Ph.D. in Anthropology
About our Program
A programmatic powerhouse. Full financial aid and funding. A lens-worthy location. The reasons students choose the UC Irvine School of Social Sciences for their graduate pursuits are many. The Department of Anthropology within social sciences is known for its collegiality, creative teaching, research, and leading role developing new methods, theory and applications of anthropological knowledge. Faculty and graduate students are known for their research in economic anthropology, the anthropology of law, migration studies, urban and environmental studies, science and technology studies, security studies, and data studies. UCI anthropology graduate students move through a carefully designed series of courses that focus in the first year on the field’s history and theory then in the second year on ethnographic methods and research design. Graduate students also take a wide array of elective courses, both in and outside the department. Many pursue concentrations in critical theory, feminist studies, or medicine, science and technology studies.
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Recent Rankings
#01
university committed to economic diversity and upward mobility
- New York Times College Access Index
#02
"coolest school" for sustainability
- Sierra Magazine
#03
in the nation for diversity
- The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education
top10
best public university in the U.S.
- U.S. News & World Report
Quick Facts
LOCATION
Campus is located less than 10 miles from Newport Beach.
FUNDING
Admitted students are offered 6 years of funding.
FOCUS
Research focuses on social and cultural anthropology.
DEGREE
Ph.D.; a master's degree is earned while in pursuit of the Ph.D.
ENROLLMENT
Full-time, on-campus with housing.
FIELDWORK
Oftentimes outside of the U.S. - is a requirement for dissertation research.
Recent Job Placements
Tufts University
Scripps College
University of Texas, Austin
State Bar of California
Colby College
Filene Research Institute
UC Santa Barbara
Saddleback College
University of Northern Colorado
Cal State Long Beach
Research Specialities
Modernity and development
Environmental problems and politics
Politics, law and economy
Ethnographic research methods
Science, technology and medicine
Student Voices
A life in learning
Amplifying trans teens' voices
Achievement unlocked
More than a game
Deportees in crisis
Graduate Student Spotlight: Jennifer Zelnick
Graduate Student Spotlight: Akil Fletcher
What makes us UNIQUE
UC Irvine anthropology offers admitted students 6 years of funding. Faculty and students also have a very strong record earning competitive research funding from agencies like the National Science Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, Social Science Research Council, Fulbright Foundation, and Ford Foundation.
UC Irvine anthropologists publish widely, reaching anthropological, interdisciplinary and public audiences through journal articles, books, films, digital exhibits, sound installations and other media. UCI anthropologists also have diverse career paths in academia, business and the public sector.
UCI's campus community is notably diverse, and is known for supporting first-generation students.
The campus has twice been ranked as the #1 university doing the most for the American dream. Currently, UC Irvine is ranked #3 in the nation for diversity by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, and overall, U.S. News & World Report ranks UC Irvine among the nation's top 10 public universities.
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UCI anthropology is vibrant in many ways! Please contact us if you have questions about our application process.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
MEET OUR EXCITING FACULTY
Ph.D. SPECIALIZATION
Contact Us
Justin Richland
Department Chair
jbrich@uci.edu
David Goldberg
Director of Graduate Studies
goldberg@uci.edu
António Tomás
Director of Graduate Admissions
aptomas@uci.edu
Jennifer Gerson
Graduate Advisor
jennifer.gerson@uci.edu