Rankings- Existent? Reliable? Relevant?

[RefurbedScientist]

Hey all,

I'm just beginning initial research into anthropology programs. While I understand and agree with the criticisms of any so-called objective ranking system (read: no need to reiterate these criticisms here), I am also well aware that program esteem is a high determinant of job placement in academia. I have been operating under the assumption that I would be applying to sociology programs (when my time came), and therefore relied on a matrix of ranking (per USNWR and NRC) and faculty fit to my research interests. For example, if a program isn't ranked in USNews' top 50, then there's no way I'm applying, regardless of strong research fit with the faculty. Likewise, there's no point in applying to the top 15 programs on USNews with no concern for fit. I think that line of reasoning is common among many applying to sociology programs, at least.

Now that I've discovered some anthropologists doing more-or-less exactly the kind of work I want to do, I've started researching anthro programs. I've found that USNWR doesn't rank anthropology programs (unless I'm missing something) and the NRC has notoriously flawed methodology, at least according to some.

So, as someone who, again, fully recognizes the limitations of any linear ranking system (especially in such a broad field), but nonetheless is compelled to make realist calculations about job placement, I must ask how do you applicants rank programs? Do you go by NRC rankings? Is there some other system I am unfamiliar with? Is it purely a game of finding the perfect advisor? Is there any hierarchy among programs even within research areas (e.g. ranking of programs with sociocultural emphasis)? Do you look at placement records of programs with which you have strong fit? Is there a shadow ranking system?

Thanks for any and all insight. Again, these questions are coming from an anthropology neophyte, so forgive any obvious oversights. If it helps, my research interests are social movements, urban space and culture, alternative media, participatory democracy, transnational global social justice movement, Latin America. Thanks!

[anthropologygeek]

I feel what really matters is who your advisor is since rankings were done last time in 93 and many programs didn't want to be included. If you put your subfield people could help more.

[far_to_go]

Hi SocialGroovements,

As far as I know, there's no other ranking organization than the NRC for anthro PhD programs. With that said, here are a few ways to tell if a program is quality and is a good fit (at least in my opinion):

- Look at their job placement rates. It's very difficult to find full-time TT academic jobs, which is what most anthro PhD grads are looking for, so it's worth finding out how successful schools have been at getting their students into those jobs. If the school doesn't make the info available on the website, try asking a dept administrator.

- Try to find out how frequently each dept's grad students tend to win major awards (such as Fulbrights, NSF grants, etc).

- As a rule of thumb, if the department is good, they will be able to fund their students at least part-way through the PhD program. I wouldn't give a second look to any programs that don't offer full funding for at least the first 2-3 years.

- A tip for finding "fit": It's a good idea to begin looking up authors you find influential and find out 1) where they teach now and 2) where they went to school themselves (although this is not so relevant if they finished their degrees 30-40 years ago). Start investigating whether those departments look like a good fit.

- Don't put all your eggs in one basket, i.e. one person. Faculty members, even tenured ones, have a human tendency to die, move, or otherwise become unavailable. Your ideal department should have several faculty members whose interests overlap with yours (and fellow students too!)

- Surveying grad students was a big part of my search process. I looked at dept websites to find grad students with interests similar to mine, and then e-mailed them to briefly introduce myself and ask a few key questions. My questions were along the lines of 1) how would you describe the dept culture? 2) Do you feel like you have the institutional support (faculty, funding, etc) that you need? and 3) If you could change 1 thing about your dept, what would it be? On the whole, the feedback that I got from these e-mails was very instructive.

I hope some of this helps. I realize that you're looking for objective criteria for evaluating programs, but there's just not a lot of that available, unfortunately. Best of luck finding a program that works well for you.

Edited May 31, 2011 by far_to_go

[RefurbedScientist]

Thank you Far to Go for your thoughtful response. Thanks especially for the note on surveying current students. I think the metrics you mention are the same that I have been relying on, but it looks like I'll have to do some more intensive research into each and every program that catches my fancy in order to create a personalized ranking (rather than using USNWR as a framework/crutch). At the moment, it's hard for me to know which programs to stay away from (because of low retention, inferior training, bad placement records) and which to reach for (the consistently reputable programs that guarantee good placement at R1 or equivalent). Like I said, I'm all about finding the right research fit and advisor, but ideally within a department that can "return on my investment," so to speak.

To answer your question, anthropologygeek, my area would be sociocultural, probably ethnographic methods, and geographically Latin America (though not exclusively, just habitually). More specifically, my work to date has dealt with marginalized social movements (e.g. indigenous, landless, anarchist, youth, feminist, urban poor), and their use of and interaction with repertoires of actions, symbols, and space. So that could take into account media, framing, symbolic interactionism, semiotics, urban space, etc. Do you think I have a place in anthropology (that someday leads to a TT academic job)?

[far_to_go]

I definitely think you have a place in anthro, SocialGroovements!

Based on your interests, I'd recommend that you check out UT Austin if you haven't already. I applied and visited there and, although I didn't end up there, it sounds like a potentially good fit for you (and it's a solid program in terms of the metrics I mentioned and the NRC rankings).

[a154c]

Incidentally, although rankings of programmes are only available as the NRC list, there are impact ratings for individual anthropology journals, which may help you to gauge the impact of individual faculty members. Of course, you should use your judgement here, because if you are going into graduate school in a particular area of anthropology, you should already have some idea of who the best and brightest are. But in terms of gauging an entire departments publishing profile, the list linked here might be useful.

http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/09/oct25-09_2/

[CultureOfIdeas]

Now that I've discovered some anthropologists doing more-or-less exactly the kind of work I want to do, I've started researching anthro programs

Where are those people? Where did they study? Who are their students? Who are their teachers? Apply to those programs