About our Doctoral Program (Ph.D.) in Anthropological Sciences

The doctoral program of the Department of Anthropology is subsumed within the Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences (IDPAS). The IDPAS is an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental program leading to the Ph.D. degree that draws upon faculty and resources from the departments of Anthropology, Anatomical Sciences, Asian and Asian American Studies, Ecology and Evolution, Geosciences, and History. The goal of the IDPAS is to train students for careers in research and teaching in biological anthropology, archaeology, and cultural anthropology. Students in the Ph.D. program who have already been advanced to candidacy may, upon petition, receive a master’s degree without submitting a master’s thesis.

IDPAS has long been rated as one of the top-ranked Anthropology Programs in the United States, as assessed by the National Research Council using objective measures of scholarly productivity. The IDPAS success rate at graduate outplacement is currently 93%.

Details on the IDPAS program, including its faculty, facilities, and admission process are provided on the IDPAS web page. Descriptions of admission and requirements are also available in the Graduate Catalog available from the Graduate School. Interested students may contact the IDPAS Director or the Academic Programs Coordinator for details.

• The IDPAS Program application deadline is December 15
• The IDPAS is currently unable to deliver a full curriculum in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, so the IDPAS will not accept any applications for the socio-cultural track. Students interested in Socio-Cultural Anthropology should apply to other programs.
• Here is the Summer/Fall 2026 ANT/DPA course Permission Request Form.

IDPAS Program Contacts

Director of the Ph.D. Program (IDPAS)

Dr. Amy Lu
Phone: (631) 632-1539
Email: idpas_director@stonybrook.edu

Academic Programs Coordinator

Tara Powers
Phone: (631) 632-7606
Email: tara.powers@stonybrook.edu