Students with superior academic performance are encouraged to apply for the departmental Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) in which they write a thesis demonstrating independent study of high quality. The requirements for admission to the DMP are:

1. Satisfaction of all College requirements as stated in this Record with a GPA of at least 3.25 in all university courses
2. A GPA of at least 3.400 in all courses taken as part of the anthropology major
3. Permission of an advisor, who may be any member of the departmental faculty willing to take on the responsibility of supervising the thesis and is normally someone to whom the students have already demonstrated their ability in an upper-level course
4. Application for admission (normally in the spring semester of the Third Year) to the Director of the Distinguished Majors Program, by declaring their DMP graduation semester/year, and by including their relevant course transcripts showing their two
cumulative GPAs, along with the selected thesis topic, and the names of the first and second faculty thesis advisors.

On admission, student registers with the primary faculty advisor for ANTH 4998 in the first semester of the Program, and for ANTH 4999 in the second semester for revising and finalizing the thesis in consultation with the two faculty readers. A DMP thesis involving field research on human subjects requires the University’s IRB Approval. This should be acquired before beginning the fieldwork, with the help of the primary faculty advisor. In the final semester of the Program, the student takes into account the criticisms and suggestions of the two advisors and other interested faculty members and submits a finished thesis of approximately 10,000 words to the two advisors, three weeks before the Grades Due date for the semester. For regular Spring Graduation, the thesis is to be submitted by April 15. The level of distinction awarded in a thesis is approved by both the faculty advisors in consultation with the Director of the Distinguished Majors Program. At the end of the spring semester each year, an oral Presentation of all DMP theses will be held in Brooks Hall Commons. Each Distinguished Major and his/her committee members will be present. Theses Presentations will be open to the public. Friends and faculty are invited.

Any prospective and current DMP students wishing help in entering, setting up or conducting their Program should contact the DMP Director and be in contact with their major advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Programs.