What Are the Best Cultural Anthropology Schools and Programs?

<h2 id="section---WhatShouldILookForInACulturalAnthropologyProgram">What Should I Look for in a Cultural Anthropology Program?</h2> <p>Cultural anthropologists are social scientists, and students who want to work as social scientists generally must have a master's degree. When considering an undergraduate school, it would be wise to also find out if the school offers a masters degree in anthropology or cultural anthropology, or perhaps a coterminal degree program. A coterminal program allows students to graduate with a bachelors and masters degree at the same time. </p> <p>Other things to consider are if the program offers field or laboratory study to help increase research experience. A top school can also provide teaching or internship opportunities with like-minded organizations or museums within the local community. </p> <h2 id="section---ThreeTopCulturalAnthropologyPrograms">Three Top Cultural Anthropology Programs</h2> <h3 id="section---DukeUniversityInDurhamNC">Duke University in Durham, NC</h3> <p>Duke University is a private university that enrolls over 16,000 students. In 2019, Duke ranked eighth among the top universities in the country. Duke's cultural anthropology program offers courses specifically for cultural anthropology, which focus on teaching social awareness and cross-cultural knowledge. Students can study areas like anthropology and activism, nationalism and cultural anthropology theories. </p> <p>The program offers awards, such as the Judith McDade Prize in Cultural Anthropology, which is given out each year to a senior who has done exceptionally well. Students will find degree options at all levels: </p> <ul><li>Bachelor of Science in Cultural Anthropology </li><li>Juris Doctor/Master of Arts. in Cultural Anthropology </li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural Anthropology </li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfMichiganInAnnArborMI">University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI</h3> <p>The University of Michigan is a public university that enrolls roughly 46,000 students. In the last few years, the university has received a number of high rankings, including The Princeton Review's list of 'Best Value Colleges' and the 27th among the <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> top-ranked public universities in 2019. </p> <p>Michigan's anthropology concentration incorporates four different areas, including anthropological archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology and sociocultural anthropology. Students also have access to the school's anthropology museum. The school offers a few degrees, including: </p> <ul><li>Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology </li><li>Bachelor of Science in Anthropology </li><li>Master of Arts in Anthropology </li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology </li></ul><h3 id="section---StanfordUniversityInStanfordCA">Stanford University in Stanford, CA</h3> <p>Stanford University is a private university that enrolls 17,000 students and has been ranked by the <i>US News World Report</i> as the seventh top university in the nation in 2019. The website also ranked Stanford as having the number one graduate history program in that same year. </p> <p>You will have the opportunity to learn at their various anthropological study facilities, including the Stanford Archeology Center, Center for South Asia and Center for African Studies. Anthropology degree programs, which are all available for concentration in society and culture, include: </p> <ul><li>Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology </li><li>Master of Arts in Anthropology </li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology </li></ul><h2 id="section---UniversitiesForCulturalAnthropologyPrograms">Universities for Cultural Anthropology Programs</h2> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>College/University </th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Undergraduate In-State Tuition (2018-2019)*</th></tr> <tr><td>Harvard University </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Cambridge, Massachusetts</td><td>$50,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Columbia University </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>New York City, NY</td><td>$59,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of Chicago </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Chicago, Illinois</td><td>$58,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of Pennsylvania </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</td><td>$56,000</td></tr> <tr><td>New York University </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>New York, New York</td><td>$52,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Northwestern University</td><td>4-year, Private </td><td>Evanston, Illinois</td><td>$55,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Princeton University </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td> Princeton, New Jersey</td><td>$50,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of California- Berkeley </td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Berkeley, California</td><td>$14,000</td></tr> </table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>