The practicum is the major independent project that students undertake in order to complete the master's in applied anthropology. It involves completing a significant research project that will be of practical benefit to some organization or agency. Students must design and carry out a project that utilizes the skills in applied anthropology that they gained through their master's program coursework. The project has two kinds of outcomes:

• A practical application that benefits the organization or agency that is their client
• A report to the department of anthropology, submitted both as a written document and a verbal presentation

The practicum is similar to a traditional master's thesis in that it represents a substantial effort on the student's part. It is different in that the student's project will always be directed toward the needs of a client.

Some students may conduct their practicum projects for established practicing anthropologists in their field of interest. In other cases, clients will come from another background, but they will recognize the value that the perspective of applied anthropology can bring to their organization. Clients will generally hold fairly senior positions in their organization.

In many cases, students may choose to find an organization in the community they live in. Some students who work full-time may choose to conduct their practicum for the organization that already employs them.

The key to a successful practicum experience is excellent three-way communication between the student, their faculty advisor, and their practicum client. The department has a set of guidelines to assist everyone in building this triangular relationship. Students prepare for the practicum by taking ANTH 5050, Pre-Practicum.

List of Completed Practicum Projects

Rabah Omer
Project: Sudanese Youth Mobilization for Peace
Client: Sudanese Call Development Organization
Graduation: August 2010

Elizabeth Balyakina
Project: Making the Arts Easy to Reach
Client: Arc of Greater Tarrant County
Graduation: August 2010

Kathryn Cox
Project: The Impact of Culture on Design and Design on Culture
Client: JDW Insurance Company
Graduation: August 2010

Diana Martin
Project: An Exploration of the Fedora Project’s Online Open Source Development Community
Client: Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Graduation: August 2010

Caitlin Conklin
Project: Service Dogs for People with Autism
Client:
Graduation: August 2010

Kyle West
Project: Assessing Quality of Life Issues of Veterans with Ankylosing Spondilitis
Client: Dallas VA
Graduation: August 2010

Samantha Collie
Project: A Needs Assessment of Photographer + Art Students
Client: Livebooks.com
Graduation: August 2010

Richard Holden
Project: The Dallas Sustainable Community Initiative: Blueprint for Success in West Dallas
Client: City of Dallas, Office of Environmental Quality
Graduation: May 2010

Christine Webster-Koloms
Project: Perceptions of Beauty among Black, Latina, and White Girls
Client: Fit Kids
Graduation: December 2009

Wendy Key
Project: An Assessment of the Attitudes, Values and Belief Systems of the UNT Community in Regards to Their Participation Levels in the “Green Initiative”
Client: UNT Office of Sustainability
Graduation: August 2009

Brianne Moore
Project: Connecting People, Profit, and the Planet: Challenges to “Going Green” in Texas Organizations
Client: Texas Campaign for the Environment
Graduation: August 2009

Jordan Walker-Summer
Project: Exonerated in Dallas County: A Needs Assessment for the Innocence Project of Texas
Client: Innocence Project of Texas
Graduation: August 2009

Margo Teague
Project: Exploring the Range of Recycling Opportunities in Elko, NV
Client: City of Elko, Nevada
Graduation: August 2009

Lynne Russell
Project: Exploratory Research among Brides: Planning and Decision-Making in the Context of Cakes and Honeymoon Travel
Client: TJs Cake Design & Destination Anywhere Travel
Graduation: August 2009

Kate Tunison Benoit
Project: College Preparation among Seniors at Lincolnton High School
Client: Lincolnton H.S.
Graduation: August 2009

Dedric Taylor
Project: What Would We Want An Ethnobotany Exhibit To Do? Developing a Plan for the B.R.I.T”
Client: Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Graduation: August 2009

Jennifer Cardew Kersey
Project: Translating Virtual Ethnography from Academia into Market Research: A Framework
Client: Intrepid Consultants
Graduation: August 2009

Satoshi Yamaki
Project: Refugee Extended Support Systems: A Needs Assessment for Catholic Charities of Dallas, Refugee and Empowerment Services
Client: Catholic Charities of Dallas
Graduation: May 2009

