Dear NAPA Member:

You may already know that the AAA has launched a major online survey of MA anthropologists in order to better understand the career trajectories of Masters degree holders. The survey will soon close, so the time has come to make sure your voice is heard if you have not already taken the survey.

Departments of anthropology nationwide graduate over 1,000 Masters students per year and yet we know very little about their careers, their educational experience, and their needs for organizational affiliation.  The survey will, it is hoped, help us all understand what happens to MAs and where their educational and career choices have led them. In addition, NAPA will benefit from knowing the issues MAs have concerning organizational membership.

The survey is open to anyone who received a Masters degree in anthropology (any specialty) from a North American institution prior to 2008, regardless of previous and subsequent degrees. Anthropology PhD holders are welcome to take the survey as well, especially those have had a gap between the MA and PhD, but the survey is primarily geared towards the MA experience.

The response to date has been very strong, and we hope to reach more MAs through extensive networking among individuals in the final weeks. Thus, we ask that, along with taking the survey, everyone forward the survey information to another MA, especially those who might have “disconnected” somewhat from the usual anthropological networks. It is vital to reach these individuals. If you are not eligible to take the survey, please forward it on to colleagues.

The direct link to the survey is: http://research.zarca.com/k/SsRXQTsVTsPsPsP.

Background information about the survey information is at http://www.aaanet.org/cmtes/copapia/MAalumnisurvey.cfm. It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and is anonymous. Queries can be directed via email to MASurvey2009@aaanet.org.

It will be very important to have the strong participation of NAPA members, both in taking the survey and in forwarding the message on to MA colleagues. The survey is being conducted by the AAA’s Committee for Practicing, Applied and Public Interest Applied Anthropology (CoPAPIA) and will remain available until August 31, 2009.

Thank you in advance,

AAA MA Survey Team

Shirley J. Fiske,  CoPAPIA 2009 MA Survey chair; Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland

Linda Bennett,  CoPAPIA Chair; Professor and Associate Dean, University of Memphis

Patricia Ensworth, CoPAPIA subcommittee member; Harborlight Management Services

Terry Redding, Survey Coordinator (Beta Development Associates)