Doctoral Forum

ANT 397F Spring 1997 Prof. Samuel M. Wilson Department of Anthropology, University of Texas

Syllabus

This course is for students who have been admitted to Ph.D. candidacy or who are nearing this stage. We deal with some of the practical issues in one's graduate and professional career -- how to prepare for exams, how to write prospectuses and grant applications, how to find the grants for which to apply, how to get things published, how to get through the process of writing a dissertation, and how to get a job. Above all, this course offers an opportunity to think carefully about your career in anthropology, and position yourself as you must in order to have a viable career at the end of your time in Graduate School.

Schedule of meetings, Fridays at 9:00

17-Jan-97	Organizational meeting
24-Jan	Graduate School career issues; qualifying exams and prospectuses; Envisioning a career in Anthropology and getting there...
31-Jan	Funding; finding grants for which to apply; writing successful proposals;
07-Feb	Funding, proposals, cont.: Post-doctoral studies and fellowships; working towards a pattern of research cycles; reviewing grant applications
14-Feb	Dissertation (and Master's thesis / report) organization; Writing
21-Feb	Publication strategies; dealing with journals; the review process
28-Feb	Publication strategies; dealing with University presses; edited volumes
07-Mar	Making contacts in the profession; Internet access to people and information
14-Mar	Spring Break
21-Mar	Job issues- Intro / important early decisions.
28-Mar	Career paths for non-teaching jobs; Anthropologists outside the academe
04-Apr	SAA Meeting
11-Apr	Job issues, continued: Curriculum Vitae, Cover letters, Interviews, Job talks
18-Apr	Teaching philosophies; designing undergraduate courses
25-Apr	TBA
02-May	TBA

Requirements:

There will be several practical assignments including the preparation of timetables, lists of relevant grants, letters of application, Curriculum Vitae, course syllabi, etc. Also, people engaged in writing projects (dissertations, etc.) will have the opportunity to share chapters and sections with others at the same stage.

Readings and resources:

These are optional readings, available at the bookstore and library, which you may find useful. In addition, there will be occasional assigned readings.

S. Kaye, Writing Under Pressure. New York: Oxford (1989) [isbn:0195052234]

J. Williams, Style: Towards Clarity and Grace. Chicago Press (1990) [isbn:0226899144].

R. A. Preece, Starting research : an introduction to academic research and dissertation writing. London : Pinter Publishers; New York: Distributed by St. Martin's Press, 1994.

Rossman, M. Negotiating graduate school : a guide for graduate students. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, c1995.

American Anthropological Association's AAA Guide to Departments. GN 43 A2 G84 PCL Reference Dept PCL Reference Index Tables GN 43 A2 G84 -- 35TH 1996/97

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