Anthropology, BA

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Admissions
Curriculum
Graduation Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology degree provides students with a broad, integrated knowledge of the subject through its four major fields - cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology and archaeology. Anthropological training will uniquely prepare graduates to engage competently and critically with the major issues of globalization, multiculturalism, and cultural heritage in the larger context of the human experience. This program will also foster proficiency in the methods of research, analysis, and scientific reasoning that distinguish anthropology as an interdisciplinary realm within the social sciences.

Anthropology explores all aspects of human life, both ancient and modern, over time and space. By creating a strong balance between humanistic and scientific approaches, this degree offers a holistic comparative understanding of anthropology and therefore provides an excellent foundation for graduate studies as well as careers in anthropology and other areas such as teaching, social work, curatorial work, and international affairs.

Mount Royal’s Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology aims to provide students with the following competencies:

Foundational knowledge in the historical development, philosophical and theoretical trends, methodology, and practice of the discipline of anthropology;
The ability to utilize and value the holistic and interdisciplinary approaches that are fundamental to anthropology;
Solid cross-cultural understanding of the nature and diversity of present and past cultures;
The ability to recognize the biases that societies carry in their understanding of human cultures and how anthropological training can help to overcome these biases;
An open-minded and culturally sensitive appreciation of different cultures and their relevance in the contemporary world;
Solid competency in locating, reading, and comprehending primary and secondary sources;
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills;
Mastery of multiple methodologies and the scientific method;
The ability to formulate and communicate cogent arguments;
Specific skills in managing, evaluating, and interpreting data derived from past and present cultures;
The ability to work and communicate effectively in collaborative group projects;
The ability to articulate points of view clearly and persuasively to others;
The ability to view situations reflectively by seeing oneself as both subject and object;
The ability to engage in participant-observation and promote cultural curiosity through experiential fieldwork;
The ability to engage in and evaluate both humanistic and scientific approaches through critical thinking and rigorous logical thought processes;
The ability to contextualize biological and cultural phenomena in terms of both local and global perspectives.
Graduation Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology;
All students must meet the general graduation requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, in addition to the graduation requirements for the Anthropology major.

Admissions

General Admission Requirements

All students must meet the general admission requirements for Mount Royal University programs, as indicated in the Admission section of this calendar.

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements indicated in the Admission section of this calendar, applicants must also satisfy the following criteria for each Major.

Academic Course Requirements

The following specific courses (or their equivalencies) with the specified minimum grades are required for admission into the Bachelor of Arts program:

Majors: Anthropology, English, History and Sociology

English Language Arts 30-1 - 60%
Mathematics 30-1 or 30-2 or a 30-level language

Major: Psychology

English Language Arts 30-1 - 60%
Mathematics 30-1 or 30-2 - 60%

Major: Policy Studies

English Language Arts 30-1 - 60%
Mathematics 30-1 or 30-2 - 60%

Although conditional admission may be granted in advance of receipt of final/official transcripts, confirmation of the achievement of specified minimum grades will take place after all final/official transcripts have been received by the University. Applicants who do not meet these minimum grade requirements will be denied admission.

Indigenous Student Admission

Each year, 7% of the seats in the Bachelor of Arts program will be reserved for Indigenous applicants through an Indigenous admission target. To be considered for admission under the Indigenous admission target, the applicant must:

self-identify as an Indigenous applicant on the Application for Admission;
meet the definition of an Indigenous Applicant; and
meet the minimum admission requirements as indicated in the general admission requirements for Mount Royal University as well as any program level admission requirements.

Designated seats for this special consideration target will be filled by Indigenous applicants on a competitive basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply during the early admission period. Any unfilled designated seats will be released on June 15 to students applying under the general admission requirements.

See general admission requirements in the Admission section of this calendar for further information.

Declaration of Major

Students must declare their major field of study within one year (ten courses) of enrolling in the program. Students who have decided on their major are advised to declare it as soon as possible to facilitate proper course selection and access to core courses.

Double Majors

Double majors must be chosen within the six majors offered as part of the Bachelor of Arts and include:

10-12 general education courses, of which four can fulfill the requirements of the double major.
All core courses specified for each major (a minimum of 32 courses).
All core requirements for each major must be satisfied in a manner approved by the Associate Dean, Curriculum and Policy
Courses that satisfy an elective requirement can be used to satisfy the program requirements for a double major.

Curriculum

Program Structure - Anthropology

Total number of three-credit courses (or equivalent)	40 courses minimum
Required courses in Anthropology	10 courses
Additional required Anthropology courses	6-14 courses
Elective courses	6-14 courses
General Education Courses	10 courses
First-year course limit (1000 level)	16 courses maximum
Maximum number of courses outside of the Faculty of Arts, and/or the Faculty of Science and Technology, and/or designated as General Education courses	8 courses
Course limit in a single discipline	24 courses maximum
Grade Point Average (GPA) to graduate	2.00 minimum

Required Courses

ANTH 1101 - Introduction to Primatology and Human Evolution
ANTH 1103 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 1105 - Ancient Peoples and Places
ANTH 1106 - Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
ANTH 2102 - Methods in Biological Anthropology
ANTH 2104 - Methods in Archaeology
ANTH 2241 - Ethnography in Anthropology
ANTH 3305 - History of Anthropology
ANTH 3307 - Statistics for Anthropology
ANTH 4401 - Anthropological Theory
Three additional ANTH courses at the 2000 level or higher.
One additional ANTH course at the 4000 level or higher.

Additional Required Courses

Two of the following:

Electives

14 Electives

Students are eligible to choose any 3-credit university-level course to complete an elective requirement, including Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology courses that are not already fulfilling a major requirement. Students should be aware that no more than 24 courses within one discipline will be counted towards their degree (e.g., no more than 24 courses with the course prefix ANTH).

General Education Requirements

Ten courses must be completed to meet the general education requirements to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology.

Four courses will be taken at the foundational level: one from each of the thematic clusters.
Three courses will be taken at the second tier: no more than one from each of the thematic clusters. One of these courses must be from the Numeracy and Scientific Literacy cluster.
Three courses must be taken at the third tier, selected from at least two of the thematic clusters.

Graduation Requirements

Eligibility To Graduate

To be eligible to graduate from a Mount Royal program, a student must have been officially admitted into the program and must normally complete at least 25% of the graduation requirements as a student within the program, except where written approval has been given by the dean/director of the faculty/centre/school.

Normally, 50% of the academic work completed toward the award of a Mount Royal parchment must be completed at the University, except where written approval has been given by the dean/director of the appropriate faculty/centre/school. In addition, the internship component of the Policy Studies BA Major must normally be completed as a student of Mount Royal.

Application for Honours after receiving a Bachelor of Arts in the same discipline.

A student who has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts may not apply to enter Honours in the same discipline in which he or she has received the Bachelor of Arts degree.

Time Limitation

All graduation requirements for the BA degree program must be completed within eight years of initial admission to and enrolment in the program. The prior learning of all students entering baccalaureate programs will be fully assessed at the point of admission for possible advanced standing or transfer credit. Applicable credit for prior learning which is recognized at the point of entry into the program will remain valid for the same time limit (eight years) as is permitted to complete the program.