Graduate Student Handbook

UVa
Anthropology
Last Updated: Summer 2014

IN THIS welcome to the department Brooks Hall,

HANDBOOK This handbook is meant to help doctoral and master’s
students in anthropology orient themselves during their
time at UVa. It provides information on getting through
Getting through the the program, meeting requirements, heading to the
program: a summary 2 field, returning from the field, writing up your thesis,
and handling bureaucratic matters along the way. It’s
also meant as a first stop when you have questions
Developing your about research funding, teaching expectations, depart-
project: coursework mental polices and traditions, computing privileges, and
more.
& pre-field research 3
The content here has been written and updated over
the years by graduate students, for graduate students.
Rite de passage: As time permits, you should take the time to look
through it and familiarize yourself with the basics. And if
to the field & back 8 you have suggestions on how to improve the handbook,
please send feedback via email to the director of gradu-
End in sight: writing ate studies.
up & defending 10
program overview
Funding demystified 11 The ethos of our department is one in which ethno-
graphic, linguistic and archaeological content go hand-in-
hand with theoretical ingenuity and contemporary rele-
Teaching & other vance. Nearly everything about your training here is
paid jobs 14 aimed at striking a balance between developing theoret-
ical models that advance the discipline in general and
immersing yourself in the particulars of a chosen re-
What’s my status?
search site or cultural context. Finding this balance and
A glossary 16 saying something of wider public importance in your
work together are the hallmark of a UVa anthropolo-
Notes for new gist.
The most important information you’ll find in this
students 17
handbook has to do with program requirements. The
graduate program in anthropology encourages an in-
Building communitas 18 tense engagement with the historical, theoretical, and
ethnographic literature of your chosen sub-discipline as
well as a broad familiarity with the three sub-disciplines
Getting the most out
represented in the department. While the program is
of grad school 19 rigorous, it is also streamlined and flexibly shaped to fit
the needs and goals of each student.
Appendix: useful A Ph.D. requires 54 credit hours of course work and
18 credit hours of dissertation research. Most graduate
places & resources 20
courses run one semester and count as three credit
home of the
anthropology
department.
This distinctive
three-story
Victorian-
Gothic struc-
ture was once a
museum of
natural history
and housed the
life-size replica
of a woolly
mammoth. Odd
gargoyles adorn
the building’s
exterior walls.
hours. Full-time graduate students generally take three
courses plus three research credits each semester and
complete their coursework in three years or less. Ph.D.
students who enter with a master’s degree may be able
to transfer credit and finish coursework sooner.
Most dissertation research takes place away from the
university, ideally beginning in your fourth year. For
simplicity, we call this “fieldwork,” even though we
recognize that not all students “go to the field” in the
classic sense. To earn the Ph.D., you have to complete
two Critical Reading Review Essays by the end of your
second year, successfully defend your dissertation pro-
posal by the end of the third year, and write and defend
a dissertation based on original research.
Most students in the program enter seeking a Ph.D.
and earn a master’s along the way. Some will leave with
an M.A. after one or two years. Although this handbook
is written mainly with the doctoral track in mind, the
requirements for a master’s degree are detailed here as
well. The first two years involve similar work for all
graduate students. Those invited to continue toward
Ph.D. candidacy will finish courses, apply for research
grants, and write their prospectus in the third year.

important digits & contact info Faculty Staff  Jeff Wimer, IT support
jaw4uz@virginia.edu
 Mildred Dean,
 Main office 434.924.7044  Eve Danziger, chair department administrator (Jeff is employed by the College of
200 Brooks Hall 101 Brooks Hall Arts & Sciences. You may need to
 Office administrator 434.924.7033 ed8c@virginia.edu mwd2f@virginia.edu reach him for help on computers in
the grad or archaeology lab — to
 Grad Lab 434.924.7813  Dan Lefkowitz, DGS  Karen Hall, assistant install new software, for example. He

 Computer support 434.924.7050 203 Brooks Hall 100 Brooks Hall also serves other departments, so be
dl2h@virginia.edu kh3q@virginia.edu patient!)
2 program summary
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

getting through the program: a summary

how to use this
Everyone’s path through the program is a little differ- you should also, if you haven’t already, start gearing
ent, but the basic model is straightforward and fol- your work toward wider audiences — in publications, handbook
lows a standard logic. The process for the Ph.D. con- conferences, the classroom, the media, and other The next three chapters in this
sists of three major stages: coursework, fieldwork, venues — as you get ready for the job market and
handbook describe the major
and dissertation write-up. refocus your goals for life after graduate school.
phases of your graduate stud-
In the first phase, you build a working knowledge of Occasionally students enter the program planning ies, outlining required courses,
the discipline in broad terms, an ability to converse to pursue only a master’s degree, while others will
fieldwork standards and expec-
across subfields, and ultimately expertise in a special- move to the master’s track along the way. M.A.-only
tations, and finally the disserta-
ized body of work relevant to your thesis. In the students usually take three, and up to four, semesters tion write-up process. Subse-
next, you’ll deepen, apply and rethink the knowledge of courses with their fellow grads, finishing after their
quent chapters cover funding
you’ve gained through some original research, usually last term. Doctoral students can apply for an “en-
and grant applications, work
fieldwork carried out away from the university. In the route” master’s degree after their third semester, as opportunities and obligations
last phase, you’ll write your dissertation. At that point they move on toward the dissertation.
(especially teaching), enroll-
ment status terms and bureau-
cratic procedures, as well as
It takes time and money The M.A. option of your theoretical, methodological department policies, traditions
New doctoral students are admit More on the master’s track: or area focus. A full dissertation and social life.
-ted with five years (10 semesters) Students who choose to leave the committee has at least three facul- Sidebars included throughout
of funding. Five of these semesters program with an M.A., including ty members in anthropology. Be- the handbook summarize as-
are tied to work com-mitments, those who entered on the Ph.D. fore you defend your dissertation, pects of the program covered
like teaching assistant-ships, grad- track, share the same require- you’ll need to add one more com- in their associated chapters.
erships, or instructorships. With ments as doctoral students in their mittee member from another de- The sidebars on the next page,
some exceptions, you’ll take three first three semesters. In following partment. This “outside reader” for example, show you the
years of coursework. At the end of the master’s track you must either officially represents the wider fac- principle requirements for the
the second year, you’ll produce pass an exam covering the 30 ulty of the graduate school at your Ph.D. and M.A. degrees. Other
two critical essays for faculty re- credits of coursework completed dissertation defense. Beyond these sidebars provide checklists and
view. Passing them will make you for the degree, or write one (1) of committee standards, some stu- background information for
eligible for Pre-Candidacy. In your the critical review essays required dents may add an extra faculty you as you move through the
third year, you’ll develop a member or two from anthro- program, further detailing stuff
dissertation proposal. Success- A core aspect to the graduate pology or elsewhere, such as like fieldwork preparation and
fully defending the proposal the medical school or another health insurance.
advances you to PhD Candi- program is working closely with academic institution, if it While the trajectory this
dacy; then you’ll do fieldwork, makes sense.
usually for one year, ideally faculty and forming a committee Your committee members,
handbook lays out won’t apply
with precision to all students,
with outside funding. The last suited to your intellectual interests. and especially your chair, will it offers a good model for get-
two years of your package are advise your research and eval- ting through the program and
best spent writing up your uate your progress from year getting out. But don’t let it
dissertation after you return from of doctoral students. Master’s to year. They’ll give you feedback overwhelm you! It’s a good
the field, and they will include students who successfully pass the on your writing, write letters of idea to skim the handbook,
three semesters free from teaching exam or critical review essay, in recommendation and advise your start to finish, once when you
obligations. addition to completing all other academic development. And, of first arrive, then refer back to
While this picture has become requirements, will usually earn course, they’ll hear your thesis it in greater detail as needed.
increasingly standardized, not all their degree in the middle of the defense and vote on whether to This could be when you’re
funding packages are exactly the second year. You may be able to pass it. looking for specific information
same. Sometimes students join earn an M.A. in one calendar year There’s more on choosing and about an issue you’re dealing
with outside funding or other uni- or even in two semesters, especial- maintaining a committee on the with or if you’re close to start-
versity-wide fellowships, and oth- ly if you enter already planning to next page. ing a new phase.
ers obtain outside resources for be on the master’s track. To en-
coursework during their time in sure timely graduation, follow the Annual student reviews
residence. These funding situations same procedures that apply to Department faculty meet twice ed to provide feedback and sup-
may involve different conditions doctoral students, outlined in the each year (in January and May) to port to 1st- and 2nd-year students.
and responsibilities. There’s more write-up chapter of this handbook. discuss graduate students’ progress Grads who don’t show adequate
on how the money works in the in the program. Professors you progress by the May review (or
chapter on funding. Faculty support have worked with provide the who aren’t “in good standing”)
The idea is that most Ph.D. stu- A core aspect to the graduate faculty an evaluation of your work. may be dropped from the program
dents will finish in six years, bar- program is working closely with The faculty discuss the strengths with the consent of the faculty.
ring complications. Some can and faculty and forming a committee and weaknesses of this work and The department may allow stu-
will finish in five. Some may take as suited to your intellectual inter- consider ways for you to build on dents not invited to Ph.D. Pre-
many as seven. Going beyond that ests. In your first two years, the your progress or attend to any Candidacy to depart with an M.A.
is not advisable and requires spe- department’s standing graduate problems you may be having. Talk- at the end of their second year,
cial permission from both the de- committee will help you choose ing to your advisers before these assuming they meet the require-
partment and the Graduate School courses and offer general advising meetings is a good idea. Give them ments. To make sure you stay on
of Arts & Sciences. So does taking as you develop your interests. By an update on your efforts — a self- track, refer to the section on good
a leave of absence. A later chapter your third semester, you should evaluation of sorts, and an over- standing in the grad status chapter.
covers these and other issues re- start putting together your own view of your plans for the coming
lated to your status as you move committee, made up of faculty in semester.
through the program. the department who share aspects Mid-year assessments are intend-
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook
general requirements
Ph.D.
 coursework (54 units)
 research credit (18 units)
 foreign language requirement:
 competency in two languages
 or mastery in one
 critical essays (theory & region)
 dissertation proposal defended &
approved
 dissertation research (fieldwork)
 dissertation defended & approved
M.A.
 coursework (30 units)
 competency in one foreign language
 one of the following:
 exam on coursework, or
 one critical review essay (theory or
region)
standard coursework
Ph.D.
 History of Theory, I & II
 subfields — at least one course in
each of the three subfields
represented in the department:
 linguistics (usually 7400)
 archaeology (usually 7080)
 sociocultural (7030 counts)
 electives courses & directed readings
on relevant topics, regions
 strongly recommended:
 methods course (by subfield)
 Ethnographic Analysis (7030)
 Proposal Workshop (7060)
M.A.
 History of Theory I (7010)
 subfield, at least one course in two of
the three subfields
 elective courses & directed readings,
on relevant topics, regions
coursework years 3
developing your project:
coursework & pre-field research
Your years of coursework should be some of the most formative of your intellectual life.
The main goal in this time is to foster a deep understanding of anthropological approaches
to questions about people’s lives, past or present, one that speaks with and sometimes
against the other social sciences. The common courses will help build meaningful intellectu-
al relationships with your cohort and other students, providing academic grounding and a
sense of solidarity. Taking courses across the subfields will give you an appreciation for the
discipline as a whole and prepare you for teaching multi-field and interdisciplinary courses
in the future. Your electives will help tailor your particular interests. As a teaching assistant
and/or grader, you’ll gain access to further literatures and experience in undergraduate
instruction. Over time, the courses you take — and, ideally, the ones you teach — will
become more specific to your chosen areas of expertise, laying the foundation you need to
carry forward your own chosen research project.
For doctoral students, coursework culminates in a dissertation proposal and preparations
for field research. There are several hurdles to pass along the way. First, there’s a portfolio
of your work you submit at the end of the first year. Then, at the end of your second year,
the faculty will assess whether to advance you to “pre-candidacy,” based on the overall
quality of your coursework and the two critical essays due in the third and fourth semes-
ters. In the intervening summers, most grads will do preliminary fieldwork and whatever
language study they need, if any, for their field research.
Graduate advising: Forming and it’s OK to do it. Just deal with any problems
maintaining your committee sooner rather than later and keep the lines
On your arrival to the program, faculty of communication open. Make your reasons
members of the graduate studies committee for any changes clear and be civil about how
will advise you on course options for the you inform others. The faculty have been
first semester. They’ll meet with you again through this process before and understand
each November and April of your first two how hard it can be.
years, in time to discuss your progress and
advise you on course options for the follow- Choosing the right courses
ing semester. You’ll need to let the commit- Graduate courses are run as seminars,
tee know who you’ve chosen as your own meaning that active engagement in your
committee chair by the beginning of your
second year. This person should be aware
courses is vital to your success in the pro-
gram. Everyone takes the common, or
of your decision and in agreement with your “core,” courses: History of Anthropological
plans. You should fill out the rest of your Theory I and II (respectively, ANTH 7010
committee with at least two more faculty and ANTH 7020). You’ll take these in suc-
members no later than the end of the third cession in the first and second semesters
semester. To add a person to your commit- with your cohort — that’s your entering
tee, simply forward to the DGS and the class.
Administrative Assistant a copy of an email You also need to take courses across
from that person in which s/he accepts the subfields. For Ph.D. students, that means at
appointment. Once you have advanced to least one course in each of the three sub-
Pre-Candidacy, your committee will be pri- fields offered at UVa: linguistics, archaeology
marily responsible for guiding you and evalu- and sociocultural anthropology. For master’s
ating your progress. students, one of your three subfield courses
But creating a supportive committee is may be waived, and ANTH 7020 is not re-
really a task that begins as soon as you ar- quired. The subfield requirement in linguis-
rive. Reach out to faculty beyond your tics is usually met by taking Linguistic An-
course instructors. Take independent stud- thropology, ANTH 7400, but the faculty will
ies with potential committee members. Be consider other possibilities on a case-by-
open to working with faculty in other sub- case basis. You should take these courses at
fields — they can bring in different perspec- a pace of about one per year, as needed.
tives that help enhance your research and Other standard courses are highly recom-
writing. mended for doctoral students. Those in-
As you move forward, don’t be averse to clude a methods course particular to your
making changes to your committee if and chosen subfield, usually taken in the second
when it makes sense. You might find that, or third year; Ethnographic Analysis, ANTH
for one reason or another, a committee 7030; and, in your third year, the Proposal
member isn’t the best fit anymore. Maybe Workshop, ANTH 7060, which will serve as
your project has changed and one member’s a guide in preparing your dissertation pro-
expertise no longer directly applies. Or posal and research grants.
maybe you’ve found your personalities don’t
mesh. So long as you are respectful and
sincere about switching to another faculty
(Continued on page 4)
member, and you have a legitimate reason,
4 coursework years
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

