yezzy123

All programs have their problems. However, I have tended to see some activist-oriented work come out of American University, CUNY (see specifically Bianca Williams), and UT Austin (see Christen Smith). Also, depending on what you are doing, maybe Duke. I haven't been to those places, so I can't say if those departments treat (and pay!) those students well and as if their ideas and practices are of (equal) import. I just know the kind of work that comes out of there. And I always say: I'm at Rice. I love it. I would recommend looking at the dept at least. We have had Brazilianists here and lots of people do politically-oriented work, but I would very much distinguish that from applied anthropology. Feel free to DM. I'm always down to chat about my experiences at my program.

Hi, I'm at Rice. Based on the kinda vague description I think Rice might make sense since I had a project that fits with those bounds when I entered. Feel free to DM. I could point you to some other programs if you want to give more details.

I see what you're saying. And I am also guilty of saying "only go if it's funded." Here's why: chances of getting a job in the field that pays even decently after graduation are slim to none. The point is not that going to a funded program is going to a better one. The point is that an anthropology degree is genuinely not worth paying tuition AND not earning any salary at all for 5-8 years.

If you're looking for more data points, you can also go to http://www.phdstipends.com/

@clarkdean I heard from MIT HASTS this morning. I was waitlisted. The email said they made decisions, though, so you should know soon!

I say Monday because you probably won't get a response on a Friday afternoon and you won't ruin your weekend! Plus I see a lot of places on the results that send out interview invites over the span of 3 days to a week. So it really shouldn't be worrying until you don't hear all weekend.

I am not sure if Hopkins is my best fit, but I definitely thought it was a fit. Holding out hope, though. And y'all should too. I'll save my tears for Monday.

I'm applying to Johns Hopkins! From past years, it looks like we should probably not expect to hear anything until about mid-February, so I'm just sitting on my hands.

I don't know, but I am applying there too and almost had a heart attack when I saw the results today. But it looks like the poster meant Penn State. I wouldn't be too worried as of this moment. Hope that helps.

Got an email for an interview- MIT! I'm floored and SO excited!!

I typed a whole thing and the page timed out ? So shortened: I have a related but not matching research interest. Here are some folks you may want to take a look at that study the anthropology of specifically medical humanitarianism: Catherine Panter-Brick Peter Redfield Joao Biehl (less about humanitarianism and more about global health, but I believe he has a background in religion) Byron Good (recent work on medical Humanitarianism and has done a ton of work on E. Asia) Nicole Berry (again, not humanitarianism but her work on medical missions may be of interest. She discusses "warm-glow giving" which you may find interesting) Hope this helps!

Great points! I think I'll check academic calendars before reaching out. I wanted to reach out now because I'll also be traveling this summer and wanted to leave some availability in case anyone from schools in the area wanted to meet in person.

Hi all, Just wondering if it's too early to start reaching out to grad students at programs I want to apply to. I want to know mainly how they like the program, how they feel about the structure, whether they feel supported... just a bunch of insider knowledge that I (being in an MPH program) know are important to me in a grad program. I'm not necessarily trying to have an "in" to the program, but I just want to know if there are schools I need to cross off the list.

Totally get what you're saying. I was talking about disclosure in the application process only.

Thanks for your reply @knp! I tend to get weird when trying to explain things so i think you captured more of what I was trying to say than what I wrote-- thanks for that. I definitely will take your advice and neither disclose my condition nor explain my B's. It's probably not a big deal and I would be making something out of nothing. I think I will look into treatment for now, since I still have a year of my MPH to go. I think that will help me determine if I also need to look into disability services. If the treatment works, I may not even have to-- no use in even potentially damaging my career. And about the other note: I plan to work at a teaching college or at a medical school (teaching qualitative methods, anthropology, or something in diversity). One of my major goals is to "popularize" sociocultural anthropology, or rather, make it relevant in order to increase interest, respect, and job opportunities for those in the field. As far as my research goes, I would also like to use my PhD for consulting on provider education, medical access, and brain drain related issues. This is all related to my research interests in healer culture in the US, like provider training and identity formation.

Hello all, I have suffered from anxiety for a while and even sought counseling at my undergraduate institution. I didn't want to be medicated or have an official diagnosis because I wanted to keep options open for military service. So I pushed through. Managed a 3.49 in undergrad with over a 3.8 in my major (anthropology) and am sitting at a 3.69 in my graduate program (public health). My biggest problem has been attendance due to anxiety. I am no longer considering the military and I want to do better so that I not only do well in my masters program, but can also perform well in a PhD program. Do you all think a diagnosis and/or accommodations this late in the game will be beneficial or hurt me? What I'm thinking I would need is just advanced notice of assignments or big projects (or whatever people with anxiety normally get), definitely counseling, and possibly medication but that would be up to a doctor. The big thing for me is that I want to be able to explain my lackluster GPA on PhD applications and prove that I am working on it and will be able to manage PhD work. I have no doubts that I can, but as my condition ebbs and flows, so does my work. So the question is really whether I will always be doing my best. I am only going to be applying to schools that have a really good focus on teaching and advising because I perform much better when I have a solid relationship with my teachers, so I will talk about that in my personal statement. This is sorta a ramble, but advice, stories, and general information about experiences with disability services, mental health in grad school and the application process, and coping mechanisms would be helpful.

UPDATE: I found out that I can take one more class and get a certificate in public health instead and that would be MUCH more useful to me than a full degree and shouldn't mess up my CV. For anyone stuck in a similar situation, I recommend this route. I'd also say that if you're not sure about an MPH, start in the certificate program. You can always transfer into the masters if you DO like it.

I'll have to go with ecopolitiq and say that it is indeed useless and I'm really not interested in salvaging the MPH.

Hi everyone! I have completed 1 year of a master in public health program and I found it utterly useless. I had fed into the idea that anthropologists had to be "anthropologists and something useful," but have decided I just want to be an anthropologist. I'm not on scholarship and I don't want to waste another 50k+ on this MPH. The only problem is that I feel that it will look bad that I dropped out. I've made an okay graduate GPA (about a 3.75). Do you guys think it will hurt my chances for applying for an anthropology PhD program? Do you have any advice on how to proceed and/or spin this?

Thank you knp and catcatcatdog! These are great places to start.

Hello Everyone, I would like to get a PhD in anthropology and my interests are in a very niche area. I want to study the anthropology of becoming a healer in the modern world. I want to study comparative medical education and the cultural concepts within and outside of medical schools. Does anyone know of programs or scholars that are involved in this type of research, specifically or broadly? I have searched the internet and come up with relatively little. I also have a preference for warmer states since I'll be studying for 4-7 years (minimum). I am about 1-2 years out from applying, so I am not in a hurry. I just want to start considering my options. Thanks.