Master's Degree in Anthropology (MA)

We've been offering a nationally recognized master's degree in anthropology for over 50 years. Our program is designed to prepare you for a public or private archaeology career or to pursue a doctoral degree. Our graduates hold positions across the country with government agencies, private contractors, universities and community colleges, and in Ph.D. programs.

This specially-focused archaeology master's program concentrates on the archaeology of the U.S. Southwest and Plains, but we also offer opportunities for a Master's in cultural or biological anthropology. Thesis and non-thesis options are available.

We offer a wide range of courses taught in a newly renovated building. Coursework is offered in the following areas of faculty expertise: advanced skeletal analysis, ceramics, cultural resource management, GIS, historic preservation, hunter-gatherers, human osteology, lithic technology, Paleoindian studies, Southwest archaeology and zooarchaeology.

Service and Mutual Interest Organizations

Mu Alpha Nu, our anthropology club, allows you to use your anthropology skills, and hold leadership positions on campus. The Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark and the Blackwater Draw Museum offer special opportunities for employment and research.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted with regular graduate status, you must hold a bachelor's degree in anthropology or a related area, with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. You may be considered for conditional admission if you have a lower GPA. If you do not have sufficient background in anthropology, you may be required to take undergraduate leveling courses. Additionally, if you have not taken a technical writing course, you may be required to take an undergraduate leveling course or take a department exam to test out of that requirement.

How to Apply

Tuition

We have of the most affordable tuition rates in New Mexico and one of the most affordable in the country among four-year public institutions.

Online Option

Our Anthropology master's degree can be completed online. Hands-on training will not be available to online students- the classes with lab components won't be offered with an online section. You'll complete assignments, group and individual projects, group and individual presentations, readings, and tests throughout the semester.

You can write a thesis or complete a capstone project to fulfill your graduation requirements for this program. For distance education students living outside of Portales, we use media-equipped classrooms to let you defend your thesis from home.

Contact us at [email protected] for more information about the online option.

Master's Degree in Anthropology – Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

Your thesis or research project must match departmental and faculty areas of expertise. A list of past department theses can be found here: Anthropology Department Theses.

Thesis option: In addition to coursework, you must write a master's thesis.

Non-thesis option: The non-thesis option is now also offered as an alternative for students who cannot come to campus for regular classes or who prefer not to write a traditional thesis. The internship requirement is flexible and may be completed virtually with ENMU, another entity, or with the student's employer. Some elective classes may not be offered online.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

When it comes to financing your education, ENMU is here to help! Many of our students receive some sort of financial assistance, and we can help you find out if you qualify for any grants, loans or scholarships. As an anthropology graduate student, there is an additional scholarship you can apply for: the Stephen R. Durand Graduate Anthropology Scholarship. View information for this and other scholarships for which you may apply as a current ENMU student. We also have a limited number of part-time graduate assistantships available.

Graduate assistantships providing experience in the classrooms and labs, on research projects, at museums, and at the Blackwater Draw Site may be awarded to qualified students. In addition to a stipend, graduate assistantships include a tuition waiver, which gives out-of-state students our low in-state tuition. A limited number of student-hire positions are also available in the department.

Apply now for available graduate assistantships

Career Services for Students

Career Services offers free job placement assistance to all ENMU students, so if you are looking for a job, we can help you find it.

We offer many resources including various workshops throughout the year covering topics like resume writing, interviewing for jobs, and more! As an ENMU student, if you’re interested in individual help for things like networking, social media for success, resume writing, and mock interviews, our staff is available to help.

As an ENMU student, if you’re interested in individual help for things like networking, social media for success, resume writing, and mock interviews, our staff is available to help.

Explore employment opportunities in this field by visiting the O*NET webpage. The U.S. Department of Labor sponsors the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database. The site aggregates data for occupations across the United States.

Read more about career services for students

Anthropology Degree Information

You can learn more about this degree and view course information in the Graduate Catalog.

Read more about Anthropology courses

Apply for the Master's Degree in Anthropology

Admission to our program is a two-step process. You must first submit an online application to the Graduate School, then submit the following materials to the Graduate School:

One- to two-page letter of introduction and intent outlining research focus, professional goals, and employment experience relating to your professional goals

and

• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation written and sent by academic or professional references

Graduate School
ENMU Station 24
1500 S Ave K
Portales, NM 88130
Phone: 575.562.2147

Apply Today!

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ENMU combines an engaging learning environment with current technology to provide a rich educational experience. We focus on preparing students for careers and advanced study; promoting citizenship and leadership skills and values; supporting excellence in teaching and research; and empowering students to respond to a rapidly changing world. With affordable tuition, evening classes as well as select online courses, we offer an education that fits your lifestyle and puts your career goals within reach. Apply today or contact us for further information about Eastern New Mexico University's master's degree in anthropology.