January 15th is the deadline to apply to begin the program in September. Late applications may be considered but most awards are made in February and March.
Anthropology is the comprehensive study of human beings, past and present, in comparative, cross-cultural and holistic light, emphasizing the dynamic nature of cultural adaptation and change. Our students and faculty carry out extensive field work in Canada, as well as in many areas of the world, including Latin America and eastern Europe. Students can apply for the 2-year thesis-based MA focusing on medical or environmental anthropology, or the 18-month project-based MA focusing on practicing/applied anthropology.
Our location and local connections also make us a leader in community-based, engaged, and collaborative research with Indigenous peoples, with an emphasis on health, social services, governance, land claims, cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge.
Medical Anthropology (Thesis-Based)
Medical anthropology - the cross-cultural study of health, illness, and health systems - remains one of the fastest growing sub-fields of anthropology. It is unique in that it places central importance on the role of culture in understanding human suffering, response to illness, and resilience, and this sets it apart from cognate fields like medical sociology, health psychology, or community health.
Environmental Anthropology (Thesis-Based)
Environmental anthropology is a rapidly emerging and timely sub-field of anthropology. Environmental anthropologists study not only how the environment shapes human culture and society, but also how humans shape the environment, and offers an understanding of human dimensions of environmental problems, leading to more effective solutions.
Project-Based
Practicing/Applied Anthropology (Project-Based)
Practicing and Applied anthropology focuses on training graduate students to directly enter the non-academic workforce where the skills and insights of anthropology are highly valued. This project-based program provides MA students with the theoretical and methodological knowledge, skills and tools that are adapted to the world outside the academy, the world of social service agencies, non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, industry, and corporate business. The goal of our program is to facilitate the employment of our students as anthropologists in the world beyond the university where they can make a difference while making a livelihood.