Emory University

What you'll study

Coursework and training typically include a balance of required core seminars and elective modules tailored to organisational topics. Typical areas of study are:

• Theoretical foundations: contemporary social theory, political economy, organisations and institutional analysis.
• Ethnographic methods: participant observation, long-term fieldwork design, multi-sited ethnography and qualitative interviewing.
• Analytic methods: comparative case analysis, discourse and content analysis, and approaches to combining qualitative and quantitative data.
• Specialist topics: workplace culture, management practices, organisational change, corporate governance, NGOs and development organisations, health systems and bureaucracies.
• Interdisciplinary electives: students commonly take courses in business, public health, law, information studies or organisational behaviour to deepen topical expertise.
• Research practicum and language training: sustained preparation for fieldwork often includes laboratory or practicum placements, and instruction in relevant languages where applicable.

Progression usually involves initial coursework, comprehensive/qualifying examinations, a dissertation proposal, extended fieldwork, and dissertation writing with regular faculty mentoring and peer seminars.

Entry requirements

Emory seeks applicants with strong academic preparation and clear potential for independent research. Typical requirements include:

• A completed bachelor's degree; holders of a master’s in anthropology or a related discipline are competitive.
• A strong academic record with substantive coursework in anthropology or social sciences.
• Letters of recommendation from academic referees who can speak to research potential.
• A personal statement that outlines research interests, experience and how organisational anthropology fits into the applicant’s goals.
• A writing sample demonstrating capacity for sustained analysis and ethnographic or theoretical argumentation.
• A curriculum vitae summarising relevant research, fieldwork, publications and professional experience.

Applicants may be invited to interview as part of the selection process. Specific administrative requirements and supporting documents are listed on the department’s admissions pages; applicants should consult those resources for up-to-date instructions.

Career prospects

Graduates with a PhD focused on organisational anthropology pursue a wide range of careers. Common pathways include:

• Academic positions in anthropology, sociology, management or related departments.
• Research roles at think tanks, policy institutes and non-governmental organisations.
• Applied research and insight roles in private-sector companies—user research, organisational consulting, corporate anthropology and design research.
• Positions in public sector organisations and international agencies focused on governance, health systems, development and organisational reform.
• Independent consulting, applied ethnography studios, and roles in knowledge translation, evaluation and programme design.

The programme’s emphasis on ethnography, qualitative analysis and interdisciplinary collaboration equips graduates to translate anthropological perspectives into practical interventions and evidence-based advice for organisations.

Why study at Emory University

Emory’s Department of Anthropology is embedded within a research-intensive university that encourages cross-school collaboration. Students specialising in organisational anthropology benefit from proximity to the Goizueta Business School, Rollins School of Public Health and Emory Healthcare, which offer venues for interdisciplinary coursework, practicum placements and applied research partnerships. The Atlanta metropolitan area provides diverse field sites—from corporate headquarters and start-ups to public agencies and non-profit organisations—while departmental faculty provide one-to-one mentoring and support for major grant applications and professional development. Small cohort sizes foster close intellectual exchange in seminars and writing groups, and the university’s libraries and archival collections support historical and contemporary organisational research.