Best Anthropology Programs in Massachusetts for 2027

You choose one of four tracks at Harvard: Archaeology, Social Anthropology, Combined Archaeology/Social Anthropology, or Anthropology and Medicine. Every track runs through letter-graded tutorials, a sophomore tutorial and a junior tutorial, and the social and medical tracks add Ethnographic Research Methods. Archaeology concentrators must complete a field experience, which can be an internship that carries no credit, and are encouraged to study statistics, archaeological science or GIS. The Anthropology and Medicine track adds four courses in the medical sciences.

Tracks

Archaeology, Social Anthropology, Combined and Anthropology and Medicine

Tutorials

Sophomore and junior tutorials, all letter-graded

Archaeology Field Requirement

A field experience, which can be a training or internship without credit

Program Sources: Concentration Requirements | Harvard AnthropologyConcentration Requirements | Harvard Anthropology

Nine semester courses make up Brandeis’s anthropology major, including ANTH 1a and either ANTH 5a or ANTH 7a, with at least five taught by core, visiting or affiliated Brandeis faculty. After that you decide how focused to be. Majors need not commit to a single subfield, so you can build a four-fields program or concentrate on social-cultural, archaeological, biological or linguistic anthropology. Honors candidates add a thesis proposal, a 3.5 anthropology GPA and ANTH 99a and 99b, for ten courses. An anthropological internship can count once.

Required Courses

ANTH 1a and either ANTH 5a or ANTH 7a

Focus Options

Social-cultural, archaeology, biological, linguistic or a general four-fields approach

Honors

Thesis proposal, 3.5 anthropology GPA, ANTH 99a and 99b

Program Sources: Anthropology | Subject Area Listings | Courses of Instruction | Provisional University Bulletin (2027-2028) | Brandeis UniversityAnthropology | Subject Area Listings | Courses of Instruction | Provisional University Bulletin (2027-2028) | Brandeis University

Statistics is part of the plan at UMass Amherst. All majors complete 42 credits, including two foundation courses, four core courses and a research methods sequence that pairs AN 281 (statistics) with an advanced research methods course. A junior-year writing course, AN 364 Problems in Anthropology, and an integrative experience class follow. The department also expects at least two in-depth, hands-on experiences, such as a field school, study abroad, an internship or a research assistantship. Optional concentrations include Medical Anthropology and Global Health, Evolutionary Anthropology, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, and Cultural Anthropology. With 35 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it’s among the larger majors on its Massachusetts page.

Methods Sequence

AN 281 (statistics) and an advanced research methods course

Experiential Learning

Two or more hands-on experiences, such as a field school or internship

Optional Concentrations

Medical anthropology, evolutionary anthropology, archaeology and cultural heritage, cultural anthropology

Program Sources: Major and Minor : Department of Anthropology : UMass AmherstMajor and Minor : Department of Anthropology : UMass Amherst

At Amherst College the anthropology major lives inside a combined Anthropology and Sociology department, and its comprehensive requirement is satisfied by passing the eight required courses. You normally take Sociocultural Anthropology, History of Anthropological Theory and Topics in Contemporary Anthropology, at least one sociology course and at least four more anthropology electives. Honors candidates add the two-semester Senior Honors courses. The department says courses at the 100 and 200 levels suit students with no background in the field. Six degrees were conferred in 2023–24.

Core Courses

Sociocultural Anthropology, History of Anthropological Theory and Topics in Contemporary Anthropology

Cross-Department Course

At least one sociology course

Honors

Senior Honors, ANTH/SOCI 498 and 499

Program Sources: About the Majors | Anthropology & Sociology | Amherst CollegeAbout the Majors | Anthropology & Sociology | Amherst College

Eleven courses build Tufts’s anthropology BA, beginning with one gateway course in sociocultural anthropology and one in biological anthropology or archaeology. The department recommends Anthropological Thought in junior year and Fieldwork Lab before senior year. Seven more courses follow, including a critical geographies course with a regional focus and two upper-level seminars. Majors are encouraged to try an internship or an independent study, and at least half the major must be completed at Tufts or in Tufts-sponsored programs abroad. A grade of C- or better counts.

