Why study this program?

The Department of Human Ecology offers a PhD in Human Ecology, and master’s degrees in Textiles and Clothing, Material Culture, Family Ecology and Practice, and Aging. Students come from a variety of academic backgrounds and upon graduation have taken employment in a wide range of careers in social service agencies, museums and cultural agencies, government, research and teaching.

Entrance Requirements

For the PhD program the Department’s minimum admission requirements are a thesis-based master’s degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4- point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

Applicants who have the equivalent of an honor’s baccalaureate degree in a related field from a recognized institution, and who present a minimum admission GPA of 3.7 on a 4 point scale, or its equivalent, may also be considered for admission to the doctoral program. Applicants also will be required to provide evidence of research potential as demonstrated by previous scholarly work.

For the MSc or MA degrees the Department’s minimum admission requirements are a four-year bachelor’s degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework. An applicant proceeding from either a three-year program in a related field, or a four-year program in a different field, may be admitted as a qualifying student .

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (see English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:

• a minimum TOEFL score of 92 (Internet-based) or equivalent.
• a minimum IELTS overall band score of 6.5.

Applicants to all programs are also required to submit

• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Goals and Objectives Form, available under Admission Process on the Department Website
• three letters of reference from individuals knowledgeable about their academic and research capabilities
• PhD applicants must also submit a writing sample

In addition, all graduate students must have a faculty member agree to supervise their program before admission is approved. See Admission Process on the Department website for further information.

The application deadline is February 1 for Fall term (September) admissions.