To obtain a Doctor of Philosophy degree in anthropology, students will need to take a number of courses beyond the master's degree level, but how many are required varies greatly by university. Generally, however, it is expected that a doctoral candidate will take a broad range of anthropology courses. For example, a student specializing in sociocultural anthropology will need to take at least one course each from linguistics, archeology, and history of anthropology. Students are typically required to take a methodology course as well as a theory class. Other types of courses may include independent reading/study, field work and workshops.
Most Ph.D. programs in anthropology require mastery of a foreign language, usually demonstrated by three years of study at the undergraduate level or its equivalent. The preferred language would be the local language of the candidate's field site or the preferred scholarly language of the specialized field. Sometimes an examination is allowed to demonstrate the level of mastery.
Although different universities have different paths to the Ph.D., generally there will be a preliminary examination, oral or written, or a combination of the two. The examination will cover the broad range of anthropological study, and perhaps a more focused section in the area of specialization. Anthropology doctoral candidates will need to submit a proposal for their doctoral dissertation, including a possible list of sources for the bibliography. Once accepted, the dissertation must be completed according to detailed instructions and then defended through an oral examination or presentation in front of a committee from the department. The defense typically takes between one and three hours.