Beginning fall 2026 the Department of Anthropology offers a Terminal MS degree in Archaeology. Its purpose is to provide specialized instruction and training in Applied or Public Archaeology, a part of Cultural Resource Management (CRM), conducted for compliance with federal, state, and local mandates to identify and protect cultural heritage sites and artifacts in the public interest.
Contact Dr. Ken Sassaman (sassaman@ufl.edu) to ensure that this new MS option is a good fit for your career goals. This is not an academic research-oriented degree.
Application Requirements
The application requirements and components are the same as for students ultimately seeking the Ph.D. degree, with the exception of the application deadline.
Application Deadline
Applications and accompanying documents for students seeking the Terminal Master’s Degree are due March 15 for matriculation in the following Fall semester.
Students seeking the MS degree in Archaeology will use the same application form as for a degree in Anthropology, and so must indicate their intention to pursue the MS on their application. The application will be reviewed by all of the Archaeology faculty.
For more information about the department’s application process, to check the status of your application, or if you encounter any problem with your application, please contact the Graduate Program Assistant.
Graduation Requirements for the MS Degree
Download the current Graduate Program and Policies document. The policies that apply to you depend on the semester in which you matriculated into the program.
- 30 credit hours of coursework with a minimal GPA of 3.0 (3.5 for Archaeology coursework). Of those credits, at least 21 must be ANG courses taken at UF, and 18 of those 21 credits must be in letter-graded lecture/seminar courses in which the student receives at least a B grade.
- The formation of a supervisory committee by the end of the first semester consisting minimally of a Chair and two Members, and adequate progress toward earning the degree in a timely manner.
- Students will choose a Thesis or non-Thesis option. If the non-Thesis option is chosen, the student must also pass a Comprehensive Examination.
Terminal Master’s students are not expected to do the following to demonstrate progress:
- apply for department funding
- teach courses as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Associate
- obtain their own grants
- publish their work
- seek certification for the Ph.D. Degree
Certification for the Ph.D. Degree
Students who complete the Terminal Master’s degree may not be certified for the Ph.D. by their supervisory committee. If they seek the Ph.D. degree, they must apply again to the Anthropology department in the usual manner, fulfilling all admission requirements and deadlines. Students who are admitted to the Ph.D. program who do not have a Master’s degree in Anthropology may be required to first pursue the MA degree before being certified.