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The Department of Anthropology's Social Anthropology program offers a Ph.D. in Anthropology, with a special emphasis on Medical Anthropology.

Students are regular members of the graduate program in social anthropology, and all requirements for the Ph.D. in anthropology pertain to those specializing in medical anthropology. In addition to selecting required and elective courses in anthropology, students join a group of faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows working in medical and psychiatric anthropology. They participate in a weekly seminar in medical anthropology, take courses offered by the faculty in the program, may participate in specialized research activities with faculty and fellows, and may serve as teaching fellows in courses in medical anthropology.

Medical anthropologists and other faculty at Harvard work on a variety of theoretical and ethnographic issues, including: violence, urban anthropology, mental illness and cross-cultural psychiatry, subjectivity and culture, social suffering, stigma, ethics and bioethics, human rights, pharmaceuticals, substance abuse, infectious disease and epidemics, aging, governmentality, transnationalism and borders, and history of medicine and science. Participants in the Medical Anthropology program are united by a shared commitment to long-term ethnographic engagement with local cultural and social worlds, by a common concern with the practical relations between ethnographic research, medical knowledge, and public health policies, and finally by a common emphasis on the importance of social theory in medical anthropology.

The faculty works in close association with physicians and researchers at the Harvard Medical School and its Department of Social Medicine, as well as with public health practitioners at Harvard and in the community. While most of the anthropologists at Harvard deal in some way with these issues, the Medical Anthropology program is comprised of a group of faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students, divided between Anthropology and Social Medicine. This group meets once a week for guest lectures by some of the most preeminent thinkers in the field of medical anthropology. At Harvard, the program is directed by Arthur Kleinman, Rabb Professor of Medical Anthropology, Department of Anthropology. 

Application to the Ph.D. program in follows usual procedures for application for the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. You should indicate your medical anthropology interest in the statement of purpose when applying to the Ph.D. in Social Anthropology.

Application information is available on the  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  website.

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• Archaeology
• Coursework - Social Anthropology
• Languages - Social Anthropology
• Fieldwork - Social Anthropology
• Advisory Meetings - Social Anthropology
• Qualifying Examination - Social Anthropology
• Dissertation Prospectus - Social Anthropology
• Dissertation Committee and Defense - Social Anthropology
• Master of Arts - Social Anthropology
• Media Anthropology
• MA Medical Anthropology
• Secondary Fields
• Fellowships
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• PhD Recipients

MSPP applications will open July 2024, and applications for program admission will open August 2024.

The Accelerated MD/PhD Partnership Training Program

Since 2006, the NIH MD/PhD Partnership Training Program has grown to a population of well over 50 aspiring young scientists across 30+ U.S. medical schools each year. The NIH  MD/PhD Partnership Training Program is designed to encourage the success and development of students pursuing a future as physician-scientists in basic and translational biomedical research. The program fosters innovative and interdisciplinary PhD partnerships in an accelerated setting with a completion time of approximately four years. Scholars enrolled in this program have the opportunity to take advantage of the unique resources available at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the NIH Clinical Research Center and the many options for collaboration provided by the NIH Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP).

There are opportunities available for students who have just finished their Bachelor’s degrees and are looking to apply to medical school and students who will begin medical school this fall.

• Prospective Students

Current Students

How to Apply

The first step in the application process is to determine whether you are eligible for the NIH MD/PhD Partnership Training Program. The second step is to identify which of the two tracks apply to you. More detailed information about eligibility requirements and the application process is listed on the individual track pages.

Choose Track 1 if you plan on attending medical school BEFORE you begin PhD research

Have you already started medical school? If so, you are a Track 2 applicant.

Choose Track 3 if you don't plan on attending medical school BEFORE you begin PhD research

Now in its 16th year, the NIH MD/PhD Partnership Training Program has grown to a population of well over 50 aspiring young scientists at 35 U.S. medical schools. We can proudly admit the current cohort of NIH MD/PhD Scholars are involved in some of the most cutting edge biomedical research endeavors being conducted in the world.

The MD/PhD Program leadership want to ensure that you have a place to get the information that you need. Please review the below information for resources to help you navigate through your training. 

