlines

Winter semester: Oct. 15
Fall semester: Jan. 15

In addition, you are encouraged to discuss your plans with one or more members of the faculty who specialize in your area of interest as early as possible, to determine if this is the right program for your needs.

M.A. program application

All application materials and copies of transcripts are to be submitted to the Wayne State University Graduate School Admissions Office. Your application should consist of the following:

  • Completed application form
  • Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework
  • Statement of Purpose: In this two to three-page statement, you should discuss your academic and professional interests along with your professional goals so that we can ensure that your interests and our expertise overlap
  • Three letters of recommendation: Letters from anthropology professors are ideal
  • A writing sample such as a research paper for a previous course

International applicants should consult the international applicant admission requirements.

Important: Current Wayne State undergraduates are encouraged to explore the AGRADE and Senior Rule (see dual enrollment section) programs, which offer the opportunities to take graduate-level courses that count towards an accelerated M.A. degree in anthropology.

Ph.D.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have completed a bachelor's degree in anthropology or a related field or be in their final semester before completion. Applicants for the Ph.D. are expected to show a theoretical awareness and capacity for conducting independent research well beyond the level expected of M.A. applicants. The department requires a minimum GPA of 3.2 or higher but typically admits students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students with a lower GPA may be admitted if the rest of their application file is exceptionally strong.

Ph.D. program deadlines

Fall semester: Jan. 15

Important: Ph.D. students are not admitted to begin in the winter semester.

All applicants must submit GRE scores in order to be considered. International students must have a TOEFL score of 550 or above for admission. You should also discuss your plans with one or more members of the faculty who specialize in your area of interest as early as possible, to determine if this is the right program for your needs.

Ph.D. program application

All application materials and copies of transcripts are to be submitted to the Wayne State University Graduate School Admissions Office. Your application should consist of the following:

  • Completed application form
  • Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework
  • Statement of purpose: In this two to three-page statement, you should discuss your academic and professional interests along with your professional goals so that we can ensure that your interests and our expertise overlap
  • Three letters of recommendation: Letters from anthropology professors are ideal
  • A writing sample, such as a research paper for a previous course

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is no longer required for admission to the Ph.D. program. The reporting of scores is optional. If you wish to report your GRE scores, you may do so directly to Wayne State from the Educational Testing Service. The Wayne State University institution code is 1898.

International applicants should consult the international applicant admission requirements.

If you are a graduate of the WSU Anthropology M.A. program who wishes to apply for admission to our doctoral program, you must submit an application using the same process as described above. Because the program is selective, admission from the M.A. to the Ph.D. is not guaranteed.

Ph.D. in Social Work and Anthropology (SWAN)

Consistent with all other graduate programs at WSU, admission to the social work and anthropology program (SWAN) is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School.

The SWAN program will resume admissions during the 2023-24 academic year.

Required GPA

Applicants to the SWAN program should meet the strongly preferred standard of a 3.7 or above (4.0 scale) undergraduate GPA.

Required background experience or credentials

Students will be expected to have a background in social science courses at the undergraduate or graduate level. Students with a lower GPA or lower GRE scores may be admitted if the rest of their application file is exceptionally strong, especially if they have relevant experience. There is no required background experience.

Specific admission requirements

Applicants are expected to include:

  • Statement of professional goals: The statement should be three to five pages long and should describe the motivation for earning this interdisciplinary degree, including a description of relevant previous studies and any experiences outside of normal coursework that are relevant to the applicant's proposed field of study and career goals. The statement should demonstrate thoughtfulness about how each of the two disciplines can contribute to the applicant's scholarship and why an interdisciplinary program is important for the applicant's specific career goals. It should also contain a discussion of a potential focus for research and how that research interest may fit with one or more of the research programs of particular faculty members in social work and anthropology at WSU
  • Writing sample of at least approximately 10 pages that shows strong writing and analytic skills and a capacity for conducting independent research
  • Three letters of recommendation attesting to their ability to perform doctoral-level work. At least two letters should be from faculty, researchers, practitioners or administrators holding a doctoral degree, who will be asked to evaluate the applicant's scholarship and aptitude for research
  • Names of all colleges and universities attended so transcripts can be obtained
  • English language proficiency: Students whose native language is not English are expected to complete the TOEFL examination. A score of 80 or higher is required for admission into the program

Applicants may be asked to participate in a personal interview (in-person or virtual) with members of the SWAN steering committee.

Contact

Interim Director of Graduate Studies, Julie Lesnik
For general information, application inquiries or assistance.

Office of Graduate Admissions, gradadmissions@wayne.edu or 313-577-4723
For questions/inquiries about the online application or Wayne State University in general.