(Continued from page 3)

Choosing courses right there are different types of re- support each other in various in-
Your remaining courses will be Courses generally run one se- search credits. Refer to the sidebar formal ways of their choosing,
electives. These can be regular mester and count for three credits on this page for a listing of the including social activities, reading
graduate courses (5000 level and each. A full load in a given semes- different types. Make sure you pick and study groups, etc. Competi-
higher) of three credits each, or ter typically consists of three regu- the right one in a given term, de- tion, to the extent that we encour-
independent studies that you de- lar courses (nine credit hours), the pending on your current status. age it, is constructive rather than
velop with a particular faculty one-credit Graduate Advising Sem- The sidebar on the next page has destructive. We strive to make
member. Independent studies are inar, ANTH 9050, plus enough more on the mechanics of using each other smarter as we make
listed officially as Directed Read- research credits to add up to a the Student Information System, or ourselves smarter.
ings; they usually count between total of 12 credits. In some cases, SIS, to complete your course regis- And as you move through the
one and three credits. So long as students may forgo research cred- tration each semester. program, you’ll find that graduate
you meet your anthropology re- its in a given semester and take students in other cohorts also will
quirements, some of your electives four courses, including any inde- Transferring credit enrich your experience as class-
may be taken outside the depart- pendent studies, but you should Students entering the program mates, colleagues and guides who
ment. For example, a course in an only do this with faculty permis- with prior graduate coursework can provide you with advice about
area studies program or history sion. In other cases, particularly may transfer up to 24 credits with the journey based on their own
might broaden your regional ex- when you’ve met most or all of the approval of the faculty. You experiences. There’s more on
pertise beyond what is available in your course requirements, you should discuss this with the gradu- department traditions and regular
anthropology. Your electives might need to register for more ate committee soon after you extracurricular activities in the
should advance your knowledge in than three research credits and as arrive so you can plan accordingly. chapter on building communitas.
relevant theoretical and geograph- many as 12. Transferring credits can help you
ical literatures and help you to plan The key here is that a full load is free up your schedule, particularly The First-Year Portfolio
and eventually conduct your re- 12 credits, or “units.” Each semes- in your third year while you’re Over the course of your first
search. They also contribute to ter in which you are enrolled full- working on your dissertation pro- year, you’ll develop a portfolio to
your general knowledge of the time, you should be registered for posal. Such credit can’t relieve you be submitted for faculty review no
discipline and help form the basis at least 12 credits — some or all of the core courses discussed later than May 1. The First-Year
for your critical essays. And, like all of which will be Non-Topical Re- above. You may, however, be able Portfolio includes a cover letter
of your coursework, they will search units. It’s tempting to think to waive one of the subfield re- and three course papers of at least
serve as the starting point for the of these simply as placeholders. quirements for the Ph.D. if you five pages. Addressed to the gradu-
theoretical, historical and regional But they are actually credits you entered with a master’s degree. ate committee, the cover letter is
discussions that you’ll take up in earn for time you spend develop- And, forgive the repetition — even expected to be short. It should
the background chapters of your ing your project. It’s your respon- when you don’t have to take a full summarize your research interests
dissertation. sibility to actually devote that time, suite of three courses in a given as they currently stand. Doctoral
Finally, you should register each roughly in proportion to the re- semester, you should fill out your students should state in the letter
semester for research credit, usu- search credit you’re receiving, enrollment with research credits whether they wish to stay on the
ally three but up to 12 units. These since this is why you’re here! to maintain full-time status, such Ph.D. track, or they may request
are listed officially as Non-Topical Note once more that research that your transcript shows 12 total continuation toward the M.A. only.
Research (NTR) courses, and are credits are not graded and are not units for that semester. You’ll also outline in the letter
different from Directed Readings, the same as Directed Readings, your plans for the second-year
as there is no grade or evaluation which are units earned for a Love thy cohort as thyself comps, or Critical Reading Review
of this credit per se. There’s more course of study under the guidance Much of what you do in the first Essays, described in the next sec-
on signing up for research credits of one or more professors and two years will be done with your tion. Provide the committee with
in the next section. count just as any regular course cohort. This department prides plans for the scope of each essay,
would on your transcript — i.e., itself on its warmth, collegiality and the names of faculty readers, and a
they are graded. Note also that supportiveness. You should strive timetable for the work involved.
to develop helpful, working rela- The faculty readers, one for each
tionships, if not deep and lasting essay, are likely to become mem-
choosing the right research credits friendships, within and across co- bers of your committee, and you
horts. Arriving with and fostering should ask them to serve as read-
When registering for your courses in SIS, make sure you choose the this mindset will not only make ers with this in mind.
Non-Topical Research (NTR) credits that are appropriate to your your life more enjoyable, it will For the course papers you attach
academic status, and assign the correct instructor for those credits, also deepen your scholarly engage- to this letter, select work submit-
as detailed below. Also, make sure you choose the right amount ment. No cohort is born whole: it ted in the courses you’ve taken
(between 1 and 12 units, depending on your situation). For more is made through the dedication and thus far, without further revisions
information on the registration process see the sidebar on using SIS, enthusiasm of each student in it. to the work. The idea is to show
on the next page. Your cohort’s shared experiences, off your best work. The entire
in and out of class, will enrich your portfolio should be compiled in
 ANTH 8998. M.A. track. While you’re taking courses but before collective knowledge of anthropol- electronic form.
you have a committee. Select the DGS as your instructor. ogy and weave your first network The DGS will make First-Year
of associations in the discipline. Portfolios available to the depart-
 ANTH 8999. M.A. track. While you’re taking courses but after One of the benefits of structur- ment faculty through an internal
you have a committee. Select your chair as your instructor. ing the program so that every online portal. Initially, the DGS or
student arrives with committed other members of the graduate
 ANTH 9998. PH.D. track. While you’re taking courses but be- funding is that your success does committee will review your work.
fore you have a committee. Select the DGS as your instructor. not entail the failure of others; If the quality is in doubt, they may
each student’s unique work is eval- ask other faculty members to read
 ANTH 9999. Ph.D. track. While you’re taking courses but after uated on its own terms. In ideal
you have a committee. Select your chair as your instructor. situations this leads to cohorts that (Continued on page 5)
celebrate their mutual success and
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook coursework years 5
(Continued from page 4)
and problems. It’s an opportunity
it. At the end of the year, in their to identify promising areas of re- using the Student Information System
May meetings, faculty use the port- search, possible difficulties associ-
folio along with your performance ated with the field, and emerging You’re responsible for officially registering for upcoming courses as
in courses to evaluate your overall trends in anthropological thought. well as research credits on time, via the university’s Student Infor-
progress. The topics you choose should be mation System, or SIS. Make a note each term of the drop/add dead-
focused but broad enough, say, to lines, as the registrar strictly enforces them.
The Second-Year Critical Essays design a course syllabus around The online registration system is rather arcane and using it can be
Except for master’s students them. The best articles in the An- tricky.
planning to write an M.A. thesis, all nual Review of Anthropology, and in You need to log in to SIS using the university’s Netbadge protocol,
second-year grads produce two journals covering other disciplines usually by entering your username and password. From the Student
critical essays, known officially as published by Annual Reviews, are a Center frame select “Search.” The best searches are broad ones.
the Critical Reading Review Essays. good model for this type of work. For example, in the search form under “department,” choose
They are meant to cover the Faculty expect that as you read “anthropology” and hit the search button to bring up all anthropolo-
“state of the field” in two areas of carefully in a selected body of gy courses. You’ll find research-credit (NTR) entries for each possi-
scholarly literature, one thematic work, your own intellectual posi- ble faculty advisor at the bottom of this list. On the right-hand side,
and one geographical, relevant to tion on that work will take shape. hit “select” for each course in which you plan to enroll.
your planned research topic. They Be sure to argue for it in your In the next screen, note the dropdown menu for selecting “units,”
serve as the equivalent of compre- essays as strongly as you can. or credit hours. Most courses are three units, but students whose
hensive exams common in other The first essay is due December status is NTR-only should select a full 12 units of Non-Topical Re-
departments; that’s why you’ll hear 20, and the second is due on May search credit hours. Repeat this process to select more courses, if
grads refer to them colloquially as 1 (with drafts due two weeks be- needed.
comps. Faculty evaluate the essays fore). Faculty strongly recommend After confirming all the courses you want to take, you still need to
to decide whether you should be that you start work on the essays finish enrolling. Go to the “enroll” link, then select the appropriate
invited to continue toward Ph.D. in your first year. At the very least, semester, or term. Go to the “add” tab. There, you’ll see the cours-
candidacy. you should gather the material es you’ve already selected. Make sure the box next to each entry is
In planning and writing the es- you’re likely to need in your writ- checked, click enroll, review your selections on the next screen, and
says, you should work closely with ing and research from the get-go. then hit “finish enrolling.” Make sure it worked; on the final confir-
your advisory committee and oth- You should submit the essays mation screen, there should be a green checkmark next to each
er faculty as you define your cho- electronically according to proce- course in which you were successfully enrolled, including your re-
sen areas and develop mastery in dures announced in advance of the search credit hours.
them. You should research and due date. Your submitted work You can use SIS to perform other functions, such as reviewing
write the essays in conjunction will be available to all faculty mem- your financial account with the university or applying for financial aid
with your first- and second-year bers in the department. Members (federally-backed student loans). It’s a little cumbersome but more
courses, including independent of your committee will read the or less self-explanatory. Hint: If SIS is driving you nuts, try looking up
studies. Ideally, you’ll look at litera- essays and, at your chair’s request, courses on Lou’s list, an informal website that physics professor Lou
tures to which your dissertation so will the director of graduate Bloomfield manages. It’s a user-friendly course catalog that accesses
will contribute and which are thus studies. If they have doubts about the same database as SIS. You can’t register using Lou’s list, but you
relevant to your grant applications the quality of the work, they may can browse course offerings and schedules more easily.
and dissertation proposal. At the ask other faculty members to read One more thing. Save yourself a headache and register on time,
same time, faculty understand that it, as with your First-Year Portfo- especially if you’re ABD! If you don’t get this right, your enrollment
your research plans may change, lio. Similarly, the critical essays will status may unexpectedly default to that of a full-time student taking
precisely as your knowledge of the factor heavily in your end-of-year graduate courses. This in turn will create a bureaucratic tangle that
literature changes or as your pre- review, when the faculty decide will temporarily disrupt your stipend payments, teaching wages and
field experiences reshape your whether to grant continuance to tax withholdings. You might receive a fantasy bill from the university
project. So don’t fret about solidi- Ph.D. students or, alternatively, threatening you with astronomical tuition fees. And a “hold” will be
fying your choice of focus right whether to award an M.A. degree. placed on your student account, making it impossible to register for
away. The important thing is build- credit hours — which is, absurdly, the only way out of this mess.
ing and demonstrating skill in ana- Summers? What summers? To avoid this treacherous loophole, note the registration dead-
lyzing a relevant academic conver- The truth is, you will have some lines each semester. But, if you do get caught in it, don’t worry. Talk
sation. time to relax and recharge in the to the office administrator. The problem can always be fixed, though
The essays should each be about summer — but not as much as you it will involve extra work for you and others.
8,000 words, plus a bibliography. might think. Summers are a crucial
Your coursework and self-guided time to pick up needed language
research will help you develop skills and explore the field site or have a feasible plan for carrying variety in everyday use at your
your reading list. Faculty expect, region where you expect to do out your studies, showing how field site. Note that internal grants
for example, that you’ll survey your dissertation research. The they will prepare you for your for financing summer language
recent volumes of appropriate usual order of things is to do lan- dissertation research. The DGS study are contingent on having
journals for related articles and guage study in the summer after solicits applications early in the already met your first language
book reviews. It might help to ask your first year, then preliminary spring term and announces funding requirement. (More on that in the
your committee and other col- research in your second summer, awards by late April. Outside funds next section.)
leagues for reading recommenda- but this may vary from student to for summer fieldwork or methods Pre-field study may be carried
tions or to solicit syllabi beyond student, depending on your partic- training may also be available. Con- out together or separately from a
your own courses. But you should- ular circumstances. sult the chapter on funding for summer language program, and
n’t think of compiling the reading The department has funding set more information on the applica- draws on a different pot of funds.
list as an end in itself. The final aside for this work, but you still tion process and funding sources. Pre-field experiences could include
product is expected to digest par- need to apply for the money. That Summer language study typically
ticular areas of the literature, syn- involves developing a realistic involves learning or improving (Continued on page 6)
thesizing major findings, debates budget and demonstrating that you your knowledge of the language
6 coursework years
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

