Anthropology PhD
Pursue advanced research with the Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University. In this 43-credit, highly selective doctoral program, students have opportunities to lead and participate in critical research and fieldwork in Philadelphia, elsewhere in the U.S. or abroad, building the skills necessary to conduct anthropological studies in academic or professional settings.
All students in the program complete a set of core courses, which include foundational courses in thematic areas and the history of the discipline. You'll focus your studies and fieldwork in one of the four subfields of anthropology—archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology and sociocultural anthropology. You can also choose to specialize in Anthropology of Visual Communication, which draws primarily from linguistic anthropology and sociocultural anthropology. The interdisciplinary nature of the program allows students to incorporate all areas into their studies and research, and our newly restructured program capitalizes on the current trends toward integrative approaches to anthropological problems.
You’ll work alongside esteemed faculty members who specialize in multiple research areas including pre-historic and historic archaeology, bio-archaeology, biological anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, visual anthropology and medical anthropology. You’ll have access to Temple’s linguistic and media labs, as well as the Laboratory of Research and Exhibitions, which houses archaeological, biological, ethnological and historical collections from all over the world, as well as the equipment and resources necessary to conduct innovative research in various areas of anthropology. Learn more about research in the Anthropology Department.
While many Anthropology PhD students pursue full-time faculty positions in colleges and universities, others pursue academic and non-academic research opportunities or enter policy and administrative positions. Our new courses on professionalization and numerous extra-curricular events, workshops and activities provide training in transferrable skills.
