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Request to Establish M.A. in Anthropology UNC Charlotte THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA Request for Authorization to Establish a New Degree Program INSTRUCTIONS: Please submit five copies of the proposal to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, UNC Office of the President. Each proposal should include a 2-3 page executive summary. The signature of the Chancellor is required. Date April 10, 2008 Constituent Institution: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte CIP Discipline Specialty Title: Anthropology CIP Discipline Specialty Number: 45.0201 Level: B # M ## 1st Prof # D ## Exact Title of Proposed Program: Master’s Degree in Anthropology Exact Degree Abbreviation (e.g. B.S., B.A., M.A., M.S., Ed.D., Ph.D.): M.A. Does the proposed program constitute a substantive change as defined by SACS? Yes No a) Is it at a more advanced level than those previously authorized? Yes No j b) Is the proposed program in a new discipline division? Yes No j Proposed date to establish degree program (allow at least 3-6 months for proposal review): month August year 2009 Do you plan to offer the proposed program away from campus during the first year of operation? Yes No If so, complete the form to be used to request establishment of a distance learning program and submit it along with this request. Request to Establish M.A. in Anthropology UNC Charlotte TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page ...................................................................................................................................1 Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................2 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................3 I. Description of the Program ...............................................................................................5 II. Justification for the Program .............................................................................................6 III. Program Requirements and Curriculum .........................................................................12 IV. Faculty.............................................................................................................................15 V. Library.............................................................................................................................17 VI. Facilities and Equipment.................................................................................................18 VII. Administration ................................................................................................................19 VIII. Accreditation ...................................................................................................................19 IX. Supporting Fields ............................................................................................................19 X. Additional Information ...................................................................................................20 XI. Budget .............................................................................................................................20 XII. Evaluation Plans ..............................................................................................................20 XIII. Reporting Requirements .................................................................................................22 Appendices: #1 Letters of Support #2 Outside Reviews #3 Two-year plan for teaching assignments #4 Proposed Course Descriptions #5 Faculty Curricula Vitae #6 Complete Proposed Curriculum #7 Assessment of library resources (by Bridgette Sanders, UNC Charlotte social science reference librarian) #8 Budget 2 Request to Establish M.A. in Anthropology UNC Charlotte Executive Summary The University of North Carolina at Charlotte proposes to establish a Master of Arts in Anthropology with two tracks: a track in General Anthropology and a track in Applied Anthropology. Anthropology is an integrative and comparative field of scholarship devoted to discovering and analyzing the range of human biological and cultural variation, as well as to understanding the historical, ecological, and sociopolitical contexts in which human diversities and commonalities develop. Traditionally, the field encompasses and integrates cultural anthropology (the study of living communities), linguistic anthropology (the study of the human use of language), biological anthropology (the study of humans’ primate relatives, human evolution, and modern biological variation), and archaeology (the study of the culture of past communities). Anthropologists often use the term “holistic” to label this integrative approach. While anthropology is often associated with the study of non-western societies, the current discipline takes as its domain the full range of human experience, including the modern world and the world of humans’ primate relatives. The most rapidly growing area of the field is applied anthropology: the application of anthropological methods and knowledge to contemporary problems. The M.A. in Anthropology degree program will provide students with the theoretical and methodological skills to gather, record, analyze, and communicate about human activity patterns in the past and present, and at local and global levels. he proposed M.A. in Anthropology is designed to meet the needs of two kinds of students: those seeking to prepare for doctoral education in anthropology or other fields and those seeking post-baccalaureate skills for employment in a wide range of occupations in our increasingly inter-cultural and international world education, government, program planning and evaluation, healthcare, media, the non-profit sector, and business. Coursework in the program will build skills in data collection, analysis, and interpretation, and the application of anthropological perspectives to both theoretical and applied problems. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has offered a B.A. in Anthropology since 1977 and currently (Fall 2007) enrolls about 75 majors and 25 minors. While numerous public institutions and several private institutions in North Carolina offer the B.A. in Anthropology, only four institutions offer graduate degrees in this field (and none west of the Triangle region). So, the program will expand opportunities across the state. Graduate education in Anthropology will contribute to the strategic academic plans for both the University and the College of Arts and Sciences, which call for expanding graduate programming; emphasizing interdisciplinary and culturally diverse scholarship; and serving regional, state, and national needs. A graduate program in anthropology is uniquely placed to address these priorities in creative ways. The M.A. program will also support the University’s mission to internationalize the educational experience. All current UNC Charlotte anthropology faculty have significant cross-cultural and comparative research experience, which currently includes expertise in Western Europe and Eurasia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as well as with ethnic and confessional minorities in Europe and the United States. The proposed M.A. in Anthropology contributes to the goals of expanding students’ global awareness (Initiative A) in the plans for UNC Tomorrow. In addition, the Applied Anthropology track will contribute to Initiatives D (Community Development), E (Health), and G (Outreach and Engagement) by linking faculty and student to community through collaborative projects on important regional issues, including health care and education in a multi-cultural community, understanding cultural diversity, and overcoming racism and poverty. At the baccalaureate level, the Anthropology Program has a well-established tradition of supporting interdisciplinary programs at UNC Charlotte through cross-listing of courses, occasional advising of students, and contributions to advisory committees. Among our faculty are individuals active in graduate 3 Request to Establish M.A. in Anthropology UNC Charlotte Liberal Studies, Latin American Studies, Islamic Studies, Women’s Studies, International Studies, and Gerontology. In addition, we have collaborative relationships with Religious Studies, Africana Studies, Communication Studies, History, and Political Science. We envision continuing these collaborations – through cross-listing of courses, enrolling students of different programs, and establishing collaborative research – at the M.A. level. Support letters from departments and interdisciplinary programs are found in Appendix #1. The M.A. in Anthropology requires 33 credit hours, including 15 hours of core courses (two courses taken by all students and three courses chosen from a short list). Students in the General Anthropology track are expected to complete a thesis, while students in the Applied Anthropology track are expected to complete a research-based practicum in an outside agency and prepare and orally defend a project report. Library holdings are adequate for the program. The electronic resources of the J. Murrey Atkins Library, along with monograph and paper periodical holdings, provide appropriate resources for graduate students. The Anthropology program also benefits from library resources in related interdisciplinary programs, such as International Studies, Latin American Studies, and others. The M.A. in Anthropology will be administered