(Continued from page 5)

minutes long and involve translat- about important
scouting or surveying a research ing a short text into English; they research au-
site, conducting preliminary partici- are not especially hard. French, thorizations
pant-observation, consulting offsite German, Italian, Russian and Span- you’ll need —
archives, establishing scholarly or ish proficiency exams are available, such as foreign
other contacts in your host coun- and special arrangements can be visas and ap-
try, or any combination of these made for ancient and other lan- proval from the
activities. Develop your pre-field guages. You should talk to the university’s
plan in consultation with the DGS DGS and the associated language Institutional
and, once formed, with your com- department about scheduling a Review Board.
mittee. When you get back from proficiency exam when necessary. There’s more
your pre-field studies, you should Keep in mind that the process of on these and
think about selecting courses that scheduling the exam, taking it, and related issues in
will help you follow up on your receiving credit for it could take a the next chap-
preliminary findings — for exam- month or more. ter, on heading
ple, courses on data analysis specif- If you opt for mastery in one to the field.
ic to your subfield, or Grant Writ- language, you will have to take a Your proposal
ing (ANTH 7060). mastery exam, also offered is a research
One more note about the sum- through the language departments. prospectus that
mer. This is an ideal time, while These two-hour exams are some- outlines your
you’re free from course papers what more difficult and involve project, cover-
and grading, to start working on translating a passage, analyzing a ing the relevant
upcoming grant applications. text and writing a short essay in geographical and
Search databases, download grant the foreign language. thematic litera-
lists and talk to the DGS and your Assuming you’ve entered with tures. A typical
chair about these opportunities. the necessary language training, dissertation Erika Brant presents her research to faculty and
Decide who you’d like to write take care of the paperwork related proposal will ask fellow grads at the Third-Year Symposium.
your letters of recommendation, to your first language requirement an answerable
so that you’re ready to request right away — in the first semester. research question; consider one or proposal with supervision from
these as soon as the semester This will preclude troubles when several hypotheses in response to your chair and other committee
begins. Draft a standard project applying for summer language the question; and map out a sys- members, who will determine at
narrative in prose that is not spe- grants or other funding opportuni- tematic methodology for ap- your defense whether to approve
cific to anthropology, as many ties that depend on having this half proaching the question, whether your research plans. Unlike the
grant reviewers are scholars in of the language requirement done. your methods involve field re- symposium, the proposal defense
other disciplines. You’ll always be In any case, the first language must search, archival work, or both. The is a public examination. It generally
able to tweak it later based on the get done for you to qualify for the proposal should offer a coherent takes place near the end of the
application criteria. There’s more M.A. and to attain Ph.D. candidacy statement of your research inten- sixth semester. Extensions may be
on different types of fellowships at the end of the second year. tions with the understanding that granted on a case-by-case basis.
and grants in the funding chapter. You should plan to pick up certi- your actual findings may lead you To schedule your proposal de-
fication in a second language (or to new perspectives or require fense, talk to your chair and come
The foreign language requirement mastery in the first) as soon as you to refine your question in the up with a date and time convenient
The graduate school requires possible, if not shortly thereafter. write-up stage. We all recognize for all. Then, email the depart-
that doctoral students demon- Try shooting for the third year of that the dissertation is a work in ment’s administrative assistant an
strate competency in no less than coursework or, if you must, right progress. electronic copy of your completed
two foreign languages. At least one when you get back from the field. In keeping with this notion, the dissertation proposal, abstract, and
of these is expected to be a lan- Many write-up grants require hav- faculty will arrange for you to pre- the agreed schedule. You should
guage that enhances your ability to ing completed the full language sent your work in a public sympo- also bring a hard copy of the pro-
carry out your dissertation re- requirement. At the latest, you sium in March of your third year, posal and abstract to the main
search. For archaeologists, a com- must have the language require- usually prior to the dissertation office for public review. This
mand of intermediate statistics ment fully met before scheduling defense. The Third-Year Symposi- should happen three or four weeks
counts in lieu of one foreign lan- your dissertation defense. um is designed in the style of a before the scheduled date (two
guage; but in that case you’ll need AAA panel, with 15-minute weeks is the absolute minimum),
a letter from a stats instructor Your dissertation proposal and presentations from you and your so the department can announce
certifying your competency. Alter- the Third-Year Symposium peers plus a limited time for ques- the event in a timely fashion. At
natively, doctoral students can The last and most important part tions and answers. your defense, you’ll summarize
fulfill the entire language require- of the coursework years for doc- Unlike your proposal defense, your project and research plans,
ment by demonstrating “mastery” toral students will be spent devel- this is not an evaluated exercise, and answer questions from your
in just one foreign language. oping a dissertation proposal and but a chance for you to articulate committee and other faculty.
For M.A. candidates, competency successfully defending it. Develop- your project in a well-attended Your committee will inform you
in one foreign language is sufficient. ing your proposal happens in ear- forum and to get feedback from of the results of your defense after
Competency is usually deter- nest in your third year, though it the whole department community, a private discussion about your
mined in one of two ways. You can should build on all the work you’ve including other grads. The feed- work. Once you’ve passed, you
show that you’ve passed two years done previously, including pre-field back you receive can help you enter the fabled category of PhD
of college instruction in a particu- studies. It’s a good idea to take the improve your proposal in prepara- Candidate, also known as ABD —
lar language within the past six Proposal Workshop course this tion for defense as well as any “all but dissertation.” But these are
years. Or you can take one of the year to help guide you through the grant applications that you’re still not the three letters you want
proficiency exams regularly offered process and concurrently work on working on. after your name. And this title is
through the university’s language grant applications. During this time You should develop your sympo- misleading. The most challenging
departments. These exams are 90 you should also start thinking sium remarks and dissertation and exciting part is yet to come.
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook coursework years 7

snapshot: the coursework phase, year-by-year

FIRST fall typical courseload

YEAR  Orientation & introductions  Theory I (7010)
 Meet with grad committee (August)  first subfield requirement
 Register for fall courses  one elective
 Consider applying for outside graduate-student funding  three research (NTR) credits
 Apply for outside funding, if applicable
 Meet with grad committee again (November)
 Register for upcoming spring courses

spring typical courseload

 Apply for summer funding  Theory II (7020)

 Submit First-Year Portfolio by April 15  elective
 Meet with grad committee again (April)  elective or independent study
 Register for upcoming fall courses  three research (NTR) credits

summer ongoing...
 Foreign language study and/or pre-field research  Discuss project with faculty, search for chair
 Begin gathering, reading materials for critical essays
 Certify first foreign language, as soon as possible
 Attend department seminars, symposiums, events

SECOND fall typical courseload

YEAR  Meet with grad committee (August)  Ethnographic Analysis (7030)
 Form committee by December  second subfield requirement
 Write critical essay No. 1  one elective or independent study
 Apply for outside funding, if applicable  three research (NTR) credits
 Register for upcoming spring courses

spring typical courseload

 Critical essay No. 1 due Jan. 15  subfield methods course

 Write second critical essay, due April 15  one elective
 Apply for summer funding  another elective or independent study
 Register for upcoming fall courses  three research (NTR) credits
 Earn M.A., if desired
 Graduate, or advance as Ph.D. candidate

summer ongoing...
 Foreign language study and/or pre-field research  Consult with committee on developing project
 Attend department seminars, symposiums, events

THIRD fall typical courseload

YEAR  Update your committee on summer work (August)  Proposal Workshop (7060)
 Begin developing dissertation proposal  third subfield requirement
 Apply for outside dissertation research funding  one elective
 Register for upcoming spring courses  three research credits

spring typical courseload

 Apply for department small grants, if applicable  electives, as needed

 Present work at Third-Year Symposium (March)  independent studies, as needed
 Continue work on dissertation proposal  research credits, up to 12
 Schedule proposal defense
 Defend dissertation proposal, advance as ABD

summer
 Continue research & reading as needed
 Prepare your departure to the field
 Leave to field, preferably by fall
ongoing...
 Consult with committee on developing proposal
 Attend department seminars, symposiums, events
 Complete second foreign language, before defense
 Write and submit IRB protocol, as applicable
 Obtain research permits & travel authorizations
8 fieldwork
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

rite de passage: to the field and back

before you leave
It’s a good idea to start thinking about and getting ready for your fieldwork even while
preparing your dissertation proposal. After defending your proposal, you should try to get  Dissertation proposal defense
to the field as soon as possible. The sooner you go, the easier it will be to stay on track
with your doctoral studies, and the more flexibility you’ll have later if you hit any snags in  Outside funding applications
the field, or when you return.  IRB protocol approval or waiver
A typical stay in the field is one continuous year, but yours could be longer or shorter, or
 Visas and other travel permissions*
discontinuous, depending on what funding you have and the specific nature of your project.
* if applicable
Planning your time in the field, and tending to important tasks before you leave, calls for
some foresight and attention to the requirements and recommendations outlined here.