Gateway Courses

One in sociocultural anthropology, one in biological anthropology or archaeology

Theory and Fieldwork

Anthropological Thought and Fieldwork Lab

Regional Focus

One critical geographies course and two upper-level seminars

Program Sources: BA in Anthropology | Department of AnthropologyBA in Anthropology | Department of Anthropology

Williams asks anthropology majors for nine courses, and four of them are a shared core: How to Be Human, Ways of Knowing, Social Theory and a Senior Seminar. You pick five electives from the anthropology listings, two of them normally at the 300 level or above, and you can count up to two sociology courses. Methods run from ethnography and participant observation to oral history and archaeological methods. A senior thesis is optional and earns consideration for an honors degree. With 5 degrees awarded in 2023–24, this is a small major.

Core Courses

ANTH 101 How to Be Human, ANSO 205 Ways of Knowing, ANSO 305 Social Theory and ANSO 402 Senior Seminar

Electives

Five anthropology electives, with up to two sociology courses allowed

Honors Thesis

Optional senior thesis for consideration for an honors degree

Program Sources: The Majors - Williams CollegeThe Majors - Williams College

Bridgewater State’s anthropology BA comes in three concentrations: General Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology and Anthropology for Educators. A separate BS adds a Public Archaeology concentration aimed at cultural resource management and museums. General anthropology covers cultural, biological, applied and archaeological anthropology, while the cultural track pairs well with a foreign language. Lab work happens in the Biological and Archaeological Lab, and you can join an interdisciplinary field school in Trinidad and Tobago. Classes run 15 to 20 students. In 2023–24 the program awarded 12 degrees.

BA Concentrations

General Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology and Anthropology for Educators

Field School

Interdisciplinary field school in Trinidad and Tobago

Lab

Biological and Archaeological Lab with a human osteology cast collection

Program Sources: Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology, Bridgewater State University

Harvard's Anthropology PhD has separate Archaeology and Social Anthropology programs, rather than a single interchangeable four-field track. Archaeology doctoral students complete a comparative general examination with written, oral, and qualifying-paper parts and demonstrate a relevant language plus another language or technical skill. Social anthropology students take theory, methods, and proposal-writing courses and prepare languages needed for ethnographic research. Both paths culminate in a prospectus and dissertation defense. The different examination and language designs make the chosen program a substantive decision, not just a research-topic label.

Programs

Archaeology or Social Anthropology

Archaeology Exam

Written, oral, and qualifying-paper parts

Program Sources: Harvard GSAS Anthropology RequirementsHarvard Anthropology Graduate Program

UMass Amherst builds the anthropology PhD around three self-defined fields of specialization, each supervised by a different member of your guidance committee, which includes one faculty member from outside anthropology. You write a statement of field for each one, then a prospectus, then sit a three-hour oral preliminary comprehensive examination that needs a unanimous pass. After that, expect about a year of field or laboratory research and another year of writing before the dissertation defense. The department encourages coursework in at least three of the four subfields.

Specialization

Three fields of specialization, each with a statement of field

Milestones

Prospectus, oral preliminary comprehensive examination, dissertation defense

Committee

At least two anthropology faculty plus one UMass faculty member outside anthropology

Program Sources: Doctoral Program : Department of Anthropology : UMass AmherstDoctoral Program : Department of Anthropology : UMass Amherst

Choose between archaeology and sociocultural anthropology when you apply, then expect training that leans on comparative study, theory and ethnographic or archaeological fieldwork. Doctoral students here often teach before they finish, designing their own writing seminar or experiential learning practicum, and they can apply for departmental fellowships covering pre-dissertation research, language study and professional development. Brandeis belongs to the Boston Area Graduate Consortium and the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology, which widens the faculty and labs you can draw on.

Concentrations

Archaeology or sociocultural anthropology

Teaching

Students often design and teach their own writing seminar or experiential learning practicum

Fellowships

Departmental support for pre-dissertation research, language study and professional development

Program Sources: Doctorate in Anthropology (PhD) | Graduate Programs | Department of Anthropology | Brandeis UniversityDoctorate in Anthropology (PhD) | Graduate Programs | Department of Anthropology | Brandeis University