Student Profiles Student Resources

The NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program

The NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program (OxCam) can accommodate students seeking combined MD/PhD training for a career as a physician-scientist. Students admitted to the NIH MD/PhD Partnership Training Program conduct research in the NIH intramural research program as part of a coordinated plan of dual-degree training with a U.S. medical school. Students may combine medical school training with the NIH OxCam PhD program via one of two academic tracks.

Go to NIH OxCam

Financial Support for PhD Students

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• Financial Support for Phd Students

PhD Students in the Natural Sciences, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Medical Sciences

Phd students in the humanities and social sciences programs of the faculty of arts and sciences, phd students in humanities and social sciences programs offered in partnership with other harvard schools, acceptance of financial support.

The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers incoming PhD students full financial support—including tuition, health insurance fees, and basic living expenses—for a minimum of five years (typically the first four years of study and the completion year). This funding package includes a combination of tuition grants, stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic appointments.

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer , who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system.

A typical funding package* includes:

• grants toward tuition and the Harvard University Student Health Program  paid in full for years G1 through G4 and the dissertation completion year, with a partially subsidized dental plan option available
• a combination of stipend, teaching fellowships, and/or research assistantships during years G1 through G4
• summer research support from Harvard Griffin GSAS or faculty grants following the first four academic years.

*In some programs, the timing and structure of living expense support may vary from this pattern.

The initial Notice of Financial Support assumes continuous enrollment as a full-time resident student; students not enrolled are not eligible for Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid programs. Students may find that their actual enrollment patterns necessitate adjustments to the timing of their funding. Students wishing to defer Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding indicate this in the Student Aid Portal during the annual financial aid acceptance process. The options for deferring financial support vary by type of aid; please refer to the applicable sections of the financial aid policy webpages for details. Students who are considering deferring financial support are strongly encouraged to contact their financial aid officers to review how such actions may impact their funding in future years.

While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Contact your department administrator or financial aid officer for details.

See more detailed information about funding for students in humanities and social sciences programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Humanities and Social Sciences Programs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

• Celtic Literatures and Languages
• Comparative Literature
• East Asian Languages and Civilizations
• Film and Visual Studies
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
• History of Art and Architecture
• Inner Asian and Altaic Studies
• Linguistics
• Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
• Romance Languages and Literatures
• Slavic Languages and Literatures
• South Asian Studies

Social Sciences

• African and African American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• History of Science
• Human Evolutionary Biology
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Social Policy

A number of humanities and social sciences PhD programs are offered in partnership with Harvard's professional schools. While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in these interfaculty programs generally receive at least four years of financial support for tuition, health fees, and living expenses; most programs provide dissertation completion fellowships as well. For more information, refer to your Notice of Financial Support or contact your financial aid officer .

Interfaculty Programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences

• Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning
• Business Administration
• Business Economics
• Health Policy
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy and Government
• Public Policy

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Students are required to formally accept their financial aid offers and acknowledge their understanding of financial aid policies. Students should also consult their academic programs to determine whether program-specific conditions apply.

Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system. Continued eligibility for financial aid is contingent upon an annual report by the faculty that the student is making  satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Financial Aid

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Welcome, g1 physics students 2019.

Academic Life in Cambridge and Boston Harvard University's physics students are welcomed into an environment which is internationally renowned for its faculty, resources, and research initiatives. Commensurate with the academic surroundings are the outstanding cultural and recreational options available in the historic cities of Cambridge and Boston, which have been thriving on the banks of the Charles River for more than 350 years.

Students can relax on the grass of the Cambridge Common, where George Washington took command of the Continental Army, or stroll the narrow streets around Harvard Square, where bookstores, restaurants and shops buzz with activity while street musicians and performers entertain those passing by.

On the other side of the Charles, the Boston Freedom Trail takes walkers through early American history, winding its way around landmarks from the days of the American Revolution, such as the Old South Meeting House in which the Boston Tea Party was planned, the Old State House where the Declaration of Independence was first read in public, and the "Cradle of Liberty", Faneuil Hall.

Cultural and entertainment opportunities are bountiful around Cambridge and Boston, from world-class orchestras, theaters, museums, and festivals, to professional sports of every stripe, to an endless variety of popular entertainment venues, superb dining, clubs, galleries, lectures, and screenings of rare films.

