Announcement of Graduate Studies in The Anthropology of Visual Communication. Department of Anthropology, Temple University The Department of Anthropology at Temple University offers graduate studies programs in the anthropology of visual communication leading to a Ph.D and M.A.. The program is designed to train students of anthropology who wish to study various modes of visual and pictorial communication and/or to communicate anthropological knowledge in some form of pictorial media. The emphasis of the program is on understanding the cultural dimensions of the pictorial and visual world including: 1. The study, use and production of films, photography, television/video, and other pictorial representations for research and public enlightenment; 2.The analysis of pictorial symbolic forms from a cultural and historical framework; 3. Theories of visual/pictorial communication as they relate to technologies and methods for recording and analyzing human behavior; 4. The analysis of how people structure reality as evidenced by pictorial productions and artifacts; 5. The relationship of culture, communication, and visual/pictorial perception; and 6. The study of the forms of social, political, and economic organization surrounding the planning, production, and use of pictorial forms in communications contexts. Typically students concentrate their work in one of three tracks film/video production, photographic ethnography, or media studies. Students interested in producing films, videotapes, and photographs will be trained as anthropologists of visual communication not as professional imagemakers. Three members of the anthropology faculty are directly involved in this program: Richard Chalfen [indigenous image communication, the home mode of pictorial communication, American cultures, anthropology in feature films] Jayasinhji Jhala [ethnographic film production, cross cultural aesthetics, indigenous media, Indian cultures] Jay Ruby [the application of anthropological insights to the production and comprehension of photographs, film, and television, American cultures, photohistory, indigenous productions] Students will also find that other members of the Anthropology Faculty are enthusiastic about contributing to the program and serving in various advisory capacities including being on student M.A. and Ph.D. committees. In addition, faculty in the departments of Rhetoric and Communication English, History, American Studies, Art History as well as RadioTelevisionFilm are professionally concerned with questions of media, culture, and representation. They offer courses relevant to this program and are willing to serve on studentUs studies and dissertation committees. Admissions The DepartmentUs admissions committee considers the following information when deciding whether a student should be admitted to graduate school: grade point average, letters of recommendation and support, statement of purpose, and the results of the graduate record exam (GRE) Q a combined score of 1000 is required and a score of over 1300 will place you in a competition for university fellowships. Foreign students may be exempt from the GRE but are required to submit TOEFL scores. Neither an undergraduate major in Anthropology nor previous media experience is required for admission. Students applying to the anthropology of visual communication program should pay particular attention to the following: 1. A written statement of purpose must include a projection of your long term professional goals, a description of your educational background and experience that indicates the ways in which you feel you have prepared for this course of study, and a statement about why you have selected Temple and how our program will enhance your goals. 2. Whenever possible prospective students should visit Temple to discuss their plans with faculty members in the program. If a visit is unfeasible, a telephone interview is recommended. Our process of selection is greatly enhanced if we know an applicant as a person and not simply as an application form. 3. Students must include some example of their work a film, videotape, photographs, published writings or an essay written for a course. The work need not be anthropological. It should be the best example you have of your ability to communicate an idea. Financial Aid The Department makes financial awards in three categories: graduate assistantships, tuition scholarships, and fellowship funds. Approximately onethird of the awards are reserved for incoming first year students. The University Graduate School awards fellowships on a university wide competition. Students with outstanding records are nominated by the Department. Student Workload The normal workload for a full time student is nine (9) hours per semester. Graduate seminars in Anthropology are three (3) credit hours; RTF production courses are usually four (4) credit hours. Thus while a three course per semester load is normal, some students may be enrolled for ten (1) or even eleven (11) credits in any one semester. Course offerings A total of sixteen courses are required for a Ph.D. or eight anthropology courses plus two production workshops for an MA. Six are required of all students in the visual communication program: 1. Four Approaches Seminars. These seminars review the history and theories of the four fields of anthropology cultural, linguistic, archaeology, and physical. 2. Approaches to the Anthropology of Visual Communication is a two semester review of the history, theory, and practice of an anthropological approach to visual and pictorial communication. In addition to these required courses, the following seminars are offered on a regular basis: Anthro. 531 The Anthropology of Mass Media Anthro. 532 Anthropological Photography Anthro. 533 Anthropological Film Anthro. 534 Anthropological Problems in Visual Production Anthro. 536 The Anthropology of Feature Films Anthro. 537 Pictorial Lives Anthro. 729 Problems in the Anthropology of Visual Communication Production Training and Facilities. The Anthropology department maintains a limited amount of production and editing equipment for thesis and dissertation projects. Training in film and video production is offered through the department of RadioTVFilm. Training in photography is offered at Tyler School of Art at Temple. General information concerning the Department of Anthropology, Temple University, including admission requirements, financial aid, and other general information, is found in the Temple Graduate Studies Catalog. Persons interested in receiving these materials should write to Jay Ruby, Admissions Chair, Anthropology, Temple University, Phila, Pa. 19122 or [log in to unmask]