California State University, Fullerton - Evolutionary Anthropology

About this program

The Evolutionary Anthropology's Coverdell Fellows Program at CSUF offers returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) an opportunity to extend their passion for service to local underserved communities here at home, while earning a Master’s Degree in Anthropology. This program offers its Coverdell Fellows a comprehensive graduate level training designed to provide a solid academic context into which their service and experiences with the Peace Corps, and their Coverdell internships, can be organized and structured to provide a foundation from which to frame their future career choices and goals.

Our program values the cross-cultural experiences of RPCVs. An appreciation and respect for other cultures and peoples, and cross-cultural experiences, are fundamental to graduate work in Anthropology. Evolutionary Anthropology Program faculty are actively engaged in cross-cultural research, and are recognized experts in the areas of public health, food, nutrition, demography, environmental studies, social organization, conflict, cooperation, reproduction, agriculture, conservation, and other related fields. For their MA thesis or project, Fellows will be able to include information and experiences from their Peace Corps service, can return to their Peace Corps service host country to conduct additional fieldwork, or work in underserved communities in Southern California as part of our Urban Agriculture Community-based Research Experience (U-ACRE) program.

• Year partnership began: 2016
• Fellowships awarded per year (average): 4

Application requirements

• College transcripts
• Bachelors degree in Anthropology or related field
• GRE scores
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Letter of intent
• CV
• Writing sample

Admissions process

The first step for applying for admission is to contact the Coverdell Fellows Program Coordinator at CSUF, contact information below, prior to the application due date.  The coordinator will provide prospective Fellows a copy of the Department of Anthropology MA Application Form.  Once the application form and required materials are received applicants will be notified whether they are accepted as a Coverdell Fellow and provided information on completing the formal application on-line using Cal State Apply.

Degrees awarded

Master of Arts in Anthropology

Benefits and opportunities

Net cost is equal to tuition/fees minus fellowship value. For some universities, the fellowship value includes non-tuition/fee benefits such as health insurance or housing. See cost savings details for more.

Estimated annual cost of living: $19,562

Cost savings details

• Out-of-state fee waivers
• Graduate Assistantship for 10 hours/week (9 months/year)

Internship

Coverdell Fellows will be able to design independent internships that are tailored to their research interests, or participate in ongoing U-ACRE research with community partners at one or more of the 11 U-ACRE project sites. U-ACRE partners include governmental and nonprofit organizations that serve the hungry and homeless, those recently emancipated from the foster system, the area’s largest aquaponics farm, local organic and biodynamic farms, public schools, the American Heart Association, the US Forest Service, and CSUF Center for Sustainability.

Other opportunities

In their second year, Fellows will be given priority for a paid internship. 

Jobs for alumni

We are proud of our past placement of graduating MA students. Many go on to Ph.D. programs. Graduate students working with Evolutionary Anthropology faculty members have gone on to doctorate programs at U Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, UC Riverside, UC Davis, UC Los Angeles, University of Southern California, UC Santa Barbara, University of British Columbia, U New Mexico, U Nevada Las Vegas, Cambridge, and others. Upon graduating, many of our MA students teach at community colleges, and others have gone on to positions in both governmental and private agencies in the U.S. and abroad where they apply the skills and knowledge acquired in our program.

Nontraditional options

All required courses for the MA program in Anthropology are offered in the evenings or late afternoon.  To qualify for the Coverdell Fellowship benefits (graduate assistantships and out-of-state fee waivers), students must be enrolled fulltime.