Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ : Anthropology

Anthropology - ANTH

Contact Information

Location: Social Sciences Building, Room 854
Faculty number: 403.220.6517
Fax: 403.284.5467
E-mail address: boydj@ucalgary.ca
Web page URL:

1. Degrees and Specializations Offered

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Arts (MA), thesis-based

Students in the Departments of Anthropology and Archaeology and the Faculty of Medicine may choose an interdisciplinary specialization in Biological Anthropology. For further information on the Biological Anthropology (Interdisciplinary) specialization, see the separate listing in this Calendar.

2. Admission Requirements

In addition to Faculties of Graduate Studies and Arts requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts

a) A minimum grade point average of 3.30 or higher on a four-point scale.

b) An example of the applicantâ€™s written work: a term paper, research paper or other writing which the applicant considers representative of his or her best work.

c) A concise statement outlining the applicantâ€™s academic interests and reasons for wishing to pursue graduate work in this Department. The thesis research area should be clearly identified.

d) Completion of Departmental Information form.

e) Two letters of reference.

Doctor of Philosophy

a) A minimum grade point average of 3.40 or higher on a four-point scale.

b) Two letters of reference.

3. Application Deadline

The deadline for the submission of complete applications is February 1 for September admission.

4. Advanced Credit

The applicant must make advanced credit requests as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the grade point average to the required level for admission.

5. Program/Course Requirements

In addition to the Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts

Candidates for the MA degree are normally required to complete a minimum of two full-course equivalents in Anthropology at the 600 level. At the discretion of the Graduate Studies Committee, students with deficient background may be required to take a total of two and one half full-course equivalents of course work in Anthropology. The following courses are required of all Master's students: Anthropology 603, 605, 611 or 613, 631 or 635.

Doctor of Philosophy

a) A specialization of either primatology, or social and cultural anthropology.

b) Anthropology 701, a reading course in the student's substantive area. Beyond that, the supervisory committee will individually tailor each student's course requirements to the student's particular needs.

c) For social and cultural anthropology, fieldwork outside the student's broad cultural milieu for a minimum of one year. Students in primatology will be required to collect primary data via experimental and/or observational research on wild or captive primate populations for a period of not less than twelve months.

d) Demonstrated proficiency in a language other than English. Normally, in the course of the doctoral program, competent faculty in other Departments will evaluate the student's linguistic competence, principally in reading and writing.

6. Additional Requirements

None.

7. Credit for Undergraduate Courses

Only where appropriate to a studentâ€™s program may graduate credit be received for courses numbered 500-599, which are considered undergraduate courses.

8. Time Limit

Expected completion time is two years for the Master of Arts degree and four years for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Maximum completion time is four years for the Master of Arts degree and six years for the doctoral degree.

9. Supervisory Assignments

A supervisor is assigned to each student upon entering the program.

10. Required Examinations

The doctoral candidacy examination has a written and an oral component, and examines areas of knowledge determined by the supervisory committee in consultation with the student.

Questions on the research proposal will not be included in the oral candidacy examination.

Final thesis oral examinations are open.

11. Research Proposal Requirements

Students are required to submit and successfully defend a research proposal fourteen months after initial registration. The defence is open to interested faculty members and graduate students of the Anthropology Department.

12. Special Registration Information

None.

13. Financial Assistance

Financial assistance in the form of research and teaching assistantships is available to qualified students. Information on awards can be obtained from the Department office or in the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar. All students are strongly encouraged to seek external financial assistance for the program, as the Department of Anthropology cannot guarantee the availability of financial assistance.

Students applying for the Open Scholarship Competition must submit their applications to the Department by January 25.

14. Other Information

A complete description of the rules and regulations, and the facilities available to Anthropology graduate students, is available on line at: .

15. Faculty Members/Research Interests

Faculty members and their research interests can be found at .

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