Applied Archaeology BA/MA Program

Eligibility for applying to the program:

• Students must be undergraduate anthropology majors in good standing, having completed a significant proportion of their major requirements. Most successful applicants will be within 18 hours of completing their BA requirements at the start of their senior year.
• Students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the time they enter the program and must be on track for an on-time completion of the BA degree during their senior year.
• Students who are in a position to complete and reserve 12 hours of graduate coursework during their senior year will be stronger candidates for the program.  Usually, these will be students who require less than 18 hours of undergraduate coursework to graduate, having received credit by exams, by completing extra coursework during long semesters, and/or by enrolling in Maymesters or summer courses, including field schools and study abroad programs.
• Stronger candidates will have completed archaeological coursework, and prospective applicants are encouraged to gain experience in artifact analysis, lab work, and archaeological fieldwork including field schools, Maymesters, and/or study abroad programs.

Eligibility for moving forward into Year 2 of the program:

• Students must apply to the Graduate School during the fall of their senior year, submitting all materials required for the application.
• Students must have completed 12 graduate hours by the start of Year 2 in order to proceed with the final year of the program.
• Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in their undergraduate and graduate courses, with no grade below a “B-“ in a graduate course.
• Students who do not meet these requirements may submit a petition to the graduate office for re-consideration.

Applying:

The application for admission to the program in Fall 2026 Application is now open. The completed document will include a personal statement, academic records from UT, and the contact information for three UT faculty referees.

Application for the 5-Year Integrated BA/MA Program in Anthropology: Please download this application, complete it on your computer, following all instructions in the document. When the document is complete and you have acquired the necessary academic records, combine all materials into a single PDF file, saved as Lastname.Firstname.App.pdf. When your application is complete, please upload it using the link below.

Application submission:  Please upload your PDF application, statement of purpose, and additional documents here: https://utexas.app.box.com/f/16d3d6eeaeb744a7838d1c9c2d24d2b8

If you are unable to upload the required materials, please contact the faculty program director (r.alan.covey@austin.utexas.edu) as soon as possible to discuss alternative ways for submission.

Spring 2026 Due Date:

• All application materials are due by 11:59 pm on January 15, 2026.
• Please note that your faculty referees should already have agreed to prepare an evaluation on your behalf—contact potential referees well in advance to ensure their availability.

Application support:  The application for the integrated program requires a statement of purpose.  Students are strongly advised to consult the University Writing Center for support with developing the central elements of that statement.

For questions about the application process, please email: r.alan.covey@austin.utexas.edu

Requirements

Students in the five-year integrated BA/MA program in Anthropology (Applied Archaeology track) will normally have a graduate curriculum structured as follows:

• 6 hours anthropology core courses (normally ANT 392K: Introduction to Graduate Archaeology AND ANT 380P: Professional Practices in Archaeology).
• 9 hours in archaeological practice (ANT 384M: Texas Archaeology AND ANT 383M: Topics in Archaeological Techniques and Procedures AND ANT 380I: Professional Internship in Archaeology) (Note: ANT 683N: Field Archaeology may replace ANT 380I, fulfilling an additional 3 hours of other ANT or elective coursework.)
• 3 hours additional anthropology graduate coursework
• 6 hours supporting coursework outside of anthropological archaeology
• 6 hours other graduate courses

Students entering the five-year program will ordinarily be encouraged to focus on required coursework during their senior year, when they are concurrently finishing the BA degree and completing 12 hours of graduate coursework reserved for the MA. 

Info Sessions

Information sessions will be held on Zoom throughout the 2025 Fall semester. Once scheduled, dates will be posted below.  Sessions will also be announced to undergraduate anthropology majors through the advising newsletter sent via the undergraduate major listserv.  

Schedules Info Sessions

Date: Wednesday October 15, 2025
Time: 6-7pm
Location: https://utexas.zoom.us/j/81685022424

CRM Archaeology and the BA/MA Program

 

What is Cultural Resource Management?

Cultural resource management (CRM) archaeology is a professional field and billion-dollar industry. CRM involves identifying, assessing, and protecting heritage resources (e.g., sites, buildings, artifacts) that face damage or destruction during construction and other development projects. CRM archaeologists carry out a wide range of field and lab methods, at every stage of archaeological research, from survey and excavation to review and curation, as they evaluate, process, and preserve archaeological heritage. CRM positions in Texas range from large and small private consulting firms to state and federal agencies.

What does CRM look like in Texas?

With its rapid population and economic growth, Texas has seen an increasing need for locally trained CRM professionals to assist with reservoir construction, highway expansions, energy infrastructure, and other types of developments across the state. Many CRM positions in Texas are associated with private consulting firms, but there are also many state and federal agencies in Texas that conduct or oversee CRM projects, including the Texas Historical Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife, US Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, Federal Railroad Commission, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and US Fish and Wildlife. In Texas, CRM professionals who hold an MA degree are eligible to pull the required permits to lead and direct archaeological projects.

Who is the new integrated BA/MA program helpful for? What career paths will it serve?

The five-year integrated program is designed to prepare UT undergraduates for careers in cultural resource management (CRM) archaeology in Texas.  Program graduates will also be well-prepared to pursue CRM employment in other states; the MA degree will also be useful for students who eventually pursue doctoral degrees in anthropological archaeology.

