Anthropology
| PROGRAM INFORMATION | ||
|---|---|---|
| Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences | Campus: St. John's | |
| Department: Anthropology | Honours available: Yes | |
| Length: Four years | ||
| Prospective students: Fill out our student inquiry form to receive updates from Memorial. | ||
| Department website | University Calendar | |
Anthropology explores how people and groups across the globe engage with the social, cultural, political, and economic processes that shape the contemporary world.
Anthropologists spend extended periods of time with the people whose lives they study in order to understand their practices, languages, and teachings as well as how they are entangled with systems of power.
Anthropologists facilitate cross-cultural understanding and critical engagement with global problems.
Jump to
• Admission requirements
• Your first year
• Sample courses and degree map
• Career opportunities
Why study anthropology?
The study of anthropology provides a strong background for students who intend to specialize in any of the social sciences and humanities or in medicine, nursing, social work, education, law, business, government, communications, and many other fields that require a nuanced understanding of decolonization, global processes, and a strong grounding in the cross-cultural study of human histories, languages, identities, and behaviours. Students of anthropology have gone on to find employment with public, private and non-government organizations in diverse fields, including: academia and public policy; print, radio, and television journalism; documentary film-making; healthcare; international development; and social and environmental activism.
Anthropology at Memorial
Anthropologists at Memorial share a strong interest in problems of power and social inequalities, which we view as being critical to understanding the contemporary world.
Applications are considered on a rolling basis. You are encouraged to apply by:
| Intake | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall (September) semester | March 1 |
| Winter (January) semester | Oct. 1 |
| Spring (May) semester | Feb. 1 |
You may apply for admission into the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences by indicating bachelor of arts as your program choice on the undergraduate application for admission. Direct entry into the faculty is subject to your meeting the general admission requirements for Memorial University.
You may choose anthropology as your major at the time of application or you can explore your options and declare a major in a later semester by emailing registrar@mun.ca to make your choice official.
Considering a major in Anthropology? Have a look at a sample schedule for a first-year student studying five courses per semester.
| FALL SEMESTER | WINTER SEMESTER |
|---|---|
| English 1090 (critical reading and writing (CRW) course) |
ANTH 2409 (CRW course) |
| first required language study (LS) course1 | second required LS course1 |
| first required quantitative reasoning (QR) course | second required QR course |
| Anthropology 1031 | three credit hours chosen from Anthropology 2410-2417 |
| minor program course or elective (breadth of knowledge course encouraged) |
minor program course or elective (breadth of knowledge course encouraged) |
- Both LS courses must be in the same language. If your first language is not English and you do not meet the standards for entry into regular first-year English courses you may use English 1020 and 1021 to fulfill this requirement. Such students are permitted to complete up to an additional six credit hours in English CRW courses at the 1000 level in order to fulfill the CRW requirement.
Further assistance
For assistance with course selection, contact the Academic Advising Centre.
For additional program information, visit the Department of Anthropology or contact the undergraduate program director.
ANTH 2414 - Critical Indigenous Studies
ANTH 2415 - Anthropology of Food
ANTH 3260 - International Development
ANTH 4073 - Studies in Underclass Life
Anthropology degree map
Degree maps are navigational tools, designed to help you make the right choices throughout your bachelor of arts degree. They cover information pertaining to your studies, provide study tips, career guidance, suggestions for involvement, advice on go abroad activities and on your well being.
Students of anthropology have gone on to find employment in:
- law
- research
- consulting
- public policy
- journalism
- international and public health
- human and social services
- human rights and social justice advocacy
- environmental and natural resources
- community development
- teaching
- international development
- software development
- information technology
- product and service design
Meet one of their graduates.
Note: some of these careers may call for supplementary education or preparation in the form of graduate studies, experiential learning or professional courses and exams.