Master of Arts (Anthropology)

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 18 units in coursework and to meet a professional development workshop requirement. Students are also required to complete and defend a thesis.

Required coursework

ANTHR 501
Three 3-unit courses in Anthropology in areas relevant to the research focus
Two 3-unit courses in areas outside of the research focus, one from within Anthropology and one course from another department, or both courses from within Anthropology.
Specific courses taken to meet these requirements must be chosen in consultation with the student’s supervisor and the Associate Chair (Graduate Programs).
The normal course load is three courses in each of the Fall and Winter Terms of the first year.

Professional Development Requirement

During the course of their programs, MA students will be required to attend two two-hour Professional Development Workshops offered by the Department of which one shall be the departmental graduate student research ethics workshop.
Where ethics clearance is required as stipulated in the latest version of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans, students must receive ethics clearance from the appropriate University Research Ethics Board prior to commencing their research.

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES.
Students must prepare an acceptable MA thesis according to Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies regulations and Department expectations. Students must demonstrate proficiency in the handling of any research tools, such as statistics or a foreign language, to the satisfaction of the examining committee.
MA final exams are closed to the public.

Residence Requirements

The minimum period of residence is two terms of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.

Length of Program

Normally, two years of study and research are necessary to complete the requirements for the degree of MA.

The maximum time to complete the thesis-based MA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is four years.