Summer Field Schools
There are numerous opportunities for students who are interested in anthropology to receive training in field methods as it applies to all of the four subfields. In some years, the department also offers its own archaeology field program for undergraduates. Typically, fieldwork undertaken through other institutions transfers as 3 credits; participants in Tulane-sponsored field courses may earn up to 6-credits.
Announcements about field schools are communicated to majors and minors through our listserv, and are also posted on our canvas page, Anthropology Resources for Undergraduates. There are also a number of online resources to help students find a program that fits their interests. Students should consult their anthropology major advisor for advice about the suitability and merit of any program before applying.
- American Anthropology Field School Listings
- American Assoication of Physical Anthropologists Listings
- Archaeological Institute of America Field School Listings
- Institute for Field Research Lisitngs
- The National Assoication for the Practice of Anthropology Field School Listings
Funding for Undergraduate Research
Kenneth J. Opat Fund for Undergraduate Research in Anthropology
The Tulane Department of Anthropology adminsters the Kenneth J. Opat Fund. This award was established by the family and friends of the late Kenneth J. Opat, a distinguished anthropology major in the College of Arts and Sciences(one of the predecessor colleges before Newcomb Tulane Collegew was formed) at the time of his death, with the purpose of encouraging undergraduate students to conduct and report original research in anthropology.
A variety of research expenses are eligible for support from this fund. Examples include travel to a research site or to a professional meeting to report on research or to confer with an expert on research plans; the purchase of research supplies, equipment, or library materials (equipment and books to be retained by the university on completion of the project); wages for informants, etc.
In the past, awards have been made for field work on "Skid Row" in New Orleans, the Houma Indians of Louisiana, Chicano mural artists in Los Angeles, and plastic surgeons in Great Britain and the U.S.; travel to the Smithsonian Institution to study projectile point collections; a study of the leaders of messianic movements in several parts of the world; a comparative study of markets in several towns in East Africa; a study of primate behavior in Costa Rica; and the classification of prehistoric bone implements in Louisiana.
Priority is given to applicants conducting research for anthropology honors theses, for independent studies, and for other advanced courses involving research projects. A competition for such grants is announced by our undergraduate Coordinator, Dr Nicole Katin (nkatin@tulane.edu), during the spring semester. Proposals for 2021 are no longer being accepted.
Other On-Campus Grant Funding Sources
Visit grantfunding.tulane.edu for a list of campus offices that offer grants to Tulane students. Also make sure to check with the departments of your majors to see if they may have funding opportunities.