Master of Anthropology and Planetary Futures (Advanced)

Anthropology for a Future Planet

This program provides a humanities and social science lens to understand overlapping threats to social, ecological, political, economic, and health systems. It offers Australia’s only combined biological and cultural approach to grasp these planetary scale problems while foregrounding anthropology’s unique ethnographic method, which centres grounded and people-focused perspectives and values.

Anthropology equips students with skills, case studies, theories, and tools for social engagement to grasp our planetary crises, understand their cultural histories, and fight for a better future. The Master of Anthropology and Planetary Futures engages critical social thought and research methods to steps back from crisis-thinking to consider the political and social work that these threats justify and enable, and provides evidence bases for advocacy and public debate. The degree equips students to describe and theorise how planetary emergencies came about precisely due to human social engineering and the dominance of particular sets of cultural values, while also recognising that they are shaped by the creative responses of people responding to rapid transformations on their own terms.

Why study Anthropology at the ANU?

The Master of Anthropology and Planetary Futures emphasises rigour in research methodologies to develop key analytical skills for systems thinking alongside cutting edge qualitative, fieldwork-based, and applied skills that provide solid empirical and critical foundations for future research careers. Training in methods from biological anthropology is combined with cultural anthropology’s ethnographic exploration of human diversity. Together, these research-led frameworks and applied anthropology provide unexpected and badly needed alternatives.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present one of the following:

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

The GPA for a Bachelor program will be calculated from (i) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades and/or (ii) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades other than those from the last semester (or equivalent study period) of the Bachelor degree. The higher of the two calculations will be used as the basis for admission.

Students must have the written agreement of an identified supervisor prior to admission into the VAPF.

Ranking and English Language proficiency: At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. In line with the University's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of:

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support

Employment Opportunities

Anthropology is the study of contemporary human cultural lives. In a globalised world, cross-cultural literacy and analysis have never been more important. The Master in Anthropology and Planetary Futures is a highly sought-after program that places very strong emphasis on anthropological theory and methods with the intention of equipping graduates with the skills for work in applied research contexts in the public and corporate sectors.

A Master of Anthropology and Planetary Futures will advance your career working in cultural institutions, the public service, non-government organisations, academia, or any professional area requiring an understanding of cross-cultural analysis.