The Department of Anthropology at Columbia University will be pausing its PhD admissions process and not accepting applications for the 2021-22 academic year. We will resume our intake of new doctoral applications in Fall 2021. We have made this difficult decision, mindful of the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has imposed unique economic and social strains on doctoral students. These include the interruption of dissertation field research, restrictions on mobility, care-giving burdens and financial pressures. In making this decision, the Department is guided by its commitment to nurture its doctoral students and provide them with as much support as possible as they endeavor to complete their programs of study. We are also committed to maintaining and enhancing departmental activities for students at all levels, and are actively seeking means to do so. We look forward to seeing new faces among our doctoral students in the Fall of 2022. While our doctoral admissions will be temporarily suspended, our MA programs will continue, and we welcome applications to both the Museum and Sociocultural programs as usual, for the 2020-21 academic year.
The Department will continue its public and in-house intellectual programming through zoom and other platforms. It will also use this pause to reflect critically on the shape and direction of graduate education in anthropology in the US and globally. Please see announcements for events, including our Boas and Scheps seminars and the Boas/Benedict annual lectureship on this website.
