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Fall 2008 Courses (PDF)

Applying to the Graduate Program

Application Materials include: the application together with an extensive personal statement (submitted online in the Additional Information section); official transcripts of all undergraduate and prior graduate coursework (submitted directly by all colleges and universities attended); GRE or TOEFL/IELTS scores; three letters of recommendation; application fee ($50). The application fee can be postponed under special circumstances.

Deadlines: All of above items must be in the possession of the Department of Anthropology no later than January 15. The department admits students for study to begin in the subsequent fall semester only. There is no admission for study to begin in other semesters.

Notification of Admissions Decisions: Admissions review begins after January 15, and applicants can expect to be notified of the department's decision within eight to 10 weeks. Financial aid offers are made together with admissions offers.

Financial Aid: All applications will automatically be considered for financial aid in the form of teaching assistantships and fellowships. There are no separate forms for financial aid.

Personal Statement: In the "Additional Information" Section of the online admission form discuss at length your intellectual and professional interest in graduate study in anthropology.

This statement is a vital part of the application, and carries the most weight in our admissions decisions. Your statement might appropriately address the following questions:

a. What are your primary interests within your chosen field of study?

b. What theoretical issues do you intend to study in graduate school?

c. On what region of the world will you focus, and what topics would you like to explore for that region?

Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation should be sent to Phyllis Deasy, Graduate Secretary, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Anthropology, 3302 WWPH, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.
Download a Recommendation Form

Transcripts: official transcripts of all undergraduate and prior graduate coursework should be submitted directly by all colleges and universities attended to Phyllis Deasy, Graduate Secretary, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Anthropology, 3302 WWPH, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.

Graduate Record Exam: We require all applicants to submit verbal, quantitative, and writing scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).  However, applicants from countries where English is not an official language may request a waiver of this GRE requirement.

Test scores must be submitted directly to the department from the Educational Testing Service. For information on the GRE go to http://www.gre.org.

Non-United States Citizens

English Language Test Requirement: Students applying from countries where the official language is not English must have official TOEFL or IELTS scores submitted directly from the testing service to the Department of Anthropology.

TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL): For students whose native language is not English, a TOEFL score higher than 550 (paper test) or 213 (computer test), or 80 (iBT internet test) is required for admission.  For more information on the TOEFL exam visit http://www.ets.org/toefl/

INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM (IELTS): The minimum IELTS score is 6.5. For more information on the IELTS exam, visit http://www.ielts.org.

Applicants who have completed or are about to complete a bachelor's degree or graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement, and should contact the Department of Anthropology to receive an exemption.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Requirement: GRE scores are required for all applicants but may be waived or exempted for applicants from countries where English is not an official language.  Please contact Phyllis Deasy, Graduate Secretary, in the Department of Anthropology, to request a waiver.

Outside North America, information about taking the GRE can be obtained by contacting the nearest United States embassy or consulate, or at http://www.gre.org.

Additional General Information for International Students (PDF): Information on acadmemic records, acquiring a student visa, and costs of graduate study.

Also visit the Office of International Services. However, if you have questions that are not answered by the information on these Web sites, please contact us or the Office of International Services (OIS) directly.