Graduate Studies

Dear Prospective Graduate Student:

The University of Tennessee’s Department of Anthropology is devoted to better understanding, and positively contributing to, the human condition. We therefore value diverse approaches to anthropology, both in terms of who does anthropology and how anthropology is done. We invite you to read over our Mission Statement to gain insight into our Department’s aspirations.

If you would like to learn more about the Department, browse our webpages to learn about our stellar faculty, staff, and graduate students, as well as read about our Department’s many state-of-the-art spaces. You can also browse our website to learn more about current faculty that are accepting graduate students.

Acceptance into our graduate program rests on an excellent record of academic grades and activities. It also relies on a good fit between you, and our faculty and program. We encourage you to begin making contact with potential faculty advisors before you submit your application by sending them an introductory email that speaks to your interests and that includes your curriculum vitae (CV).

If you decide to move forward with your application, we have prepared a list of Application FAQs to guide you. Note that you initiate your application with the Graduate School, not with the Department; after processing, the Graduate School then sends the application our way. However, if you are interested in graduate funding via a graduate assistantship, you should apply directly with us and not the Graduate School. Both your Graduate Application for Admission and your Application for Graduate Assistantship are due on the same day each year—December 1.

We typically make our first round of decisions by late February/early March, and continue making decisions through April, depending on the availability of funded graduate assistantship positions. You will receive notification of your admission status (accepted, waitlisted, or declined) directly from the Graduate School, followed by a letter from our Department, all via email.

Finally, we invite you to find out more about the University of Tennessee, a dynamic and international campus closely associated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, providing access to some of the most powerful research facilities in the world. The university is located within the city of Knoxville (affectionately known as “The Scruffy City”), at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Knoxvillians enjoy numerous outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and more, due to the area’s many rivers and trails. Downtown Knoxville boasts concerts, theater venues, and celebrated restaurants. Visit Knoxville has more information about all of Knoxville’s offerings.

We wish you the best of luck in pursuing your graduate education, and we hope it’s with us!

Feel free to reach out to me should you have any questions.

Sincerely and on behalf of the Department,

Graciela S. Cabana
Professor of Anthropology & Director of Graduate Studies