Ph.D. Program
Updates:
Our PhD program is launching a new curriculum starting the 2027-2028 academic year. Check back soon for more information.
Please see the Graduate School's website for information on application fee waivers. Note that our department is not offering application fee waivers beyond those those offered by the Graduate School. If you do not meet the criteria of the Graduate School's waiver program, please do not email the department asking about waivers.
Admission is competitive with approximately 5% of applicants offered admission.
- Applicants must submit applications and supporting documents through Duke's admissions portal.
- An official copy of your transcript will be requested only after admission by the Duke Graduate School.
- We strongly encourage you to submit your application and supporting documents before the deadline. We begin the review process very quickly afterwards. An incomplete file may affect full consideration of your application.
- Do not submit any documents directly to the department.
- The statement of purpose is an especially important part of the application because it gives applicants a chance to describe their research interests. There is no single way to write a good statement of purpose. However, you can download some sample statements of purpose (below) from a few successful applicants.
- At the beginning of the statement of purpose, applicants must list three keywords best describing their research interests and geographical area of study (for example: Mass Media, Indigenous Rights, Latin America).
- Applicants must also upload a sample of relatively recent written work (10-20 pages, double spaced) via the online application portal.
For questions regarding admissions materials or process, in lieu of phone calls to the department of Cultural Anthropology, please contact:
Graduate School Admissions
Phone: (919) 684-3913
Email: grad-admissions@duke.edu
Download Sample Statements of Purpose
Certificate Program
To enroll in a Certificate Program, you must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Duke University. Once you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program and wish to add a Certificate in another department or field, you must identify a faculty mentor in that field to assist you in developing a plan of study. Cultural Anthropology PhD students have acquired certificates in, among others: Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies; African & African American Studies; Latin American & Caribbean Studies; Asian & Middle Eastern Studies; Documentary Studies; International Development Policy.