Master's Degree Program

The Department of Anthropology at Florida State University offers two (2) thesis-type programs for the master's degree: Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.). An overall "B" average is required to remain in either of the programs.

Minimum standards for admission to the graduate program of the Department of Anthropology are:

1. An upper-division cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for their junior and senior years of undergraduate work. We recommend you review FSU's academic standing and GPA calculator. Students must have satisfactory grades in the required undergraduate prerequisite coursework for the specialization which they wish to pursue.
2. Official transcripts must be sent from each college and/or university attended to the FSU Graduate School. Transcripts are considered official when they bear an official seal and signature and are sent directly from the issuing college or university to FSU. Any transcripts uploaded by the applicant are not considered to be official transcripts. Transfer credit posted on the records of other institutions is not accepted in lieu of transcripts from the original institutions.
3. To be competitive, applicants with degrees in disciplines other than anthropology should have a strong undergraduate coursework foundation in archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological anthropology and the history of anthropology. Archaeology candidates are strongly encouraged to have field experience.
4. Three letters of recommendation from former instructors, employers, or supervisors who know the student's work. Letters from former university level instructors are preferred.
5. Original writing sample pertaining to the field of anthropology.  See the Writing Sample Guidelines for application to the FSU Anthropology Graduate Program for assistance. 
6. For students whose native language is not English, an official TOEFL score of 80 is required by the University.
7. A Statement of Purpose (sometimes referred to as a Statement of Intent) not to exceed 1000 words, clearly identifying and containing:
   • the reasons for your interest in anthropology,
   • the subdiscipline of anthropology you intend to pursue,
   • your career objectives,
   • your proposed thesis project.

All application documents (transcripts, writing samples, letters of recommendation and statement of intent) must be received by Dec. 1, 2025. Classes are entered in the fall semester of each year.

The graduate application is online. Visit admissions.fsu.edu to apply.

If there are questions about requirements, program offerings, or deadlines, please contact the Graduate Program Director,  K. Ann Horsburgh (horsburgh@fsu.edu).

Students should review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the College of Arts and Sciences section of the current Graduate Bulletin.

Each student seeking a master's degree in the Department of Anthropology must satisfy the following specific course requirements:

Completion of a minimum of 31 semester hours of graduate course credits, to include 24 hours of graded graduate credit with a B- or better in each course (i.e., not to include courses taken S/U; 18 hours must be anthropology courses and all hours must be 5000-level courses. Special permission may be given to credit 4000-level courses toward this requirement in cases where here is not a 5000-level equivalent.

Each student is required to take the following core courses (3 hours each), bearing in mind they are only offered once per year:

• ANG 5117: Core Seminar in Archaeology (fall semester only)
• ANG 5493: Core Seminar in Cultural Anthropology (fall semester only)
• ANG 5513: Core Seminar in Biological Anthropology (fall semester only)

For the M.A., completion of 6 semester hours of graduate credit in the humanities at the 5000 level. For the M.S., completion of 6 hours in a related science field is recommended but not required.

Completion of ANG 5971: Master's Thesis (minimum of 6 semester hours; a maximum of 6 hours may be counted toward completion of credit hour requirements for the degree).

During the semester in which the thesis is completed, students must register for ANG 5976: Master's Thesis Defense.

Note: Financial figures below are approximate and subject to slight increases based upon the new bargaining agreement between FSU and GAU.

All admitted students are automatically considered for financial support, but are not automatically granted funding. Current funding is approximately $19,700 per year for two years, plus a nine hour tuition waiver. Students are liable for FSU fees. Fully funded students are allowed up to 10 hours per week of outside employment. Funding is conditional on good scholastic standing and available departmental resources. To qualify for funding you must have an undergraduate degree and a GPA above 3.0.