Paying for it
Grads are generally expected to
find outside sources of funding for
their doctoral research. Don’t
distress over this. It’s a good policy
in the long run because successful-
ly winning competitive grants is a
key to building your scholarly rec-
ord and skills while you’re in grad
school. For more on funding your
stay in the field, see the chapter on
funding.
In cases where outside funding isLeaving the country? Not so fast
simply not forthcoming, there may
be other options for you, such as
funding your project with loans.
But this is not a decision that
should be made lightly. It might
make more sense to continue
applying for research grants while countries, and some grants, re-
remaining in residence, working in quire affiliation with a local aca-
the department or the university
as opportunities present them-
selves, or while taking a leave of healthcare expenses (the UVa
absence. You should make any
Beth Hart takes notes while excavating at Elkab, a settlement in Egypt.
such decision in close consultation research in some countries where
group of faculty who oversee ethi-
with your committee and the DGS. the United States enforces eco-
cal practices in human research,
The department provides tuition nomic sanctions (Iran, Cuba, including clinical, behavioral, psy-
and healthcare for up to two se- North Korea, et al.) you’ll need
chological and social studies. The
mesters of fieldwork. If you re- special permission for your re-
IRB recognizes ethnographic re-
ceive grants to support additional search from the U.S. government.
search as a special case and has
time in the field, you may have to Also, the State Department occa-
unique standards for evaluating
arrange to pay this yourself. Again, sionally issues official travel warn-
protocols from anthropologists. A
consult with your committee ings for certain countries, and you
primary issue to think about is
members and the DGS when should be aware of any that per-
how best to obtain informed con-
weighing these options. tain to you, as they can create
sent from your participants, given
additional, and extensive, paper-
the cultural context. But there are
work. Consult with the university’s
likely other ethical issues related
Most students do their fieldwork International Studies Office and
to your work that are important
abroad. Assuming that’s the case, the DGS if you have any doubts
for you to consider, such as the
you should get to know the visa about foreign travel. Your funding
potential loss of privacy for the
requirements and other bureau- organization might help with these
people whose lives you study, or
cratic hurdles associated with your issues, but ultimately it’s your re-
the long-term consequences of
field site. For example, some host sponsibility to make sure you’ve
your ethnographic descriptions.
taken care of them. And some of The department regularly assigns
them — like the visa process —
one faculty member to act as our
demic institution. Some medical could take months. Plan ahead!
liaison to the review board. Even
insurance plans don’t cover foreign preliminary summer fieldwork
The IRB and participant- usually requires IRB approval, so
student plan, however, does). For observation consult early on with our liaison
Many research projects involving and review the forms you’ll need
human participants require formal to fill out for the review process.
approval from the university’s Be on the lookout for emails an-
Institutional Review Board for nouncing departmental workshops
Social and Behavioral Sciences, to on ethics and IRB procedures.
ensure that research protocols do Your protocol, outlined in official
their best to protect participants IRB forms, will summarize your
from unintended harm. You can project and detail the ethical con-
only be exempt from this require- siderations of your work, including
ment if your research does not any potential physical, emotional
involve living people or if the par- or political risks it poses to your
ticipants are completely anony- informants, and what you will do
mous. Hence, nearly all sociocul- to mitigate those risks. It may also
tural and linguistic projects require include sample interview questions,
IRB approval. Most archaeological recording methods, consent forms
projects do not. Cases in which or oral consent scripts, etc., as the
archaeologists will need board case may be. Note that if your
review include, for example, pro- own research and methods seem
jects that have collaborative or not to fit the standard scenarios
community archaeology compo- you see in model proposals, you
nents involving assistance from shouldn’t misrepresent your ap-
nonprofessionals. But, archaeolo- proach by trying to conform to
gists, take note: You are not auto- them. Instead, use your proposal
matically exempt from protocol to educate the IRB about the con-
review. If you believe you should ditions at your research site and
be exempt, you need to discuss why they require particular choic-
this with your committee, then es. Explain how your own methods
formally request (and receive) a will meet your goals, and why they
notice of exemption from the Insti- are ethically and culturally appro-
tutional Review Board.
The IRB is a multidisciplinary (Continued on page 9)
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook fieldwork 9
(Continued from page 8)
tential isolation — intellectually and emo-
priate. Keep in mind that you are writing for tionally — and still accomplish your re- plan ahead
academics (anthropologists as well as oth- search goals. Make a plan with your chair for
ers) — not bureaucrats. If you have doubts how you’ll stay in contact with your com-  Talk to the DGS about what your
about your methods or ethical questions, be mittee, if possible and appropriate, through-
sure to talk to your chair or other commit- out your time away (this may involve send- work and/or write-up options are
tee members. ing periodic field when you return
Your committee reports). Think  Inform contacts in the field of your
chair has to sign of what you
your protocol in need to leave in arrival plans, if possible
the capacity of order back  Pre-arrange housing at field site, if
“principal inves- home while possible
tigator.” you’re gone, so
Approval is you minimize  Research culturally accepted forms of
not guaranteed! the stress that reciprocity with local assistants and
It’s not unusual your usual life hosts
for the board to imposes on
ask researchers your field expe-  Decide what special technology, if
to further ex- rience. And of any, you’ll need
plain or refine course, make a  Devise a method for protecting your
areas of their detailed list of
protocols after materials to data, written and electronic
an initial review, Dannah Dennis, left, dances with friends at a Krishna pack for the  Discuss appropriate forms of contact
or to grant con- puja in Kathmandu, Nepal. trip, according with chair
ditional approval to the particular
pending certain changes. You should give demands of your research, airfreight limita-  Schedule your research tasks,
yourself at least two months to get IRB tions, personal tastes, etc. Good books, provisionally
issues worked out before leaving. In plan- magazines and music, for example, are al-
 Check for State Department travel
ning ahead, be sure to check out the IRB’s ways nice to have when you want to discon-
website and note the rolling deadlines. Sub- nect. Consider especially bringing appropri- warnings
mit forms well ahead of a regularly sched- ate gifts for those who help you in the field.  For U.S. citizens, register as an
uled board meeting, so you get on the agen- Finally, don’t lose sight of the endgame.
da with plenty of time to spare for any revi- The point of going to the field is not to dis-
expat with the State Department
sions the board might request. cover the meaning of life (though you may)  Get advice from others about living in
but to gather what you need to write your the field
Fieldwork: Romance and reality dissertation. Keep this in mind as you amass
Fieldwork is exciting, but exacting. You no and organize information and artifacts.
doubt have an ideal image in your mind, and While you will no doubt establish lasting
your dissertation proposal covered a meth- relationships with informants or grow at-
odology with which tached to your place
to realize your goals. of study, you don’t
But translating ideals
and methods in the
Before leaving think about how you need to solve a glob-
al crisis, decipher the
get your personal
abstract into a set of might handle the potential isolation — significance of each affairs in order
daily practices is a and every utterance
intellectually and emotionally — and
major demand of the you hear, or unearth  Will you need to sublet your
job. Before you still accomplish your research goals. the Eighth Wonder
apartment?
leave, think about of the Ancient
how you’ll schedule World. But it will  Will you need to put belongings in
your time in the field help to begin analyz- storage?
overall (e.g., on a monthly or weekly basis), ing your data, especially toward the end of
 Should you give someone back home
as well as what a typical day might look like. your field stay, and even to begin outlining
Include time for organizing data, taking and drafting your thesis. Another good prac- power of attorney?
notes, writing, thinking, relaxing and tending tice, if you’re recording interviews, is to do  Do you have health insurance that’s
to bureaucratic paperwork, in addition to some transcriptions while you’re still in the
participant-observation, interviews, site field. This will allow you to troubleshoot any valid for overseas emergencies?
surveys or digs. This plan will have to be issues with your recording device, generate  Have you arranged for a way to get
flexible. Unforeseen circumstances will no new ethnographic questions that inform funds and equipment to your field
doubt change your plan, but having one will your fieldwork in progress, and get some
give you a baseline from which to work analytical heavy lifting out of the way while site?
when you arrive at your site and settle in. you have the time and space to do this. If  Will you have to file a tax return, or
As always, get advice from your committee you wait until you return, a lot of it might ask for an extension, while you’re
members and other colleagues. never get done!
The field is often a time during which doc- The sidebars on this page itemize tasks to gone?
toral students feel cut off from their usual complete before leaving, along with other  Do you plan to vote in an upcoming
world of experience. This isolation (and things to think about. These lists aren’t election, and will you need an
reintegration in a new world) can be invig- comprehensive, but they’re a good start.
orating, but also daunting. Before leaving absentee ballot?
think about how you might handle the po-
10 write-up
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

end in sight: writing up & defending

Writing up your dissertation requires organ-
ization, thought and time-management, but
there’s no reason to make the experience
excessively burdensome or tedious. It can
and should be every bit as fun as being in
the field, especially once you’ve cracked the
nut of your dissertation. A thesis is an origi-
nal contribution to knowledge, but perfec-
tion should not be your goal: It’s an exercise
in demonstrating what you know about
anthropological theory, how it applies to
your research findings, and how your find-
ings help you to rethink the theory.
As your time in the field nears a close, it’s
a good idea to contact your committee and
the director of graduate studies about your
plans for return. In fact, it doesn’t hurt to
have this discussion before leaving to the
field, as planning for courses happens as
much as a year in advance. Your university
or departmental funding packages ideally will
make it possible for you to return in either
semester and make a more or less seamless
transition. Most students returning from the
field will enter the fourth year of their fund-
ing package, and will teach their own course
as an instructor.
This is the time to develop a dissertation
abstract and outline, and to start analyzing
your data in earnest. Even before returning
from the field, it’s good to have started
working on these aspects of the writing
already. During your first post-fieldwork
semester (and while you are teaching your
own course!) you will need to complete a
first dissertation chapter, in order to be
eligible for the all-important dissertation
write-up fellowship. Now is also a good
time to refer back to the advice on writing
and work habits in the last chapter of this
handbook.
a post-field checklist
 Begin outlining, analyzing data & transcribing
interviews in the field
 Draft a complete outline & dissertation
abstract
 Develop a writing plan & good habits
 Teach a course
 Write an initial dissertation chapter
 Finish second language requirement
 Apply for write-up funding
 Form or join a writing group
 Stay in touch with your committee
 Agree on deadlines with your chair
 Participate in subfield workshops
 Give papers at conferences
 Submit articles for publication
 Find instructorships, postdocs, jobs
 Defend your dissertation & revise
 Apply for graduation

Stay on track
Good contact with committee
members at this time is crucial.
You and your chair should develop
a reasonable trajectory for your
writing process. Personalized
deadlines for individual chapters,
or analytical tasks can be very
helpful. The simplest trick to stay-
ing on track is writing every day,
even if it’s just a little bit.
You should try forming writing
groups with other grads who are
in the same phase. You can also
take opportunities to present your
work during subfield-specific de-
partmental workshops. Discussing
your project and your fieldwork
with colleagues will help you
sharpen your thinking, take ad-
vantage of emergent funding op-
portunities, submit papers for
conferences and journals, and ap-
ply for jobs when you’re nearing
completion of the dissertation.
In an ideal world all students
would complete and defend their
dissertations during their disserta-
tion fellowship year. In the real
world, however, many students
require a little bit longer. Many
students will therefore want to
apply for further write-up funding
at this stage. In the funding chap-
ter, you’ll find information on dis-
sertation-year grants. Competing
for write-up money has many ben-
efits: You may be able to get more
funding and perks with other fel-
lowships; you may be able to get
more time for writing, or it could
give you a cushion period in which
to apply for jobs and write articles mains of your language require- tee members to approve the draft
for publication based on your doc- ments. (See the coursework chap- for scheduling and the scheduling
toral research; and you may be ter.) And make sure other degree itself. You and your chair should
able take up residence at other requirements and bureaucratic select a time and place convenient
institutions or have access to matters are taken care of. For for everyone who has to be there,
offsite archives. Also, whether example, consult with the depart- including your outside reader. The
your efforts prove successful or ment’s DGS about the most sensi- defense is a public exam. So you
not, write-up applications will help ble enrollment status for you to need to let the department’s ad-
you refine and focus your argu- adopt and what measures you have ministrative assistant know about
ment. to take. Depending on your status, the schedule and bring a copy of
You’re expected to be in regular you may need to continue register- your thesis to the main office, to
contact with your chair — at least ing for research credits at the be available for public review at
once per semes- beginning of least a month prior to the day.
ter — and to each semester. You should also provide via email a
maintain a full, The simplest trick to staying This is also a title, abstract and list of your com-
functional com- on track is writing every day, time to look mittee members, so the depart-
mittee through- ahead, beyond ment can announce the event.
out the write-up even if it’s just a little bit. graduate school. Typically, the defense involves
phase. If you Keep an eye out presenting your main argument, a
need to make for postdoctoral selection of supporting evidence,
changes to your committee, make fellowships, appropriate job open- and the most important implica-
sure it remains complete in order ings, visiting instructorships, and tions of your work for the disci-
to stay in the program. If you lose relevant conferences or calls for pline. This presentation is followed
contact and thus go “inactive,” this papers. Take a fresh look at your by questions from your committee
could hurt you during your end-of- career goals and discuss with com- and, possibly, other faculty mem-
year review (these still matter!) mittee members what they are and bers. After the defense, your com-
and you could be asked to leave how best to achieve them. Occa- mittee will discuss your work in
the program. After two years of sionally, the department or the private, note any necessary revi-
inactivity, you’ll be dropped auto- university will announce career- sions, and vote on whether to pass
matically. development workshops that you your thesis. The committee mem-
The bottom line here is: Make may want to attend. These will bers will, upon reaching a decision,
steady progress. help you design your CV, prepare let you know how you fared and
for interviews and figure out what what revisions, if any, they want
Get your house in order to do with yourself after you grad- you to make.
and look ahead uate.
Write-up is also a good time to Graduating
make sure you’ve got your bureau- Schedule your defense To be eligible to graduate, you
cratic ducks in a row. Once you have a worthy draft of need to formally apply for gradua-
Before defending your disserta- your dissertation and you’ve com- tion by university-established dead-
tion, and sometimes as a prerequi- pleted all other Ph.D. require- lines to receive your degree on
site for write-up applications, you ments, you may schedule your (Continued on page 11)
have to complete whatever re- defense. You’ll need your commit-
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook
(Continued from page 10)
time. Degrees are conferred in
January, May or August. The dead-
lines for applying to graduate are
the first day of October, February
and July, respectively. Make sure to
let the chair of the department and
your dissertation chair know when
you intend to graduate, and fill out
the necessary forms available from
the GSAS website by the corre-
sponding deadline. Typically gradu-
ation forms need to be completed
well before you actually defend.
Later, you’ll submit your signed
and approved thesis indicating that
you passed, so the degree can be
released. (If you applied for gradua-
tion but don’t finish your work in
time, the process can rolled over
to a subsequent term.)
Note that the same procedures
outlined here apply to graduate
students receiving their M.A.s,
whether leaving with a master’s or
continuing on toward the doctor-
ate. In the latter case, you need to
fill out an additional form to de-
clare your intent to continue on
the Ph.D. track.
Once your committee has ap-
proved and signed a final copy of
your thesis, you should produce
three official versions: for the de-
partment, the dean’s office and the
library. The graduate school estab-
lishes binding and submission
standards for all theses. Refer to a
current version of the Graduate
Record and follow the special in-
structions carefully. They may
change from year to year.
Timing this process right will
help you avoid lag time between
finishing your requirements and
actually graduating. It can also save
you money, since graduating later
than necessary may require regis-
tering for an extra term under the
Continuous Enrollment status and
paying the associated fees.
Graduating students, both M.A.
and Ph.D. recipients, are welcome
to attend the university’s Final
Exercises, as well as the depart-
ment’s graduation ceremony and
festivities. These are generally held
the second Sunday after the end of
exams in May. If you’re graduating
in the winter, you may attend Final
Exercises the following May. If
graduating in the summer, you may
attend Final Exercises in the pre-
ceding May. The university sends
prospective graduates information
about purchasing caps and gowns.
You can ask about this at the UVa
Bookstore.
funding 11
funding demystified
Graduate school is not free, even if ease the burden on the depart- benefits of the new, to the degree
you don’t pay for it. To give you an ment’s budget. that funding is available.
idea: The cost of full funding for an Over the course of the 2011- Despite this standardization,
out-of-state student taking courses 2012 academic year, the Graduate graduate student funding still
is about $54,000 annually (some of School of Arts & Sciences worked comes in a variety of ways. We can
which is paid in wages). The cost to restructure how funding works break these down into four types:
for a post-field student is about across departments, with the re- (1) basic fellowships for graduate
$24,000. sult that finances have become study; (2) small one-time grants for
The reality is that for most grads somewhat more centralized, and summer research and other activi-
the department pays for your edu- funding packages for grads more ties; (3) dissertation research, or
cation and living expenses out of standard. In anthropology the ef- fieldwork, grants; and (4) write-up,
its own budget — funds appropri- fect has not been especially radical, or “dissertation-year,” grants.
ated by the university. As the re- since the department has histori- Below you’ll find a guide to these
sources are always limited, the cally admitted small, fully funded types listing the most important
DGS has to be creative in spread- cohorts. This will continue to be grants in each. But you should
ing fellowship money and paid the case for the foreseeable future, check with the granting institutions
work around so that all students with the added benefit that the for their own official details, re-
are fairly and minimally covered. basic packages offered to incoming quirements and deadlines, as each
This department has a good track students are now renewable for of these may vary. Also, the de-
record of accomplishing that goal five years rather than three. partment maintains a list of grants
and maintaining a cohesive, collegi- The department has also made a and links to grant databases on the
al atmosphere. Our students, commitment to ease the transition department’s Collab site, and from
meanwhile, perform well in win- as best it can, so that students time to time the DGS will broad-
ning outside funding for pre-field, admitted under the old system cast via email major updates to the
fieldwork and write-up, helping have access to some or all of the list or new funding opportunities.
Graduate study fellowships direct deposit.
These are multi-year grants that support course- There’s more on how stipend payments may affect
work and, sometimes, field research and writing, but your federal and state taxes in the sidebar on this
this depends on the structure of the funds and the page. Another sidebar covers details about the stu-
conditions of each grant. Some, like the standard dent health plan.
GSAS package, are awarded from university funds;
others come from external funds that students may  Jefferson Fellowship. A limited number of incoming
solicit while applying for students are invited to
graduate school, or in the participate in a university-
early years of course- wide competition for this
work. award from the Jefferson
Scholars Foundation,
 The department’s which covers up to five
basic package. All incom- years of study with an
ing anthropology Ph.D. annual stipend of $30,000
students receive a GSAS to $35,000. Fellows also
fellowship, unless they receive research funds of
enter with better funding up to $7,500. Many of the
from another multi-year fellowships are endowed
grant. The basic depart- by particular alumni do-
mental package covers nors and earmarked for
five years of tuition, fees specific departments and
and health insurance, plus even topics within disci-
an $18,000 stipend for Carnelian beads. India, 11th to 15th century. plines. Departments with
living expenses. You need slots in a given year nomi-
to remain in good stand- nate finalists who partici-
ing to continue receiving the GSAS fellowship from pate in a special recruitment weekend. If you win one
year to year. The stipend will not make you rich, but of these, you’ll know it. The idea of this program, run
if you budget carefully you can survive. in parallel with the undergraduate Jefferson Scholar-
In the first three years, some part of the stipend is ships, is to entice excellent applicants away from oth-
paid as wages for working as a teaching assistant or er top-notch programs. Even if you win a Jefferson,
grader in the department. In some cases, teaching the department is still on the hook for contributing a
may be waived in the first year, particularly for stu- portion of the money, and teaching obligations typi-
dents arriving from overseas with little or no experi- cally apply in some or all of your years of funding.
ence in the U.S. academic environment. There’s more
on teaching jobs and other work opportunities in the  External funding. Applications for the major fel-
next chapter. lowships in this category are usually due in October
The wage portion will be paid to you in biweekly or early November. Restrictions vary on who can
paychecks issued via payroll. The remainder is paid apply, but typically you need to try for these while
monthly, as a fellowship payment made through Stu-
dent Financial Services. Both payments are made by (Continued on page 12)
12 funding
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

