Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology
Program Requirements
In addition to satisfying the general requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR), the PhD in Anthropology consists of a minimum of 18 credits of coursework and the completion of a dissertation.
The nature of the coursework will be determined by the student and the supervisor with the following requirement: Anthr 601, normally taken in the first term, is required for all PhD students who did not complete Anthr 501 as an MA student in this department.
All PhD students are required to attend two two-hour Professional Development seminars offered by the Department of Anthropology, of which one shall be the departmental graduate student research ethics workshop, unless already taken in the MA Anthropology program.
Residency requirement is a minimum of two years.
The maximum length of time to complete the PhD program is six years from the date of first registration in the program. Students are encouraged to complete the degree within four years as most financial awards do not exceed four years.
Admissions Requirements
The admission requirements for the PhD program are a thesis-based master's degree and a grade point average of 3.3 on the 4 point grading scale in the last 60 units (*60) or equivalent of undergraduate or graduate study at the University of Alberta or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution. In exceptional cases, the Department may grant admission to the PhD program directly from a bachelor's program in anthropology.
Applicants whose primary language of instruction was not English at their post-secondary institution must demonstrate proficiency in the English language in order to be considered for admission. Minimum scores required are:
- TOEFL score of 88 on the internet-based exam, 550 on the paper-based exam
- IETLS overall band score of 6.5
Note: English Language Proficiency Exam Score changes effective for all programs starting Fall 2020. The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR) has approved an increase in the minimum test scores required on English Language Proficiency exams effective immediately. These changes are currently going through further University governance approvals. However, these changes are effective for all programs that start in Fall 2020. The new minimum scores required for English Proficiency exams are:
- TOEFL iBT 90, with at least 21 on each band
- MELAB 85, with a minimum band score of 90 and a minimum score of at least 3 on the speaking component
- IELTS (academic) 6.5, with at least 5.5 on each test band
- CAEL, overall of 70 with at least 60 on each subtest
- PTE Academic, 61 with a minimum band score of 60.