The General Anthropology option can be used to meet a variety of personal goals. Some students seek an M.A. in anthropology to pursue a personal interest, others use the degree for advancement in a related area, such as education, and still others wish to pursue a Ph.D. in the discipline. The General Anthropology option requires course work in anthropological theory, cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, and archaeology.
Students are also well advised to acquire some background in linguistics.
Students can pursue their more specialized interests in elective courses and in the process of thesis or examination preparation. The department's faculty represent all of the subfields and a variety of approaches to the subject matter of anthropology. Within the general program, students have the option of selecting either a comprehensive examination or a thesis as their final program requirement.