ADMISSIONS
 

Underwater archaeology is a specialization within the larger fields of anthropology and archaeology. While it may be relatively simple to train an anthropologist or an archaeologist to dive, it is far more difficult to train a diver to be an anthropologist or an archaeologist.  For this reason, candidates for admission into our program are not judged on their diving records but on their training for scholarly research. The Nautical Archaeology Program is a graduate program and does not grant baccalaureate degrees. A Bachelor's degree in a related field is required for admission into the Master's program; a thesis-option Master's degree is required for the Ph.D. program. Adequate training includes study in archaeology, history, and related fields. Reading proficiency in French, Spanish, or German is required for graduation, but not for admission. In addition, Greek, or Latin is of inestimable value to any aspiring nautical archaeologist studying Old World or Classical Archaeology.

Admission Criteria

Prior to admission into the Nautical Archaeology Program, a student must meet the admission requirements of Texas A&M University and achieve acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination.  A student whose undergraduate work is not sufficient for graduate work in the program will be expected to correct any deficiencies as suggested by the faculty.

Degree Requirements

Nautical Archaeology is a program within the Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts. When the requirements outlined in the graduate catalog have been met, the degree of Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy (Archaeology) is awarded.  A minimum of two full semesters of approved courses and research (30 semester hours) is required for the Master of Arts degree.  A minimum of 64 credit hours beyond the Master's degree is required for the Ph.D. A thesis-option Master's degree is required for admission into the Ph.D. program.  An acceptable thesis or dissertation is required for the M.A. or Ph.D. degree, respectively.  The thesis or dissertation must be the original work of the candidate.

Application

The application deadline is January 1 for admission in the fall semester.  Applications are not accepted for the spring semester. Applications received after January 1 (including GRE scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation) will not be considered. You may write to request a graduate application form or you can apply online through this link to the Office of Admissions. If you apply on-line it is important that you write a well-constructed, one to two page statement describing your career goals and where you would like to be five years from now. This statement is given careful consideration. Send it to the Nautical Archaeology Program at the address below and request that it be placed with your application when it is sent from the Office of Admissions.  

See information on Academic Common Market below under Financial Aid. 

Contact Information

 

Nautical Archaeology Program Department of Anthropology Texas A&M University College Station, Texas 77843-4352 Telephone: 979-845-6398 Fax: 979-845-6399 Email: nautarch@tamu.edu.

Graduate Advisor Dr. Wayne Smith Telephone: (979) 845-6398 Email: silicone@tamu.edu

Financial Aid 

Graduate assistantships are not normally awarded to first-year students.  There are a limited number of assistantships for which the student may apply after the first year of study.  It is suggested that the applicant contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at Texas A&M University for information on aid programs available to graduate students.

Academic Common Market -- Students applying to the Nautical Archaeology Program who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia may qualify for in-state tuition rates through the Academic Common Market.  For additional information see the web site at: http://www.cep.unt.edu/ACM.html .  Consult the local state ACM  web site and representative for details on how to apply.