Danyel Rios
Project: The Cost of Surviving: A Needs Assessment of Survivors of Torture and Service Providers
Client: Center for Survivors of Torture
Graduation: May 2009

Robert Packwood
Project: An Analysis of Diversity in King County
Client: King County Library System
Graduation: May 2009

Shimaa Dessouky
Project: Needs Assessment of Survivors of Torture and Service Providers in Texas
Client: Center for Survivors of Torture
Graduation: December 2008

Bryan Shaw
Project: Community-Based Health Needs Assessment: Mannan Tribal Community in Kozhimala Village, Kerala State, India
Client: Year Out India
Graduation: December 2008

Lauri Lillie
Project: Empowering Families: Assessing Impacts of Homeownership for Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Client: Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Graduation: December 2008

Kelsey Grubbs
Project: Experiences and Perceptions of San Jose Earthquakes Major League Soccer Fans
Client: San Jose Earthquakes
Graduation: December 2008

Cory Timmons
Project: Sisterhood for Change Pilot Project Evaluation
Client: Kisumu Medical & Education Trust (K-MET)
Graduation: December 2008

Whitney Williams
Project: A Program Evaluation of Scholastic’s Read 180 Program at McKinney North High School
Client: McKinney North High School
Graduation: December 2008

Lauren Travis
Project: Growing Native: Assessing Denton Homeowner Knowledge and Attitudes toward the Use of Native Plants
Client: Keep Denton Beautiful
Graduation: May 2008

Emily Goodfellow
Project: How do VA Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients View Their Quality of Life?
Client: Dallas VA Medical Center
Graduation: May 2008

Josh Lively
Project: Recruiting Ethnic Minority Students at a North Texas Community College
Client: North Central Texas College (NCTC)
Graduation: May 2008

Megan Bannon
Project: Maximizing the Online Anthropology Tool with Rapp Collins: A 360º Review
Client: Rapp Collins Worldwide
Graduation: December 2007

Pedrameh Manoochehri
Project: Creative Solutions: An Evaluation
Client: Big Thought and Creative Solutions Program
Graduation: December 2007

Brian Canny
Project: Technology Training in Denton: An Evaluation of Computer Training Classes in Denton, Texas
Client: Denton Community Library and Denton Public Library
Graduation: December 2007

John Garland
Project: Education Levels and Perceptions Among African American Homeless Males
Client: City of Dallas: Environmental and Health Services
Graduation: December 2007

Mohammadali Zolfagharian
Project: Challenges Facing the Franchise Community
Client: David Omholt: The Entrepreneur Authority
Graduation: December 2007

Rocky D. Crocker
Project: An Organizational Study of a Growing Business
Client: Superior Trailer Sales Company
Graduation: August 2007

Andrea Robledo
Project: Latinos/as in Leadership: Participatory Action Research with Latino/a Organizations at the University of North Texas
Client: Multicultural Center at the University of North Texas
Graduation: August 2007

Bryan Sisson
Project: Ethnography on Suicide Prevention: An Informative Assessment of the Peers Helping Peers Program
Client:
Graduation: August 2007

Roxanna Manoochehri
Project: Justice for All? A South Dallas Community's Perceptions of the Legal System
Client: Central Dallas Ministries, Legal Action Works program
Graduation: May 2007

Jara Carrington
Project:
Client: Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
Graduation: May 2007

Steven D. Gomez
Project: Implementing Best Practices: Program Evaluation and Program Development for an American Indian Gestational Diabetes Program
Client: Diabetes Care Center, Chickasaw Nation Health System, Ada, Oklahoma
Graduation: May 2007

Nicole A. Matheny
Project: Traditional Healing and Biomedicine among Latinos in Denton, Texas: Beliefs, Practices, and Barriers
Client: Denton County Health Department
Graduation: May 2007

Andrea McCoy
Project: A Trend Analysis of Notebook Computer Use by College Students
Client: Dell, Inc.
Graduation: May 2007

Kelly Moran
Project: Designing Products and Work Practices with Pitney Bowes: Marketing Services for Small-Spend Advertisers
Client: Pitney Bowes
Graduation: May 2007