(Continued from page 11)

work. they can use to begin their field-
applying to grad school, or in your When funds are available, the  External language and pre-field work. To apply for this so-called
first or second year. The DGS and department may provide additional grants. These are common sources GSAS Travel Fellowship, talk to
other faculty members will be glad so-called Small Grants of about of external funding, but the list is the DGS with plenty of time and
to advise you on whether and how $1,000 for summer travel or re- by no means comprehensive. Talk submit the proper form to the
to apply for these. search. These might be helpful, for to your committee about whether Graduate School of Arts and Sci-
The biggest and most common: example, in the summer after your applying to any of these would be a ences. But beware: those taking
third year, as you’re on your way good idea for you. (Many students advantage of this fieldwork funding
 NSF Graduate Research Fel- to the field, or if you’ve taken an in our department have had suc- option will have one fewer semes-
lowship extension to finish your disserta- cess with the Explorer’s Club and ters of post-fieldwork write-up
 Jacob K. Javits Fellowship tion proposal the following fall. the Lewis and Clark programs.) support.
 Ford Foundation Predoctoral You might want to use the money Winning an outside grant for
Fellowships for travel to an outside archive or  ACLS East European Language fieldwork is an important aspect of
 Wenner-Gren Wadsworth archaeological collection, or to Grants to Individuals for Sum- your scholarly development, and
International Fellowships visit scholars at another institution mer Study you should make every effort to
with the purpose of learning ana-  American Philosophical Society do so. Do not despair if you get
Summer funding and lytical techniques necessary in your Lewis and Clark Fund for Ex- turned down in the first or even
other small grants research. ploration and Field Research second application cycle. Every
Small one-time grants are crucial Occasionally, other university  Blakemore Freeman Fellow- iteration will improve your project
for paying for travel and other programs may also offer summer ships for Advanced Study of and give you much-needed practice
expenses while you’re conducting funding to grad students. Applica- Asian Languages in applying for funding. In cases
language study and/or pre-field tions and deadlines for these funds  Critical Language Scholarships where a good project simply isn’t
research over the summers, both are announced on an ad-hoc basis. for Intensive Summer Institutes getting funded — which can hap-
of which often At least  Explorer’s Club Student Grants pen for various reasons and
take place one other pot  Middlebury Language School doesn’t necessarily mean the re-
overseas. of small re- Davis Fellowship for Peace search isn’t worthy — there may
Students in search funds is  SSRC Dissertation Proposal be other ways to pull it off. This is
good standing usually availa- Development Fellowship a discussion you can have with
are expected ble to UVa  SSRC Eurasia Program your committee if need be.
to apply for students on a (Independent States of the The following list includes all the
and receive competitive Former Soviet Union) obvious options for anthropology
such funds basis, and grads, but not the only ones. Some
from the de- anthropology Fieldwork grants accept applications only from U.S.
partment. It’s grads have These are the most crucial of citizens and permanent residents.
also a good been success- grant applications you’ll complete,
idea to apply ful in winning and you should start planning them  Wenner-Gren Dissertation
for other awards of up well in advance, working on them Fieldwork Grants
internal and to $2,500 especially over the summer after  NSF Doctoral Dissertation
external small from this your second year. In most cases, Research Improvement Grants
grants. These Getting outside funding: a crucial step. money. These you’ll be preparing these applica-  Fulbright IIE Programs
can offset are the Raven tions in tandem with your disserta-  Fulbright-Hayes Doctoral Dis-
costs not met Fellowships, tion proposal, and much of the sertation Research Abroad
by your pre-field money, or subsi- awarded by the university’s Raven work will overlap. Fellowship
dize other activities such as confer- Society, so named in homage to In general, a good dissertation  Ford Foundation Dissertation
ence presentations, offsite archival Edgar Allen Poe. Poe once lived in research grant application will raise Fellowship
research, additional methods train- a room on the Lawn, but as far as a novel theoretical question that
ing, etc. anyone knows he never earned a you want to explore with a set of Write-up grants
graduate or any other degree at data that can only be gathered Even though you have a fifth year
 UVa summer grants. The de- the University of Virginia. Raven through your intended fieldwork. of university funding generally free
partment administers applications, applications are usually due in Feb- Your statement of purpose should of teaching and other obligations,
usually due in March, for two com- ruary. make an effort to explain the pro- you shouldn’t rest on your laurels.
mon awards: Summer Fieldwork ject in language accessible to a This “free” year will come in handy
Grants and Summer Foreign Lan-  UVa travel funds. The depart- range of reviewers. Tell them why during the write-up phase but it
guage Fellowships. The DGS an- ment awards small grants for travel your work is interesting and im- will probably not be enough. Plus,
nounces the process for applying in to conferences. Students become portant for the social sciences and write-up grants are prestigious and
early spring. Usually you’ll provide eligible for travel grants upon re- the world at large. may have extra perks attached to
a description of your project or turn from their fieldwork. Each Beyond these common criteria, them, such as more money, access
study plans, a schedule of your year during your write-up support you should pay attention to the to different institutions and facili-
activities and a realistic budget. you can count on $600 to put particular interests of the granting ties, or seminar and publication
Funds awarded are meant to reim- toward the costs of attending if institution and the instructions it opportunities. Often known as
burse you for budgeted expenses you are presenting a paper or provides. Note who is eligible for “dissertation-year” fellowships,
and thus should not be construed other original work at the confer- support, what you need to submit, write-up grants come in many
as earned income. You may be ence. The DGS will request appli- where you’re allowed to do your forms, and may include other obli-
asked to keep receipts for your cations at the beginning of each fieldwork, when it has to get done, gations and conditions. Be on the
records to be presented upon semester (to help fund travel to a how much the funding covers, etc. lookout for announcements of
request. While the awards vary, conference occurring during that All grants in this category are fellowships of this type at UVa and
representative amounts are be- semester). This application is brief external, except for one. Students
tween $2,500 and $5,000 for lan- and very simple, not taking more can apply to convert one semester (Continued on page 13)
guage and about $3,000 for field- than a few minutes to complete. of their GSAS funding into money
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook funding 13
(Continued from page 12)
archaeology and linguistics grads
other institutions, including univer- who are working with complex stipends, wages & taxes
sities overseas, and plan on apply- datasets that can be manipulated
ing during your GSAS-funded write and analyzed in electronic form. You are responsible for reporting your income in tax returns to the
-up year. The application is usually due in state and the federal government as required by law. Reporting re-
March and announced at the end quirements vary from person to person, but in general you should
 Departmental support. Support of the month. know that fellowship funds meant to cover living expenses (your
in the form of your fifth year of stipends from UVa or elsewhere) are probably taxable, while funds
funding may receive an honorary  The Dumas Malone and Albert covering tuition, fees and other required payments to the university
title, depending on your chosen Gallatin Fellowships. These are ad- as a condition of enrollment are not. Furthermore, wage earnings
subfield. These titles reflect the ministered by the UVa Office of are generally taxable as “earned income,” and in most cases state
history of the department and the Vice President for Research and federal taxes will be deducted based on the number of so-called
memorialize a few of its most dis- and supported by the Thomas exemptions you claim. Doing your tax return correctly and on time
tinguished scholars: Jefferson Memorial Foundation. will allow you to seek a refund (if you’re owed one) for any taxes
The Malone Fellowship covers withheld over the amount you actually owe.
 The Edith and Victor Turner graduate students who need to You should update your exemption claims every calendar year to
Dissertation Write-Up Fellow- investigate archives, or other re- make sure the right amount of tax is being withheld from your
ship in Sociocultural Anthro- positories of information, in for- paychecks. For example, many grads have no tax liability and may
pology eign countries. It is generally re- therefore elect to have no taxes be withheld. Others — say, those
 The Virginia and Dell Hymes served to architecture and politics with two-income households — may owe more in taxes and need
Dissertation Write-Up Fellow- grads, but other disciplines are to have more than the usual withheld. You can find paperwork to
ship in Linguistic Anthropology considered. take care of this issue in the main office or access it online, via the
 The James Deetz Dissertation The Gallatin Fellowship supports university’s Integrated System site. (This is different from the Stu-
Write-Up Fellowship in An- advanced graduate students writing dent Information System. The UVa Integrated System is a portal for
thropological Archaeology dissertations on “international employees to manage their hours, view their pay stubs, fill out
affairs,” with preference on multi- forms, etc.)
Students admitted under prior national studies. It is open to appli- Another thing to keep in mind is that fieldwork research fellow-
funding schemes who do not have cants across disciplines whose ships often present a new tax situation. For example, you may be
the standard five-year package may projects look at political, econom- able to deduct unreimbursed field expenses from the grant amounts
still be eligible for receiving depart- ic, social or legal processes across that you have to report as income, thereby minimizing your tax
mental support and the associated cultures. liability. For more information on this and other relevant tax issues,
fellowship title on an ad hoc basis. Applications to either of these see the latest version of IRS Publication 520, “Scholarships and Fel-
Ask the DGS for more information grants need to be submitted lowships.”
on how to apply. through department, so talk to the The usual disclaimers apply here: Specific tax situations vary from
DGS if you think you would be a person to person, so consult with a tax expert if you’re not sure
 The Dissertation-Year Jefferson good candidate for them. what to do. And special circumstances apply to foreign students.
Fellowship. One and sometimes two They should get advice from the International Studies Office on how
have been awarded by the Jeffer-  External grants. There are vari- and when to file tax returns.
son Scholars Foundation in recent ous opportunities for write-up
years. These write-up positions funding from outside sources. Be-
come with an office, a stipend of sides consulting the department’s
$20,000, health insurance, and
extra research funds. The founda-
grant listings, be on the lookout
for announcements via email.
the health insurance plan & subsidy
tion reviews one nominee from Common external write-up grants Grads in residence are eligible for a group health insurance plan for
each department. The DGS may include: UVa students, underwritten by Aetna. The cost of your enrollment
announce an internal application in the plan is covered by a nice subsidy (about $2,400) for every
process or contact you directly to  Charlotte W. Newcombe Doc- year of your basic funding package, and by most major fieldwork
solicit your application for this toral Dissertation Fellowship grants. If you exhaust your basic funding, you may have to pay the
fellowship. The winner or winners  AAA Minority Dissertation insurance premium yourself, or you could choose to find other,
are chosen after a round of finalists Fellowship cheaper insurance. All foreign students are required to carry health
are invited to the foundation for a  Middlebury College Disserta- insurance.
short interview. tion Fellowship Even in years in which you receive the health subsidy, you need to
 SRI Foundation Dissertation enroll in the plan yourself every academic year. This is done online
 Graduate Fellowship in the Digi- Research Grants in Historic through the Aetna Student Health website. The annual plan starts
tal Humanities. Administered by the Preservation and ends on August 15, though you can enroll retroactively as late
Alderman Library Scholars’ Lab, as October. Check with Aetna for the firm deadline, and don’t miss
these awards give you access to it! If you have the subsidy, it will appear during the electronic enroll-
powerful computing tools meant ment process. If you don’t see it, and you know you’re eligible for it,
to help advance scholarship in the something is wrong; talk to someone in the main office. During the
humanities. process, you can also add dependents at your own expense. Go to
Fellows are expected to employ the Aetna Student Health website for more on rates and coverage.
IT in their research and create or Students working as TAs and research assistants in half-time posi-
work with digital content and oth- tions earning at least $5,000 per semester and working for a full
er electronic resources. These academic year are eligible as a matter of course for the health subsi-
awards of $10,000 may supplement dy, even in years past their departmental funding. Sometimes depart-
your fifth year of funding or help ments hiring grads as instructors receive graduate school funding to
cover an additional year in resi- cover the instructors’ health insurance, but this is not required by
dence while you write up your university policy or otherwise guaranteed.
dissertation. It is often ideal for
14 employment
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