The natural environment of the Atlantic coast offers unlimited choices for recreation and relaxation. To the south are the magnificent beaches of Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard, and to the north sprawl the mountains of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, popular with hikers and skiers. Picturesque towns like Marblehead and Kennebunkport hug the rugged seacoast and provide excellent destinations for weekend getaways. Greater Boston is home to at least six major research universities. Harvard students can benefit in many ways from the area's rich academic atmosphere by taking part in the many seminars, colloquia, and inter-university collaborations that happen on a regular basis throughout the year. Harvard students may also cross-register for classes at MIT, which is 20 minutes away from Harvard by bus or subway.

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Welcome to the Math PhD program at Harvard University and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Learn more about Harvard’s Math community and our statement on diversity and inclusion.

The Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging offers student affinity groups for graduate students and many other resources.

The Harvard University Office for Gender Equity has dedicated GSAS Title IX resource coordinators who work with and support graduate students.

open. The application deadline is December 15, 2021. -->

The application deadline for fall 2024 admission has passed. Applications for fall 2025 admission will open in September 2024.

For information on admissions and financial support, please visit the Harvard Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Harvard Griffin GSAS is committed to ensuring that our application fee does not create a financial obstacle. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been answered, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.

Information for Prospective Ph.D. Students

Phd in computer science.

Our Ph.D. program is designed for individuals aiming to pursue a career in computer science research. Applicants should have a strong background in computer science and demonstrate the ability to conduct research both independently and collaboratively 

PhD Degree Requirements

The Graduate Policy Manual details all of the information on degree requirements, but at a high level:

Our graduate students receive the training and are expected to develop a mastery of their field, gaining a broad familiarity with their discipline by the time they graduate. 

Requirements for the PhD Degree include:

• Coursework: Six graduate-level courses covering four areas out of {artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, systems, databases, scientific computing, software engineering and programming languages, theory, and visual and geometric computing}, and two more graduate courses from any area. Also, 12 credit hours of CMSC 899 (Dissertation Research).
• Proposal: You must pass an oral Ph.D. Preliminary Examination on a research proposal and prepared readings. This must be completed within five years of entering the program.
• Defense: Finally, you must prepare a dissertation presenting an original contribution to the field of computer science and pass a final oral examination on your dissertation research. This must be done within four years after passing the Preliminary Examination.

Program Duration

Typically, full-time doctoral students will:

• Become engaged in research in their first year.
• Identify a dissertation adviser by the end of their second year.
• Identify a dissertation topic by the end of their third year.
• Secure admission to candidacy within 3-4 years.
• Depend on the standards in their fields, publish at least one paper prior to advancing to candidacy, and several prior to graduating.
• Complete all requirements and graduate within 4-6 years.

Financial Information

We are committed to funding all of our PhD students throughout their program,  contingent on making satisfactory progress. This is made possible with a combination of research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships. 

Assistantships and Stipends:

• Guaranteed Assistantships: All PhD students are guaranteed assistantships upon admission. These include positions as research assistants (RAs) on funded projects or as teaching assistants (TAs).
• Competitive Stipends: For the 2023-2024 academic year, stipends range from $29,000 to $31,000 for a 9.5-month appointment, based on educational background and experience. Opportunities to earn additional income during the summer are available through further assistantships or internships at external research labs and companies.
• Tuition and Benefits: Teaching and research assistantships cover tuition for up to 10 credits per semester and provide health insurance, paralleling the benefits offered to university staff and faculty.

Tuition and Fees 

PhD students with full-time graduate assistantships receive tuition remission for up to 10 credits per semester, aligning with the typical enrollment of 6-9 credits. Half-time assistantships cover up to 5 credits. For detailed information about tuition rates and related expenses, please visit the Graduate Tuition & Fees .

Fellowships

Fellowships can be sourced both from within the University of Maryland and through external organizations:

• Internal Fellowships: Offered directly by UMD or specific departments within the university. For details on these opportunities, you can check out UMD's Fellowship & Awards website .
• External Fellowships: Examples include prestigious awards like the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships and Fulbright Fellowships . To apply for these, students should directly contact the administering agencies or seek assistance from the financial aid office at their current or UMD’s Fellowship Office .

To apply for these fellowships, you should contact the agency which administers them, check with the financial aid office in your current university, or contact UMD's Fellowship Office .