The Anthropology Department at the University of Lethbridge has expertise in Socio-Cultural Anthropology and Anthropological Archaeology. We offer a fieldwork-based MA program with seminars through the Cultural, Social and Political Thought interdisciplinary graduate program and Independent Studies seminars with members of the Anthropology Department. Faculty in our department research on a range of topics, including the anthropology of policy and governance; anthropology of happiness and wellbeing; environmental anthropology; race, ethnicity and indigeneity; anthropology of childhood; psychological anthropology; medical anthropology; anthropology and archaeology of food; origins of social complexity and social inequality; anthropology of ritual and religion; anthropology of development; and urban anthropology. We research in diverse settings, including South-east Asia, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Spain, Mali, Aotearoa/New Zealand, United States and Canada.
The Department of Anthropology is a member department in the interdisciplinary Cultural, Social and Political Thought Graduate Program. We are also active in the Institute for Child and Youth Studies (I-CYS), the Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) and the Centre for Culture and Community (CCC) at the University of Lethbridge, each of which provides opportunities for interdisciplinary engagement and collaboration.
The Anthropology Department provides students with the opportunity to engage in a fieldwork-based MA program that prepares students for continuing on to PhD research. It also prepares students for work in a variety fields, including social welfare, government planning, public health, international development, First Nations planning and development, rights work, immigration, museum management, or education. Three to six graduate term courses or equivalent (9.0 to 18.0 credit hours) are required for this program. Students develop their programs in consultation with their supervisors. Course descriptions of courses offered at the University of Lethbridge are available in the course catalogue. You can also view the Timetable on the Registrar's Office website to see what courses are being offered and when.
Prospective students should have a strong background in Anthropology and/or the social sciences. That background should, ideally, include undergraduate coursework on anthropological methods and theory. Strong writing skills are also a critical component of successful graduate research in Anthropology. If students are interested in international field research, prior working knowledge of relevant foreign languages is encouraged.