teaching & other paid jobs

work eligibility
Anthropology at UVa has an excellent teaching rec- term or a regular semester — you may be asked to
ord. The department strives to prepare graduate teach an existing course or to submit a new course Being eligible for student em-
students to be inspired instructors and to value topic. ployment depends on your
teaching as a vital part of our scholarly development. Teaching and grading positions present opportuni- status as a student. (See the
Most grads will take jobs as teaching assistants or ties for you to deepen your knowledge in some area chapter listing status terms and
graders during each year of their coursework, and of the literature or in a set of disciplinary approaches their implications.)
will be expected to teach their own courses at least relevant to your own research. Wages for these as- Full-time students can take
once after returning from the field. The DGS will let signments, like other university employment, are paid university jobs, but they are
you know what your specific instructional responsibil- every two weeks via payroll. restricted in how many hours
ities are and what courses are available. There’s more below on each type of instructional they can work. Some jobs, like
For teaching assistantships and course-grader posi- position. Note that teaching positions may be availa- teaching assistantships and
tions, preferences for upcoming courses are solicited ble in other departments and universities, especially grader assignments, have
from eligible grad students around the middle of the in programs that don’t have their own graduate stu- weekly hours fixed by conven-
prior semester, so you’ll know ahead of time what dents. These are generally advertised over email. tion. Other jobs are truly
material you’ll be teaching or grading. If you serve as Keep your eye out for them as another funding op- hourly jobs and require you to
an instructor — whether in summer session, January tion, especially in the write-up phase. keep track of your hours and
submit timesheets.
Instructional assignments responsible for coordinating with ments. Your total work hours from
There are three categories: the lead instructor, establishing the these sources during the fall
particulars of the job and working  Instructorship. Grads in good and spring semesters can’t
 Graduate Teaching Assistant. In together to provide as much co- standing who are ABD are eligible exceed 20 per week, except
anthropology, GTAs (or TAs for herence as possible to the course. to teach their own courses as with approval from the DGS,
short) lead discussion sections for Your wages usually are paid in adjunct instructors. You should your chair and special permis-
courses taught by a primary in- combination with a stipend, as expect to serve as an instructor in sion from the dean. The same
structor, usually a regular member explained in the funding chapter. A the semester immediately follow- limit applies to international
of the faculty. half-time GTA ing your return from fieldwork. students; exceptions here are
A typical dis- working two Instructorships at other times are possible but require the stu-
cussion sec- semesters only occasionally available. One dent to meet further condi-
tion has up to always re- good opportunity to teach your tions. Contact the Internation-
20 students ceives tuition own courses comes during sum- al Studies Office for more
and a typical remission and mer terms. information on work eligibility
load of sec- a full health- The graduate school considers for foreign students.
tions for one insurance this to be an assignment of 13.3 During the summer, howev-
TA assisting subsidy. A half hours per week. As with TAs and er, you may work up to 40
one course is -time GTA graders, instructors don’t need to hours per week in a university
three sec- working one keep track of their hours. While job, so long as you still plan to
tions. The semester in a working as an instructor, you may enroll again in the fall. The
graduate given year want to remain registered for same applies to the winter
school consid- receives tui- research credits (and hence qualify break.
ers this stand- tion remission as a full-time student), depending Note that for jobs held dur-
ard load a but not neces- on your particular situation. If you ing an academic recess, most
“half-time” sarily the do this, you can remain eligible for grads will have to pay FICA
assignment of health subsi- the student health insurance plan, taxes, also known as “payroll
10 hours per The TRC publishes this teaching guide. dy. (One- though not for tuition remission taxes.” these are not income
week. You do semester (unless you are teaching during taxes but federal taxes collect-
not, however, have to keep track TAships are not common; when one of the years of your regular ed at a fixed rate to fund social
of these hours or turn in a time- they occur it is often in a carryo- funding package). Any student security and Medicaid. Full-
sheet. In some weeks you may ver semester, for example, as loans you have can also continue time students are otherwise
work more than that, others less, you’re preparing to leave for the to be deferred if you stay enrolled. exempt from payroll taxes,
but it should average to about 10. field or after you’ve returned.) In some circumstances, an instruc- while foreign nationals who are
(The reason this kind of assign- torship can be combined with a not permanent residents of the
ment is called “half-time” is that 20  Gradership. Graders work for half-time TA or grader assignment United States are always ex-
hours are the maximum, or “full- large courses and do much of the while you are enrolled for re- empt. Foreign students may
time,” that you can work for the grading, including essays, exams, search credits, thus qualifying you also work up to 40 hours per
university while also enrolled as a quizzes and papers. Usually you for the tuition remission and week at a university job during
full-time student. See the sidebar have to attend classes regularly but health subsidy. But this requires the summer and winter breaks.
on this page for more on this lim- you’re not responsible for running special permission from the dean You don’t need to be a full-
it.) sections (unless you’re also a TA in as it would exceed the 20-hour time student to take an in-
In addition to leading discussion the same course). Sometimes, work limit for full-time students. structorship. In that case, it
sections related to a lecture graderships are combined with Instructors structure and teach a may be considered
course, TAs typically do a sizeable TAships to meet your funding course on their own. You’ll also be “professional employment”
portion of the grading for the pro- needs. These positions may also be responsible for all of your own and result in extra payroll tax-
fessor, who may also ask you to available to students who have grading. Designing a course and es for you. Consult the sidebar
handle various other tasks, like completed coursework and are preparing a syllabus is labor- on stipends, wages and taxes
doing a guest lecture, running a preparing to leave to the field. intensive, and you should schedule on the preceding page for
review session, or writing exam Graderships are 10-hour (“half- more.
(Continued on page 15)
and quiz questions. As a TA you’re time” positions), like TA assign-
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook teaching 15
plenty of time in advance of the term to do so. browse or search a full-text database of TRC ing discussions, keep an open mind and ask
You also need to place your own book orders materials on the center’s website. simple, open-ended questions. Avoid structur-
with the bookstore and gather other materials And if you’re really feeling overwhelmed, the ing questions with an implied “right” answer or
for students as needed. Taking care of these center provides one-on-one confidential con- questions that ask students to guess what
things two or three months in advance, if possi- sultations for teaching assistants and instruc- you’re thinking, as these tend to stifle discus-
ble, is a good rule of thumb. Note that while tors who want to improve their teaching or sion. Validate students’ remarks, improving on
serving as an instructor, you can request faculty work on particular problems. Consultations are them as you paraphrase them. This helps to
status at the library and use the library’s scan- never scheduled for you — instructors and encourage a welcoming environment, especially
ning services. Just talk to a staff member at the TAs set them early on. That
front desk of Alderman Library. The library up at their doesn’t mean
may ask you to obtain verification from the own discre- you should
department before granting these privileges. tion. You can shy away from
discuss issues hot topics or
Other jobs you’re having, vigorous de-
Jobs that don’t involve classroom time can ask for advice bate, only that
also materialize through the department and or teaching you should try
other programs at the university. These in- ideas, and to keep the
clude, for example, research assistantships, even have a tone civil and
hourly work at the library and other centers, consultant model respect
tutoring in the athletics department, leading observe, vide- for the views
teaching workshops in anthropology or per- otape and/or of others.
forming other odd jobs. poll students When lectur-
Regular positions for graduate student associ- in your class. ing, plan ahead
ates are available at the Teaching Resource These are and give your-
Center for advanced grads with expertise in great, low- self a goal for
teaching and an interest in helping others im- pressure op- Lisa Shutt, 2010 Ph.D., takes students in her Anthropology of the day. Struc-
prove their teaching. These are usually one- tions for get- Food course on a field trip to a local restaurant. ture remarks
year appointments and the application process ting feedback and classroom
can be fairly competitive. on your teaching from experienced people who activities in terms of what you want students to
Before applying to or accepting another job care about student learning and are not judg- understand. Usually this means one or two key
you should consult the DGS and your advisory mental about your teaching challenges. To re- facts, concepts or controversies that you want
committee about the opportunity. Make sure it quest a consultation, use the center’s online them to fully grasp by the end of the lecture. If
won’t create a conflict with any other duties form. you use slides or other technology, these
you have or cause you to exceed your employ- Just sharing ideas with fel- should serve your objective; don’t allow your
ment time limit. Jobs held outside the university low grads is another good way to work on instruction to be the slave to your slides. As
do not affect that limit, but your teaching methods and often as IT can be helpful, it can become a
even then it might be good stay sane. You should also be crutch or an end in itself rather than a tool for
to discuss any such em- on the lookout for in-house helping students meet the learning goals you’ve
ployment with your chair. Think of professors you’ve departmental teaching work- established. Sometimes simply referring to
shops designed especially for lecture notes, putting chalk to the blackboard,
Notes on teaching had whose teaching you anthropology TAs. They usual- or leading a well-planned in-class exercise will
There’s more to teach- ly take place early in the fall serve just as well or better.
ing than just showing up admire, and emulate them. semester each year, and are If nothing else, think of professors you’ve had
and talking — especially if Chances are, you remember led by fellow grads. whose teaching you admire, and emulate them.
your classes are discussion Here are some basic teaching What works in their classrooms and why?
-based. Leading a discus- their teaching because they tips to keep in mind (but again, Chances are, you remember their teaching
sion and giving effective found a way to make it fun you can find much more on because they found a way to make it fun and
lectures are skills that can the TRC’s website): interesting. Make an effort to have fun with
be learned and improved. and interesting. Make an You are responsible for your your teaching in ways that work for you. Be
You should take advantage effort to have fun with your own syllabus. Make it as clear, creative.
while you can of the re- concise and complete as possi- And finally, get a good night’s rest.
sources available to you to teaching in ways that work ble. This applies especially to
help you sharpen your the courses you teach on your
teaching. for you. Be creative. own, but having a syllabus
For starters, whether specific to your discussion
you’re teaching for the sections is also important
first time or not, it’s al- when working as a TA. A
ways good to attend the August and January standard syllabus will outline learning objectives
teaching workshops offered by the university’s you want your students to meet, define assign-
Teaching Resource Center. These events are ments and policies, and explain participation
free for graduate students and include work- guidelines, grading procedures, etc. Instructors
shops led by fellow grads, tailored specifically should also give their students an idea of the
to issues common to first-time teachers. Regis- reading schedule and structure of the semester.
tration is required and widely announced sev- As a TA, you need not repeat in your section
eral weeks in advance. In addition to running syllabus information found in the lecture sylla-
these and other workshops, the TRC has a bus, but you can add or expand on it in reason-
small walk-in library and files filled with teach- able ways; explain, for example, your participa-
ing tips and ideas, available at the center’s office tion policy.
in Hotel D on the East Range. You can also When lead-
16
what’s my status? a glossary
Getting through graduate school involves some bureaucratic hoops that
you’ll have to jump through — there’s simply no way around them. Nav-
igating your way through them will be easier if you understand, in good
anthropological fashion, certain roles and statuses that apply to you and
what their implications are. This chapter defines the most important
ones in brief.
Your administrative status
These categories are primarily
fiscal; they determine how much
you owe the university and, there-
fore, how much you cost the de-
partment.
 Full-time student. A full-time
student is enrolled in 12 credit
hours, whether in the form of
research credits or courses or
both. With this status, you’re eligi-
ble for loan deferrals if you have
any prior or current student loans.
You can also purchase health in-
surance through the university’s
student plan, even if you don’t get
the usual subsidy, and you have full
access to the library, the gym,
athletic games, etc., though you
may be required to pay the associ-
ated student fees if they are not
otherwise covered. (The depart-
ment’s basic funding package will
cover these as well as the health-
insurance subsidy for you when it’s
in effect.) Finally, you can work at
the university as a student employ-
ee during a regular semester when
you are enrolled full-time, up to
the 20-hour maximum; to exceed
this amount of UVa work, you
need special permission. See the
teaching chapter.
Note that international students
need to maintain full-time status to
keep their visas active.
 In-state vs. out-of-state. UVa is a
state school. Thus, tuition is differ-
ent for in-state and out-of-state
students. While this will not mat-
ter much to you since your tuition
is generally covered, it matters to
the department because out-of-
state students — that is, most
grads — “cost” more in the budg-
et. In general, you can’t change this
status once you enter the universi-
ty, no matter how long you live in
Virginia or how much you pay in
taxes. There are only very limited
exceptions to this and the proce-
dure involves special paperwork.
This status is only likely to affect
you if and when you remain en-
rolled with research credits during
the ABD phase, after all your fund-
ing sources have been exhausted.
status glossary
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook
 Non-topical research only (NTR).
When you are no longer taking
courses, you may elect to remain
enrolled for research credits only,
in which case tuition is dramatically
reduced. However, being NTR still
costs about $4,000 for out-of-state
students, so it’s not cheap either.
The department will cover this
cost during your regular years of
funding, but not thereafter.
“Dissertation Completion” (below)
may be the better option in that
case. With NTR status you are still
a full-time student, eligible for
student-loan deferrals and all the
related privileges outlined above,
such as buying health insurance at
the student rate.
When you are NTR, you still
need to make sure you enroll for
the proper research credits using
the Student Information System.
(See the coursework chapter.)
 Dissertation Completion. This
status is available because the
Graduate School recognizes that
not all students will finish their
dissertations within the six years
(that’s five years of stipend + one
year of tuition during externally
funded fieldwork) for which the
department can provide tuition,
fees, and health care. It costs
around $400 per year ($206 per
semester) and allows you to keep
your library privileges and universi-
ty eservices (including email) ac-
count and to remain on the de-
partment’s list of active grad stu-
dents. But it grants few other privi-
leges. You are not considered a full
-time student, your loans go out of
deferral, you lose access to the
gym, etc., and you may be unable
to remain in the same visa status.
Students are limited to four se-
mesters of Dissertation Comple-
tion status.
While you can’t work as a UVa
student employee when holding
this status, you can take an instruc-
torship at the university as a pro-
fessional employee, assuming
you’re ABD.
 Degree Conferral in Absentia.
This is similar to Dissertation
Completion status and costs the
same. It applies to students who
have completed writing their dis-
sertation, but were unable to de-
fend, revise, and submit it before
the deadline for graduation for a
given semester. Degree Conferral
in Absentia status allows you to
schedule a defense and graduate
even if you have exhausted your
other enrollment options. Students
are limited to a single semester of
Degree Conferral in Absentia sta-
tus.
 Work-study. Some grads who
request federal student loans may
elect to receive part of their fund-
ing through work-study. Work-
study positions are UVa paid jobs
subsidized by the federal govern-
ment. They pay up to a total, fixed
amount per year based on financial
need unmet from loans and other
sources. The work could be at the
library, for the department or for
any division of the university that
advertises work-study positions.
To find out more about applying
for loans and whether you might
be eligible for work-study, go to
the financial aid webpages of UVa
Student Financial Services. Hours
worked in work-study jobs count
toward your overall hours of eligi-
bility for employment at the uni-
versity, assuming you’re enrolled
as a full-time student.
Your academic status
These categories are primarily
academic; they indicate your rank
and standing as a student in the
department and the graduate
school.
 In good standing. You should
always be “in good standing.” If
you’re not, you’re in trouble and
you might be dropped from the
program, especially at the end of
the year during your annual re-
view.
“In good standing” is more than
just an artful way of saying the
faculty like you, it’s a procedural
term with definite criteria. To be
in good standing you must not
have any course grades lower than
the B range; beyond your third
semester, you must have three
active members on your commit-
tee; and at your year-end review
the faculty must find that you’re
making adequate progress toward
a degree.
Make sure you don’t fall out of
good standing by accident or oth-
erwise. For example, incompletes
taken in your courses are convert-
ed automatically to Fs about six
months after grades are due. The
graduate school enforces this poli-
cy firmly and does not easily allow
grades to be overturned once
they’ve been assigned. For this
reason, you should avoid taking
incompletes and, if you can’t, re-
solve them quickly. Also, if a com-
mittee member unexpectedly with-
draws from your panel, find anoth-
er one quickly and get the proper
signatures.
 Ph.D. candidate / All but disserta-
tion, or all but defended (ABD). You
become a doctoral candidate, with
ABD status, after successfully com-
pleting the coursework require-
ments, passing a qualifying assign-
ment (the critical essays, as de-
scribed in the coursework chap-
ter), satisfying the first language
requirement, and successfully de-
fending a dissertation proposal.
Only students who are ABD can
take instructorships.
 Leave of absence. Students who
want to take a leave of absence
from the department may apply by
letter to the director of graduate
studies. The letter should explain
why you want to take the leave.
The faculty review applications for
leave during the regular evaluation
meetings in May. Students who are
in good standing and who show
cause may receive a leave of up to
one academic year (or two con-
secutive semesters), renewable for
additional one-year periods up to a
total of three years. Renewals are
subject to approval in the same
manner as an original request for
leave.
Students gone for more than
three years are dropped from the
program.
While on a leave of absence, you
have no fiscal status as a student,
but you can be readmitted to the
program without going through
the usual admissions process. Con-
sequently, this status can be useful
in the late stages of writing your
dissertation: when you finish a
worthy draft, the faculty will gladly
readmit you to defend it and grad-
uate.
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook new students 17
notes for new students
New grads should be aware of some odds and
ends to take care of as soon as they arrive.

