PhD in Anthropology - Anthropological Archaeology in La Jolla United States | University of California, San Diego

Our graduate program in Anthropological Archaeology is designed for students dedicated to conducting innovative fieldwork and laboratory studies. UCSD's archaeological labs feature cutting-edge resources for paleoethnobotany, geoarchaeology, Levantine archaeology, GIS applications, digital archaeology and visualization, as well as specialized facilities for South American and Mesoamerican archaeology. Graduate students receive comprehensive support including lab space, private offices, research collections, library access, computing resources, and other essential tools. The Ph.D. curriculum in Anthropological Archaeology progresses through three distinct stages. In the initial two years, students complete four foundational courses covering archaeological theory, biological anthropology, and sociocultural, linguistic, or psychological/medical anthropology. By year two, students initiate independent research projects, draft their M.A. thesis, and enroll in specialized courses aligned with their research interests. Following M.A. completion, students advance to specialized coursework in Anthropological Archaeology and related scientific and humanistic fields to develop expertise for their dissertation research.