Ph.D. in Anthropology (Social Cultural and Archaeology) and Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology
Frequently Asked Questions About Admissions
May
I apply to two graduate programs at Berkeley at the same time?
No, you are only allowed to apply to one graduate program at Berkeley
in a given admission cycle.
May I reactivate an application from a previous year?
Yes, you can reactivate an application twice. However, the department will save applications for only two years, after which application materials are shredded and recycled.
May I have my application forwarded to another Berkeley department
upon reactivation?
Yes, as long as you provide a written request.
May I apply to both the UCSF Medical Anthropology and Berkeley Medical
Anthropology programs at the same time?
No. Because UCSF and UCB are two cohorts of one Joint UCB/UCSF Ph.D.in
Medical Anthropology, this Joint Ph.D. program only accepts applications
to only one campus at a time. Differences between the two cohorts of the
Joint Ph.D. Program: UCSF accepts applications every other year; UCB accepts
applications every year. UCSF requires a master's degree in order to be
admitted; UCB does not require a master's degree in order to be admitted.
The programs admit students separately and are administered separately, although students take courses together at both campuses and work with faculty at both campuses. The advantage of a joint program is it facilitates access to the academic and scholarly benefits of both campuses. It also increases the number of faculty available to work with students. Briefly, the San Francisco campus has an outstanding Medical School and many related medical research projects and centers—the part of the program at UCSF is in a department devoted to medical anthropology and history. On the other hand, the part of the program at UCB is located in a department of anthropology which is devoted primarily to cultural anthropology and archaeology and can therefore provide interaction in those areas. The UCB campus also has departments in other social sciences and humanities (in Public Health, Education, History, Sociology, Public Policy, Environmental Sciences, etc.), as well as the several interdisciplinary research institutes, including the various area centers under the Institute for International Studies. Students on each campus also benefit from access to the libraries on the other campus.
Should I schedule an interview with faculty members in the program?
An interview with a faculty member is not a required part of the application process for the UCB program. Faculty usually don't make appointments with prospective applicants, but if you want to try to make appointments, you may e-mail or phone the relevant faculty member directly. It would be a good idea to indicate something about your interests. Go to the faculty page, click on a faculty name and you will go to the individual faculty web page that has additional information, including contact info. For UCSF faculty, go to the UCSF home page, click on faculty, then click on each name to go to the individual's web page.
Will I be able to talk to current graduate students?
Yes. It would be worth your while to correspond and/or meet with one of the current graduate students. See Graduate Student Contacts.
Do I need a B.A. in Anthropology?
An anthropology bachelor's degree is not required for admission; however, some background in anthropology is important preparation for the advanced anthropology theory and methods coursework which is required in the first two years of study. Consult the reading lists for core graduate courses under course archives. (For UCSF admission, applicants are required to have M.A. degrees in related areas—not necessarily anthropology.)
What kind of jobs do graduates of the Medical Anthropology program have?
Most Ph.D.s in the Berkeley Medical Anthropology program remain in the academic world, but may teach in medical schools, schools of nursing, in public health and in other related programs as well as in anthropology departments. Many medical anthropologists work as consultants with national, international, governmental and non-governmental agencies at some point in their careers.
Should I have transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores sent directly to the department or should I send them myself in sealed envelopes?
We prefer that transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores should all be sent directly to the Department by the persons or institutions from whom you've requested them. However, we will accept these materials from you if you already have them in sealed envelopes.
Is it okay if letters and transcripts arrive after December 15?
Yes. Letters, transcripts and test scores may all arrive after December 15 without being considered late. However, review of applications begins immediately after December 15, so make your requests of individuals and institutions early to increase the chances that these items will arrive by the due date. Make sure to check with each recommender and institution, and with Educational Testing Service (ETS) to verify that each has sent the materials you requested.
May I get a waiver of the December 15 deadline if I am victimized by poor mail service?
Only if you mail your application or apply online on or before December 15. If your postmark shows December 15 or earlier, your application will be accepted no matter when it arrives. If you mail your application or apply online after December 15, it will not be accepted.
What GPA, GRE is required?
There are no official minimum scores for the GRE, the TOEFL or for grade average. All the criteria in the following list are considered when reviewing applications. (There may be some minor differences in UCSF admissions requirements/process.)
In judging applications, the Department is interested (in order of importance) in:
Statement of purpose.
Letters of recommendation.
Grade point average.
GRE or TOEFL scores.
How important are GRE scores?
They are important especially if you are recommended for admission and nominated for fellowship support. They are one of the indicators used to determine awardees among different disciplines.
How long should my statement of purpose be?
No more than 2000 words.