Eservices, home directory and email

One of the first things you should do is sign
up for an Eservices account and register for
email, using the computing ID, or username,
assigned to you upon your initial enrollment.
This account will give you access to public
computers at the university and allow you to
access your “home directory,” an electronic
repository where you can store private files
and access them from virtually anywhere. Plus,
you can map your home directory as a drive on
any computer hooked up to the UVa network,
allowing you to manipulate your server folders
seamlessly, as if they were local directories on
your own machine.
The university’s ITC webpages will tell you
more about the home directory system and
how to use it. One of the great advantages of Jack Stoetzel copies a journal article on the main printer in the lobby of Brooks Hall.
using your home directory is that your files are
regularly backed up, so that you can retrieve posited there. tor, and it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself
old versions of files if something goes terribly Lockers in the basement area are available with the ins and outs of how it works. (The
wrong. first-come, first-serve. If you see an open one, views and permissions you have for courses
Note that email is official university corre- claim it by putting a lock or a tag of some kind you teach and courses you take are slightly
spondence. You should assume that it can be on it. Please consider making your locker avail- different.) Collab allows you to exchange files,
monitored by UVa officials. Use an outside able to others when you leave for the field, and submit or evaluate assignments, post or access
email account for sending messages of a sensi- clean it out when you graduate or leave the syllabi and reading materials, etc. You can also
tive or personal nature. program. Some of the lockers are reserved for create new Collab sites for group projects with
linguistics M.A. students. If you’re not sure others within and beyond the university com-
Get a student ID and number which those are, ask. munity, and establish site permissions based on
You need a student identification card to do your needs.
a lot of things around here. After setting up an Library carrels The department operates several in-house
Eservices password go online to register for a Library carrels are desks in the quiet and Collab sites, including one for each subfield and
student ID number. Then you can get your secluded stacks of Alderman Library and can be one for departmental documents (such as grant
identification card at the University ID Card an ideal place to study and write in peace. Most lists or faculty-search applications). You should
Office, in the Observatory Hill Dining Hall on carrels have shelves, a drawer that can be make sure you’re signed up for the sites that
McCormick Road. Bring a valid government- locked and an electrical power outlet. There’s apply to you. For any course you take, the
issued photo identification card with you. Note usually Wi-Fi access throughout the stacks, and relevant worksite will appear automatically in
the expiration date on your new card and make grads may store books checked out to them in your tabs once the instructor has set it up.
sure to renew it when it expires. (This often their carrels. Carrels may be shared by up to For the courses you teach, you’ll need to set
happens around the time you return from the two students. up your own Collab sites. This includes discus-
field.) Renewals are free, but if you lose your If you want a carrel assigned to you, talk to a sion sections to which you’re assigned as a TA.
first ID you’ll have to pay a fee to replace it. staff member at Alderman Library about the (Sections have their own sites, separate from
procedure, as it sometimes varies. You may be the site of their associated lecture). To set up a
Get your keys to Brooks asked to have the department’s main office new worksite for a course, follow the onscreen
The administrative assistant will provide you confirm that you are a student in residence, instructions available on the Collab homepage.
with keys to the building, including the outer and there may be limits based on availability or
doors and the graduate computer lab. Don’t quotas established across departments. Printing and scanning
lose them — you’ll have to pay a fee to get If you get a carrel, please consider relinquish- By being frugal in their printing habits, grad
new copies. Also, please turn them in when ing it when leaving for the field. students have been able to prevent the estab-
you graduate or leave the program. lishment of departmental quotas.
Brooks is generally open during regular busi- UVaCollab Please be considerate when deciding whether
ness hours, but you need your keys to get in Collab is the university’s version of Sakai, a to print on either the lobby printer or the
after hours. You’re allowed to use the building web-based portal designed in partnership with printers in the grad and archaeology labs. The
at any time, including nights, weekends and several major institutions. It’s meant to facili- lobby printer is accessible from the grad lab
holidays. tate collaboration on academic projects and computers, and it’s a good choice for course
instruction. All courses and discussion sections articles or instructional materials because you
Mailboxes and lockers at UVa are eligible for workspace on Collab, can print double-sided automatically. Please
Your graduate student mailbox is in the base- and many other collaboration sites are open to also consider printing multiple pages to a sheet
ment of Brooks Hall. Take note of the slot with all users if you want to join them. You can where possible, or printing more lightly using
your name on it and check it regularly. You can search for public sites, create new project sites, the machine’s toner-saving mode. The lobby
use this as a drop-off point for student papers and manage site memberships from your work- printer also allows you to scan documents and
and other official business. Any postal or cam- space in Collab. email them to yourself, without having to print
pus mail you receive at the department is de- You’ll use Collab as a student and an instruc- them.
18 communitas
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

building communitas
Communitas was a term of special significance to Victor Turner, one of
this department’s foremost ancestors. He used it to describe a strong
feeling of solidarity and mutual support often developed through ritual.
It’s a good term to represent the ideal toward which this department
has strived over the years. Building solidarity can come in ephemeral and
spontaneous acts, but it also benefits from organized and regular events
and activities. This chapter outlines a few that have become more or less
institutionalized in the anthropology department.

