UCI Dept. of Anthropology Grad Prog Year-by-Year Page

The program normally involves three years of course work. The bulk of the curricular requirements are ordinarily satisfied after the first two years, and the third year normally involves development of a research proposal, advancement to candidacy, and the securing of funding for fieldwork, in addition to further course work. The fourth (and, in many cases, some or all of the fifth) year is normally devoted to extended anthropological fieldwork. The sixth year (in some cases also part of the fifth) is devoted to writing the dissertation, in close consultation with the advisor and members of the dissertation committee.
A Year by Year Overview
First Year: In your first year you should take the three required proseminars in sequence. Students normally take statistics as well. You might also take the field methods or research design course and some electives. You will have been assigned a first-year advisor. You should meet with that advisor and seek to familiarize yourself with department faculty. By the end of your first year you should be prepared to choose an advisor with whom you wish to continue your work. Your research interests should be getting more focused. You may begin working on a field language. Second Year: You should plan to complete required coursework by the end of your second year. Take remaining statistics, methods, and fieldwork courses. Develop your expertise further through electives. At this point you should be working with an advisor you have chosen, and starting to develop relationships with other department members who could serve as committee members for your admission to candidacy. You might take independent study courses with these individuals, for example. In the spring of your second year you should be prepared to submit a proposal for a summer research project related to your intended dissertation topic. You should be preparing to take your orals early in the third year. Third Year: You should plan to complete required coursework by now. It is a good idea to pass your orals for doctoral candidacy early in the fall. Many grant agencies require admission to candidacy. You will be submitting external grant applications to fund your doctoral research (most deadlines fall between October and January). You may be taking additional courses useful for your doctoral work, pursuing specialized reading courses, and working on your field language(s), etc. Fourth Year: Ideally, you successfully obtained some doctoral funding and can spend this year conducting your research in the field. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. You may need to submit a second round of grant applications or reformulate your project or both. In any case, your top priority is to conduct the research upon which your dissertation will be based and to complete all preparations necessary for successfully conducting that research. Fifth Year: You are completing your fieldwork and beginning to write your dissertation. If you have lost touch with committee members, this is the time to reconnect and get their guidance. It is worthwhile to think about publishing some of your research before completing the Ph.D. This will be helpful when you go on the job market. Sixth Year: You are in the process of finishing your dissertation. It is probably a good idea to start applying for jobs before you have finished.