Doctor of Philosophy

Teaching is core to the academic and professional training of doctoral students in our program. All students are required to complete 1 quarter of teaching experience by the end of their 2nd year in the program regardless of their financial support. Typically, students complete more than the required number of teaching quarters as part of their professional training and financial support.

Teaching Requirement for Both Tracks

• Attend a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) teaching assistant training orientation opens in a new tab

• International students who were required to submit TOEFL scores as part of their Stanford graduate program application must be approved for English proficiency through the TA Screening opens in a new tab process prior to being appointed as a teaching assistant.

• Attend department training for Teaching Assistantship

Research is core to the academic and professional training of doctoral students in our program.

In the 1st year, complete the following requirements:

• By Course Withdrawal Deadline in the spring quarter, confirm attendance and participation in the department review of ethics workshop

  • As scheduled by the department, attend the department ethics workshop to review ethics in Anthropology.

• By Course Withdrawal Deadline in the spring quarter,  complete the appropriate CITI tutorial for Responsible Conduct of Research

  • Complete the appropriate CITI tutorial for non-medical human subjects, and either submit a non-medical human subjects protocol, based on the pre-dissertation research proposal, to the Institutional Review Board before departing for summer quarter field research in the first year or confirm approval for exempt status. Alternatively, a notice of determination may be confirmed with the Institutional Review Board for a pilot study proposal that does not require protocol submission.

• By the first day of finals week in spring quarter, receive final approval for the  Summer Research Proposal 

In the 2nd year, complete the following requirements:

• By the first day of finals week in spring quarter, must receive final approval for Pre-Dissertation Research Proposal

In the 3rd year, complete the following requirements:

Autumn Quarter

• By the first day of finals week, third-year students must submit three draft dissertation research funding proposals to the faculty advisor for approval.

Spring Quarter

• By Course Withdrawal Deadline in the spring quarter, must receive final approval of the Dissertation Proposal

• Before departing for field research students should receive approval for the non-medical human subjects protocol from the Institutional Review Board.

Summer Quarter

• By the end of summer quarter in the third year, submit approved external funding proposal to at least three different funding agencies (e.g. Wenner Gren).

In the 4th year, complete the following requirements:

• Conduct at least nine months of approved dissertation field research under the Dissertation Reading Committee’s (DRC) supervision.

• By the end of the summer quarter of the fourth year, fourth-year students submit the 4th Year PhD Checklist opens in a new tab confirming date of return from fieldwork 

• Upon completion and return from field research submit a report of the degree progress to the DRC.

Additional details on Research Procedures can be found in the Graduate Handbook https://anthropology.stanford.edu/intranet-login/graduate-student-center opens in a new tab.

Admission to candidacy is a prospective judgement by the faculty of a student’s potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete qualifying procedures by the last week of classes in the spring quarter, and apply for candidacy by the end of Winter. Qualifying procedures in the Department of Anthropology  include required coursework, identification of an advisor by the end of the first year of the program, approval of the pre-dissertation proposal, demonstration of the ability to conduct independent research, analysis and interpretation,  and completion of degree milestones of the first and second year.

Timeline

Winter Quarter: 

• By the first day of finals week, submit the Application for Candidacy opens in a new tabform. 

Spring Quarter: 

• By the Course Withdrawal Deadline, submit the 2nd Year PhD Checklist opens in a new tab with the final draft of the research proposal. The date for submission of the final draft of the research proposal in spring quarter will be determined by the faculty instructor for the required proposal writing course for either the Archaeology track ANTHRO308A or the Culture and Society track ANTHRO308

• Failure to advance to candidacy will result in the student’s dismissal from the PhD degree program.

Additional details on candidacy procedures can be found in the Graduate Handbookhttps://anthropology.stanford.edu/intranet-login/graduate-student- opens in a new tab

Quarter before scheduled Oral Examination

• Obtain approval for the final draft status of the dissertation using the 5th Year Dissertation Defense Checklist. opens in a new tab

  • Notify the student services manager of intent to Graduate

  • Schedule defense date with Oral Exam Committee

• At least four weeks before a proposed date for the University Oral Examination

  • Submit the University Oral Examination form opens in a new tab and evidence of approval for the final draft of the dissertation by the dissertation reading committee to the department.

• Pass the University Oral Examination opens in a new tab

  • Oral presentation, held at the beginning of the public presentation (approximately 30 minutes for presentation with a 15-minute public discussion period)

  • Followed by a closed session with the oral examination committee members, only (approximately 2 hours for the private examination). 

Additional details on Oral Exam (Dissertation Defense) procedures can be found in the Graduate Handbook https://anthropology.stanford.edu/intranet-login/graduate-student-center opens in a new tab. 

After Oral Examination

• Once the University Oral Examination has been passed, submit the final DRC-approved dissertation to the university Registrar via Axess (Instructions to obtain approval opens in a new tab), requesting conferral of the doctoral degree in Anthropology.

The Anthropology PhD language requirement ensures oral and reading proficiency in a language necessary for successful scholarship in a chosen field of study. 

First Year

• By the course withdrawal deadline in spring quarter, submit a Draft Foreign Language Plan opens in a new tab detailing a draft language plan of study or requesting approval for satisfactory completion.

Second Year

• By the course withdrawal deadline in spring quarter, submit an Updated Foreign Language Plan opens in a new tabdetailing an updated language plan of study or requesting approval for satisfactory completion.

The language requirement may be met via:

• Academic, immersion, or homestay program for language study; or,

• Tutoring or distance language study; or,

• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS opens in a new tab)-related or other programs supporting language study.