The Degree of PhD (Anthropology) [Graduate]

Program Requirements

1. Students entering the PhD program must have completed an MA for which a written thesis is a requirement. Applicants must successfully defend their MA thesis by August 31 of the admission year and meet the Fall convocation deadline of their university. Failure to provide the University of Alberta with notification of the MA thesis defense by August 1 of the admission year can negate the offer of admission.
2. Residence requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (Residence Requirement )—a minimum of two years. Provisional PhD candidates must enrol in three ★3 courses per term in the first year of residence. The nature of the course work will be determined by the student and the supervisor with the following requirement: ANTHR 601 , normally taken in the first term, is required of all new PhD students who did not complete ANTHR 501  as an MA student in this Department.
3. During the course of their program, PhD students will be required to attend two two-hour Professional Development Seminars offered by the Department of which one shall be the departmental graduate student research ethics workshop except where the student has already taken this workshop in the MA Anthropology program.
4. In accordance with Faculty regulations, a supervisory committee will be struck as soon as possible. This supervisory committee will formulate a program of advanced study and research and will require demonstration of proficiency in any research tools necessary for writing the thesis.
5. The Department does not have a universal language requirement for the doctoral program; however, it is recognized that there are areas of research within the Department that may require knowledge of an additional language (or languages). The need for additional language skills will be decided between the doctoral student and supervisor as part of the planning of the student’s program, and will be reviewed by the Associate Chair (Graduate Programs).
6. Prior to the candidacy examination, the student must submit a satisfactory research proposal that will lead to production of a thesis of publishable quality based on original advanced research and theoretical interpretation.
7. According to Faculty regulations (Time Line for the Appointment of Supervisors ) the student shall pass an oral candidacy examination in subjects relevant to the general field of research. Normally the candidacy examination shall be held at the end of the second year or the beginning of the third year.
8. The dissertation shall be examined by a committee, the composition of which is specified in Faculty regulations (Thesis Requirements ).
9. The final PhD examination will include a public lecture followed by a closed oral examination.

Length of Program

The time limit for completing the PhD degree is a maximum of six years from the date of first registration in the program.