PROGRAM INFORMATION
Campus: St. John's	Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences
Department: Anthropology	Honours available: Yes
Degree(s): Bachelor of arts; International bachelor of arts; Joint arts and science degree
Length: Four years
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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.

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.

Admission requirements

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.

Sample first year

Wondering what courses you would take in your first year? Check out a sample program of suggested courses for anthropology students.

Sample courses and degree map

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.

Career opportunities

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.