Graduate student a graduate council representative,

meetings and officers who attends meetings of the Grad-
There’s always one grad meeting uate School of Arts and Sciences
at the beginning of the academic Council, an official body that rep-
year, and others may be convened resents graduate students in uni-
from time to time to discuss spe- versity-wide issues. Those issues
cific business. At the first meeting, include grad-student space, health
usually held the first week of class, insurance, tuition, taxes and wages.
the incoming cohort is introduced GSAS council also has access to
to other grads and new grad offic- student activity fees that can be
ers are elected. There may also be used to support student-planned
department or university business events. The grad council rep
to review. should convey information about
Graduate students in the depart- those funding opportunities and
ment do not follow formal bylaws other GSAS-wide activities to the
in how they organize and reach rest of us.
consensus on matters of im- In years past there has been a
portance, but there are certain Graduate Labor Union, and an-
historical precedents: Two grads thropology has contributed repre-
serve as our graduate-faculty rep- sentatives to it, but its power is
resentatives, or “grad reps” for limited due to Virginia labor laws Dionisios Kavadias and Carrie Douglass chat at a seminar reception.
short. The grad reps attend all and the group is not always active.
faculty meetings, with the excep- either by meeting with prospective scholarship takes place in public
tion of tenure discussions, and Parties and prospective students students, hosting them in their and to hear what some of the
report back to their fellow grads Several parties in particular have homes, or organizing department- brightest minds in the discipline
about department business. They become something of a tradition. supported dinners. are up to.
also cast a single vote at faculty In the fall semester, second-years At the beginning and end of each In cases where an invited schol-
meetings on behalf of their peers throw a dinner and party to wel- year, the department chair usually ar’s interests dovetail with your
in all routine matters, including come the incoming cohort. At the convenes a general get-together, own, you may ask or be invited to
new hires and program changes end of the academic year, first- either hosted at the chair’s home meet further with the visitor, in-
(but not tenure evaluations, which years reciprocate and throw a or in the Brooks Hall Commons. formally or as part of a department
are decisions party congratu- Everyone is invited to enjoy the dinner with faculty.
reserved to lating second- food and drink, catch up, and meet Each sub-discipline also hosts
tenured faculty). Brooks Hall gets ghoulish years on their new students and faculty or say internal workshops in which de-
The grad reps passage to can- goodbye to those departing. partment faculty and advanced
also convene and ghostly for Halloween. didacy. Third- graduate students are invited to
graduate stu- years and above Workshops and the present their research. These
dent meetings
Grads and faculty alike join are generally departmental speaker series workshops are informal, usually
and serve as in decorating ahead of the invited to join in The department hosts a speaker held around a table filled with
liaisons to the the festivities as series every year, usually inviting snacks. While each series is geared
faculty on gradu- party, with a pumpkin carving well. scholars from around the world, toward one of the subfields, all
ate grievances, extravaganza. On the week- plus one or two from within the faculty and grads are encouraged
suggestions or end closest to university, to give talks on their to attend. Offering to present
ideas. They may Halloween, ongoing research, followed by material is a good way to flex your
also delegate Brooks Hall gets vigorous questions from faculty thinking after you’ve gotten back
tasks to other graduate students ghoulish and ghostly. Grads and and graduate students. from the field.
or coordinate department ser- faculty alike join in decorating The series is generally held on Other workshops to look out
vices, like cleaning or refurbishing ahead of the party, with a pumpkin Friday afternoons throughout the for include the departmental
the computer lab or hosting bagel carving extravaganza. Costumes fall and spring semesters, with a teaching workshop series, IRB and
brunches when outside scholars welcomed and encouraged. reception and catered hors- ethics workshops, and UVa profes-
visit. During admissions season, d’oeuvres to follow. We’re told sional development seminars. You
Grad reps are chosen from nom- around February or early March, it’s practically required for first- should also attend the symposium
inees who step forward at the first the department often hosts a and second-years to attend: Sitting for third-year students, especially if
meeting of the year. They are typi- weekend of events for prospective through them is itself something of you’re in your first or second year,
cally third-years or beyond. grad students. Current grads, es- a rite of passage. But the truth is to get a sense of where things are
Usually we also elect a social pecially those in their coursework the talks can be riveting, and they headed. See the coursework chap-
chair to organize parties, as well as years, are encouraged to help out, offer an opportunity to see how ter for more on that event.
 UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook grad school tips 19
getting the most out of grad school
Like any job, the most important things you learn about graduate school you learn by experience. But it helps to have a roadmap and a set of tools
to get you going. This chapter includes general advice on getting the most out of grad school. Much of it will seem obvious or intuitive, but the
good habits suggested here are easily forgotten when you’re facing the pressures of multiple deadlines, grading, and other duties all at once. If you
feel stymied or overwhelmed, come back to these notes and refocus. Talk to other grads and the faculty members with whom you’re close. You’ll
be OK.

Prioritize
Not all your tasks are of equal importance.
Sometimes it’s tempting to push off the really
important stuff while you deal with the little
things that pile up and perhaps seem more
essential than they are. Categorize your re-
sponsibilities into long-, medium-, and short-
term items and set aside regular hours to han-
dle the major stuff, such as writing your critical
essays or applying for fieldwork funding. Be
careful not to let immediate tasks like respond-
ing to emails or grading papers take over your
life. Allowing that to happen might be a sign
that you’re putting something important off
because you’re anxious about it. Break down
large projects into smaller, manage-
able tasks so they don’t seem so
daunting.
For example, if you’re working
on a grant application, write the
intro today, get to the methods
section and the budget on Thurs-
day and Friday. But don’t take on
too much at once. Often it’s more
efficient to stay focused on one or
two key jobs at a time, then move
on to the next task in order of
priority.
Get organized
It might help to block your time
on a weekly and monthly basis.
Draw a schedule out in a note-
book, on a whiteboard or on your
computer, so you can see in a
nutshell your various obligations —
reading for courses, attending
class, holding office hours, planning
for sections, etc. Find an organizational style that works for you.
Find a regular workspace and
make it sacred. This is a place where you can
get in the zone and not be unduly distracted. It would pull it off in quite that way.
should be comfortable and you should be able
to keep the things you need, like books, notes, visit your field site for the first time, stay open
papers and files close at hand. Figure out a
system of organization that works for you.
You should especially consider using biblio-
graphic software like Zotero, Endnotes or Ref- “focused openness” is a balancing act through
Works and begin organizing your citations as
soon as you start grad school, if you haven’t
done this already. These programs allow you to
store reading notes, tag your sources and keep suggestions. At the same time, don’t be afraid
electronic copies of articles all in one place.
They have features that work with most word
processing applications, so you can build bibli-
ographies for your papers at the snap of a fin-
ger. There may be some startup costs involved, who has to be happy with its direction. Your
but trust us it’s worth it.
Keep your computer files and email in some
kind of logical order that works for you, and
consider using UVa’s home directory system.
Take time at the end of each semester to put A page a day keeps your therapist away
printed material, your papers and written notes Writer’s block doesn’t exist. You either
in a sensible order. The less clutter you accu- write, or you don’t.
mulate over time the easier it will be to stay This sounds trite, but the way you start writ-
sane. And doing these things will save you a lot ing is by writing. Make it a daily habit. Choose
of trouble in the long run. the time that works best for you. Two hours is
plenty. Eliminate every single distraction, in-
Be flexible cluding your own tendency to edit as you
Not everything will go as planned and when it write. Whether you’re working on a course
doesn’t you have to roll with the punches. You paper or your dissertation, what comes out of
should be willing, especially, to be provisional in your fingers at first doesn’t need to be perfect-
your choice of research topic. You might have ly on topic. Writing is thinking, and once you
been accepted on the basis of a beautifully de- get a nice flow going, your thinking will get
signed and articulated project — but this was clearer and fresher. If you get stuck on a word,
because it was beautifully designed and articu- sentence or paragraph, force yourself to mud-
dle through it, leaving breaks to
flesh out later. Be willing to set
down ideas in the raw that will
need further refinement at a differ-
ent time, one that’s blocked off for
rereading and revising. Brainstorm,
read your sentences aloud and
consult style guides, a good thesau-
rus or dictionary, etc., when it’s
helpful.
When reading the work of other
writers, take note of the stylistic
and structural qualities that work
for you, and those that don’t.
Most important, have others read
and comment on your work —
friends, colleagues, faculty. With
the feedback of others your writ-
ing will thrive. Without it, it will
stagnate.
If you find yourself really stuck,
in your writing or any other issue,
talk to others about it and ask for
their advice. Grad school may
seem isolating at times, but lots of
lated, not because anyone actually thought you people around you are going through or have
gone through similar stresses. Reach out to
As you move through your coursework and friends and colleagues whom you trust and
respect and listen to how they’ve dealt with
to new theoretical angles or to reworking your their own challenges. If you ignore your prob-
questions. Stay focused, but challenge yourself lems — professional or personal — they will
to find new paths within your project. This only deepen and get harder to fix.
all phases of grad school: coursework, field- Take a break; you need it
work, and write up. Don’t forget to rest, relax and take care of
Listen to your advisers and be open to their your relationships. Get a drink or coffee with
your peers, make new friends, cook dinner
to put forth your own ideas and be persistent with your partner, take a nap. Go for a quiet
with your committee about the topics that walk, go camping, biking, running or to the
matter to you. Your dissertation is ultimately theater — do whatever kinds of activities help
your project, and in the end you are the one release stress and inspire creative thinking.
Central Virginia is a beautiful place. You should
conversations with committee members should take time to explore the surroundings while
have the aspect of a healthy dialogue. One-way you’re here. Whatever you do, make time for
communication in either direction is a problem fun in your life, or you’ll very likely burn out.
you should deal with before it blows up. And finally, good luck!
20 resources
UVa Anthropology | Graduate Student Handbook

appendix: useful places & resources

Alderman Library Area programs at UVa
The main library at UVa. These are interdisciplinary centers, each with a specific with regional
You won’t miss the vibrant cafe in the lobby. The fourth-floor Schol- or topical focus:
ars’ Lab has an airy study space and powerful computing equipment. The
third floor has a small study lounge for graduate students only. The sec-  Center for South Asian Studies
ond floor has a public reading room that’s quiet and cozy, with subdued  Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies
lighting. Carrels are in the stacks.  Carter Woodson Center for African American Studies
The university’s library system is centralized online and offers access  East Asia Center
to a range of scholarly databases and robust search engines. If you have  German Studies
trouble finding anything, or you want to request books or other materi-  Latin American Center
als for purchase, contact the university’s anthropology librarian.  Middle East Studies
 Studies in Women & Gender
Brooks Hall  Tibet Center
Our home.
Faculty have offices throughout the building. The commons is open to Student finances and employment
the public and is the site of many department receptions and gatherings. For loans or billing and account information, contact Student Financial
Archaeologists have lab space in the basement. Services. You can drop in at 1001 N. Emmet Street, across from the
The building has two research archives. There’s a linguistics library in Barracks Road Shopping Center, or call (434) 982-6000.
the second-floor conference room. The general anthropology library is For questions about wages, paystubs or employment issues, contact
on the third floor at the end of the hallway. (The Kevin Barry Purdue UVa Human Resources. It’s at 914 Emmet Street, next to Student Finan-
Archive of Traditional Culture has moved to UVa’s Special Collections.) cial Services. Or you can call (434) 982-0123.
Off the second-floor conference room there’s a small kitchen you can For both offices, you can find forms and other information online.
use. Off the third-floor library, there’s a small study room with a micro-
wave and a few cabinets. Other UVa programs and services
Grad students have access to a computer lab and office in the base- A simple web search should take you directly to the homepage of any
ment, next to the grad lockers and mail slots. The outer room of the of these other university resources:
grad lab has more computers and tends to be where a lot of socializing
takes place. The inner room has more desk space and tends to be quiet-  Amalgam (graduate research journal)
er. This part can be scheduled for TA office hours. Also, when space is  Cavalier Computers (discounted service, machines and software)
available, faculty offices may be allocated to grad students who are in the  Center for American English Language and Culture (ESL)
write-up stage.  Center for Global Health
Brooks Hall was once a museum of natural history. Jeff Hantman has  Center for Regional Environmental Study
documented the building’s history and lore for the department. You can  Child Development Centers (child care for infants and toddlers)
read more about it on the department’s website.  Elson Student Health Center
 Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Teaching Resource Center  Graduate Student Council
In Hotel D on the East Range, a short walk from Brooks.  Housing and Residence Life (graduate housing options)
The TRC offers services, workshops, and resource materials to en-  International Studies Office
hance teaching and professional development among faculty and gradu-  Intramural-Recreational Sports (for gyms and intramural athletics)
ate students. Trained consultants who are also faculty and grad students  Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture
with lots of classroom experience offer free advice and feedback on  Institute for Global Policy Research
your teaching. See more on the center’s website and in the chapter on  Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection
teaching in this handbook.  Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender Resource Center
 Miller Center of Public Affairs
Graduate Arts & Sciences Career Services  Office of African-American Affairs
In Randall Hall, Room 118.  Office of the Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies
The office provides a range of services and resources for life beyond  Summer Language Institute
graduation, whether you pursue an academic career, explore other op-  University ID Card Office
tions, or are unsure about your career objectives. Office staff offer  University Registrar
workshops, web and print resources, and advising to help you identify,  UVa Bookstore
plan and pursue rewarding work with your M.A. or Ph.D.  Virginia Foundation for the Humanities

Books in the linguistics library, on the second floor of Brooks Hall.