What skills does the program provide to students?

The integrated program is designed to build on the undergraduate anthropology major, providing coursework that includes archaeological theory and practice, artifact analysis, and Texas archaeology. A required internship reflects the program’s goal of building field and laboratory experience in Texas archaeology and establishing professional connections with state agencies and local CRM firms. CRM training in the BA/MA program includes (but is not limited to) CRM laws and regulations; permitting processes and desktop reviews; budgets and project management; research design; reporting standards; field and lab methods; and analytical methods. Program graduates will be prepared with the skills and experience to work as high-level CRM technicians, crew chiefs, or as Project Archaeologists.  Please see the Requirements page on the integrated program webpage for program requirements.

Why choose this program over another?

The 5-year integrated program is designed to leverage the coursework from the undergraduate anthropology major and complete the MA degree in just one year, instead of the two years needed at most stand-alone MA programs in anthropology. The UT program, with coursework focused on Texas and internships within the state, presents an opportunity for Texas-based students to build careers in the state. For many students, earning the MA through one additional year in Austin will represent a low-cost and accelerated option for preparing for CRM careers in Texas.

 

Eligibility and Application

 

Who is eligible to apply for the integrated BA/MA program?

The integrated program is open to junior undergraduate anthropology majors at UT.  In order to begin taking graduate courses, a student must have a grade point average of 3.0.

Can I apply to the program as a senior?

No, unfortunately you would be unable to complete the required graduate level coursework in one year. However, please consult with academic advisors and the department’s archaeology faculty to talk about applying to other anthropology graduate programs and pursuing other career-building opportunities.

Can I apply if I have a different major but an Anthropology minor?

No, at present only currently enrolled anthropology majors may apply.

How do I apply?

Please consult the documents and instructions in the Applying section of the webpage for the 5-year integrated program. For questions about the application process, please contact the program’s faculty advisor.

When is the application deadline?

January 15th, 2026

Do I need to have completed a field school when I apply?

No, there is no specific requirement regarding specific coursework or archaeological experience beyond the undergraduate major requirements.  However, admission to the program is competitive and the strongest candidates will be those who have taken archaeology courses and completed fieldwork and/or artifact analysis.

If I complete my BA requirements in the fall of my Senior year, does that affect my status in the MA program?

Because applications to the Graduate School are only accepted during the fall of the senior year, a student in this situation would ordinarily remain an undergraduate student for the purposes of the program.  Students admitted to the program who anticipate early completion of BA requirements should discuss their circumstances with the faculty program director.

I have to take a full undergraduate course load during my senior year. Does this affect my ability to enroll in graduate courses each semester?

All junior anthropology majors at UT who meet the academic standards for admissions are welcome to apply to the program.  However, the decision to admit a student into the program will depend on an assessment of that student’s potential to complete and reserve 12 hours of graduate credit during their senior year. Strong applicants to the program will already be “ahead” on credits, having earned extra credits through exams (e.g., AP exams) or by taking additional classes during regular semesters, participating in Maymesters, and/or completing summer classes, including summer courses, field schools, and study abroad programs.

What does it mean to “reserve” 12 hours of graduate credit during the senior year?

Students in the integrated program apply for admission to the Graduate School during the fall of their senior year, and will be graduate students during the fifth year of the program. To complete the 5-year integrated program on time, however, students need to complete graduate coursework that does not count toward the BA degree, reserving the credits to apply them to the 18 hours normally taken during the fifth year, when they are formally students in the Graduate School.

 

Financial Aid and Funding

 

How much does tuition cost for the integrated program?

Tuition for undergraduate coursework in the integrated program will be the same as for other undergraduate programs in the College of Liberal Arts.  Tuition for graduate coursework will be the same as for graduate programs in the College of Liberal Arts.  Please visit Texas One Stop for current tuition rates. 

Will my financial aid still apply?

Students who are eligible for financial aid as undergraduates should remain eligible for their undergraduate courses taken during their senior year.  Graduate students may apply for financial aid programs administered by the Office of Financial Aid by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Please note that the 12 hours of graduate coursework taken during the senior year might not be eligible for financial aid—students are encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss their specific circumstances.

Will I be eligible for TA/RA positions?

Students admitted to the integrated program will not be guaranteed paid employment, but students might be considered for such positions, depending on departmental needs and the availability of other qualified graduate students.

 

Coursework

 

Are students in the integrated program responsible for finding their own internships?

Students are encouraged to pursue professional internship opportunities that they might encounter, but the faculty program director will work with each student admitted into the program to ensure that they are placed in an internship that promotes the timely completion of the program.

Can I take any of the required graduate courses over the summer after my senior year?

Although most required courses for the program are only offered during the academic year, it might be possible to enroll in internships and some other courses, depending on summer offerings. Such courses might have special implications with regard to tuition costs and financial aid eligibility, and students are encouraged to discuss such enrollments in advance with the faculty program director.

What courses can I take to satisfy the “supporting non-anthropology coursework” requirement for the MA degree?

UT defines “supporting coursework” as “coursework outside the major area.”  This could include courses taken as part of another program, such as the Historic Preservation program in the School of Architecture, or it might consist of methods courses taken outside the department. It might be possible to satisfy the requirement with graduate courses in another subdiscipline of anthropology.