The anthropology MA program offers students general training in socio-cultural anthropology. AUB's program, especially with regard to its faculty's expertise in creative expression and arts production, mental health and well-being, cultural ethics, refugees, medical, and legal and historical anthropology, is distinguished by offering students the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in classical anthropological paradigms and to relate them to emerging concerns of modern Arab societies. Students will have the opportunity to study the development of the discipline by exploring classical and contemporary theories and by conducting original fieldwork or doing research on secondary sources. The program is designed to sensitize students to their responsibilities as anthropologists, expose them to fieldwork, help them acquire an understanding of anthropological theory and history, and to inspire experimentation with the medium and form of ethnographic writing.
Students pursuing either an MA in Anthropology or Sociology are encouraged to work with faculty from other humanities and social sciences departments, in particular, media studies, political science, and the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies. A master's degree in either field has a very wide application. Graduates in Anthropology and Sociology will be qualified to pursue doctoral level studies in their field. Alternatively, they will have acquired the research methods, the exposure to scholarship, and skills they need to work effectively in non-governmental and governmental organizations, as well as expertise applicable in such domains as business, education, law, and public policy.
Admission Requirements
Requirements for admission into the MA program in Anthropology are consistent with those of the Faculty of Arts of Sciences. Admission to the MA in Anthropology is restricted to the Fall semester. Applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation and a statement of goals/research interests and experiences. Each student may be interviewed upon application to determine her/his background and qualification.
Degree Requirements
A candidate for the MA degree in anthropology is required to complete 21 graduate credit hours in addition to a thesis. Anthropology students must complete SOAN 304 and SOAN 310 in addition to three courses in anthropology. The remainder of the requirements may be selected from other offerings in the department or in the FAS and other schools and faculties on campus, with the consent of the advisor and according to the interest of the graduate student.
Further information about the application process is available on our
FAQ page.