Language Requirement

Since it is essential for professional anthropologists to be familiar with foreign languages, both in field work and in reading scholarly literature, you should strive to attain a high level of competence with at least one foreign language. This is a requirement for all doctoral students and is encouraged for students in the M.A. in Medical Anthropology program. These requirements should be satisfied as soon as possible (usually by the end of the second year), since by doing so, you will be able to use the language as a tool in preparing for your Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. The language requirement must be satisfied before you take your Ph.D. qualifying exams.

Archaeology students must demonstrate an ability to read research literature published in a modern foreign language, such as French, German, Spanish, or Russian. You may petition the faculty if you wish to substitute another language or languages. Students in Cultural Anthropology must demonstrate knowledge of the language most relevant to their field research.