Michael Neil Mansfield
Project: Nature Evaluation in the Big Thicket
Client: Big Thicket Association
Graduation: May 2007

David Howard
Project: Better Understanding Ourselves and Our Clients - A Community Needs Assessment for a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Community Based Organization
Client: The Resource Center of Dallas, Gay & Lesbian Community Center
Graduation: May 2007

Yvette Justice
Project: A Cultural Evaluation of the Players in the Dallas Metroplex: Project Usability Study for Dungeons and Dragons
Client: Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.
Graduation: May 2007

Tracy Tessmann
Project: Cultural Adaptation of the Spanish Translation of Parkland's Pocket Guide to HIV Care: Assessment of Use by Texas-Mexico Border Physicians
Client: AIDS Education and Training Centers
Graduation: December 2006

Emily Graves
Project: Intimacy, Alcohol, and Stigma: HIV Prevention Barriers and Needs Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Client: Denton County Health Department
Graduation: August 2006

Melanie White
Project: Facilitated Learning in a Science Museum: The Impact of the Meadows Educators at the Science Place
Client: The Science Place – Dallas, Texas
Graduation: August 2006

Naomi Meier
Project: Bottle or Breast: An Anthropological Investigation of the Infant Feeding Decisions Made by Prenatal and Postpartum Clients at the Denton, TX WIC Clinic
Client: Denton County WIC Program
Graduation: August 2006

Gene Luster
Project: Mission and Vision: Members' perceptions of the Denton Chamber of Commerce
Client: Denton Chamber of Commerce
Graduation: August 2006

Rodney Bales
Project: A Cost/Benefit Analysis of Wrap-around Services for Children Experiencing a Serious Emotional Disturbance Diagnosis
Client: The City of Fort Worth Public Health Department
Graduation: August 2006

Michael Foitek
Project: Evaluation of the City of Denton's Mosquito Control Campaign
Client: The City of Denton Information Office
Graduation: May 2006

Ethan McGaffey
Project: Feeding the Family: Prices Paid for Subsistence Salmon near the Upper Copper River, Alaska
Client: Partners in Fisheries, Alaska Fish and Game
Graduation: May 2006

Kiera Thaden
Project: Didactic vs. Constructivist: An Analysis of Two Label-Types at the Gyro Chair Exhibit
Client: The Science Place
Graduation: December 2005

Liya Aklilu
Project: Assessing the Activities Resource Center: An Evaluation for the International Rescue Committee
Client: International Rescue Committee
Graduation: August 2005

Pamela O. Brown
Project: Creating a Sex Education Program for Somali Bantu Women
Client: Refugee organization in the North Texas area
Graduation: May 2005

Violet Sparks
Project: Homelessness in Denton County: Needs Assessment and Homeless Management Information Systems
Client: City of Denton
Graduation: December 2004

Stephen Brown
Project: Community Integration and Resource Development: Landmine Removal Fundraising
Client: Dallas Peace Center
Graduation: December 2004

Jason Swartwood
Project: Bajito Onda: A Grassroots Movement for Peace as an Alternative to Violence
Client: Bajito Onda
Graduation: December 2004

Sandra Tyson
Project: Access to Health Care for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Participatory Action Research Project
Client: Texas Association of the Deaf
Graduation: December 2004

Sarah Barraza
Project: Migrant Education: Giving Hispanic Students a Voice
Client: Denton Independent School District
Graduation: December 2003

Diane Naylor
Project: Somali Bantu in Dallas, Texas: Health Practices and Resettlement Issues
Clients: Parkland Hospital Outreach Clinic
Graduation: December 2003

Albert Schott
Project: Evaluation of Dallas Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center
Client: Salvation Army
Graduation: December 2002

Pei-fang Chuang
Project: Website User Research
Client: UNT Anthropology Department and UNT Multimedia Development Lab
Graduation: August 2002

Anduamlak Meharie
Project: Evaluation of the NSF/UNT Summer Research Methods Project
Client: UNT and the National Science Foundation
Graduation: May 2002

For more detailed information on the Practicum, see our Graduate Student Handbook (.pdf).