Welcome!

Our Masters and PhD programs meet a growing demand by diverse employers for anthropologists with advanced training in applied research. Graduates from our programs go on to careers in academia and a large variety of other areas, including local, state, and federal government agencies; community-based organizations and many other non-profits; tribal groups; and the private sector.

For more information on our programs, read on.  To apply, use these links for our Masters and PhD programs.

Consistent Financial Support

We aim to provide our students with highly valuable Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) positions while they are taking classes and meeting other degree requirements. Each term, approximately 25 Anthropology graduate students receive GTA positions, and 90-95% of our students receive the maximum number of terms of GTA support from our program.  GTA positions come with a full tuition waiver, health benefits, and a stipend at the minimum FTE level set by the Coalition for Graduate Employees' contract with OSU (.38 for 2022-23, .40 for 2023-24). Masters students are eligible for up to 6 terms (2 full academic years) of GTA support, and PhD students are eligible for up to 12 terms (4 full academic years) of support. We also help our students obtain other forms of financial support, including grants, fellowships and scholarships, made available by sources within and beyond Oregon State University.

Student Success

Our graduate students receive close mentoring from faculty and other experts, and are presented with various research opportunities while at Oregon State University.  They make meaningful contributions in academic, workplace, and community settings, often in collaboration with colleagues from a diverse range of disciplines, including Forestry, Agriculture, Engineering, Public Health, and others. They complete internships and use their training in real world settings, making connections that improve their employment prospects after graduation.

In just the past few years, Masters and PhD students in our program have received Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation and Fulbright, Dissertation Improvement Grants from NSF, and awards from the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund. Our students have authored peer-reviewed publications and reports for various agencies, and presented research at academic conferences.  They have obtained extensive teaching experience both online and in classroom settings, garnering annual awards for their contributions to educating our diverse undergraduate student body.  They have also provided crucial service to various communities and organizations within and beyond our university. 

Welcoming and Valuing Diversity

The Anthropology program at Oregon State is an integral part of the School of Language, Culture, & Society.  Together with colleagues in Ethnic Studies, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and World Languages and Cultures, we champion a brand of scholarship that engages themes of social justice, health equity, environmental justice, decolonization, and anti-racism. OSU Anthropology values the diversity of backgrounds within our graduate student body, and we strive to enhance that diversity and provide the support that historically underrepresented students need. We aim to foster a community that is dedicated to the constructive exchange of diverse viewpoints and forms of knowledge, in which all feel heard, seen, and valued. This welcoming of diversity strengthens our program and contributes to the success of our students.

We support and invite prospective students to learn more about OSU's office of Diversity and Cultural Engagement, the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, the Ettihad Cultural Center, the Asian and Pacific Cultural Center, the Centro Cultural César Chávez, the Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws, the Pride Center, and the Women's Center

Our program’s and Oregon State University’s support for students with DACA, undocumented students, and students from mixed-immigration status families is unwavering. You can find more information on OSU’s policies here. If you are an undocumented or DACAmented student interested in the graduate program in applied anthropology, you are encouraged to contact the Graduate Program Director, Dr. Kenneth Maes, to find answers to questions about what Oregon State University will do to support you.                                                                                            

As of June 2020, the GRE is no longer a requirement for admission to the Applied Anthropology Graduate Program (Masters or PhD) at Oregon State University.

To apply, use these links for our Masters and PhD programs. Applications must be received at the graduate school by Jan. 20.