2025-2026 University Catalog
Anthropology, M.A.
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(Major Code: 22021) (Academic Plan Code: 110901MAS)
The Department of Anthropology at SDSU offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts degree. A minimum of 30 units is required for this degree.
Our department embraces an integrated approach to anthropology, enabling students to understand the biological, social, historical, and humanistic dimensions of human diversity. Our graduate students receive training in integrative anthropology through mentored fieldwork with faculty and via our state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, including the Biological Anthropology Lab, Human Biology Lab, Human Osteology Lab, Primate and Hominin Ecology Lab, the Computational Archaeology Lab, the Environmental Archaeology and Anthropology Lab, the Historical Archaeology and Maya Research Lab, and the Zooarchaeology Lab.
Our M.A. program prepares students for:
- Teaching positions in Anthropology
- Doctoral training in Anthropology and allied fields (e.g., Geography, Public Health, Primate Conservation Biology, etc.)
- Professional careers in public and private sectors and non-profit organizations (e.g., cultural resource management, urban planning, program evaluation, administration, healthcare, marketing, and sustainable resource management and economic development)
Students accepted into the program are expected to complete a thesis (Plan A, Thesis/Project). However, with approval of the graduate advisor and the student’s faculty mentor, students may be given the option to complete and pass a comprehensive exam in lieu of the thesis (Plan B, Comprehensive Exam).
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Specific Requirements for the MA degree
In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic requirements for the Master of Arts degree as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees , no grade below a B (3.0) is acceptable for coursework on a student’s program of study (POS) and students must complete a graduate program of at least 30 units. Courses applied to the POS must be at the 500, 600, or 700 level; however, per University policy, at least 50% of the units required for the master’s degree must be courses at the 600- and 700-level. As per University Policy, at least 70 percent of the units used to fulfill the minimum requirements on a master’s degree program shall be letter graded. Accordingly, no more than 9 units of CR/NC courses can be applied to the POS. Courses used to fulfill the foreign language requirement may be in addition to the minimum 30 units required for the Master of Arts degree in anthropology. Details about how to satisfy the foreign language requirement are available on the department’s website. Advancement to Candidacy
All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy, as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees . In addition, the department requires that the student must: - Complete all deficiency courses (needed only if admitted with conditional graduate standing);
- Complete at least 18 units of program study coursework;
- Complete the required core courses;
- Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in all other courses applied to the Master of Arts degree including any transfer credit;
- Plan A students must submit a thesis proposal approval form (available on the department website) to the graduate advisor. Submission of this form indicates that the student has completed a thesis proposal and it has been approved by the student’s committee. Plan B students must submit a Comprehensive Exam Planning form (available on the department website) to the graduate advisor.
- Obtain human and/or animal subjects approval (if applicable)
Required Core Courses
Three of the following core seminar courses Only classified students may enroll in these courses. Students must obtain no less than a grade of B to satisfy program requirements. Methods Courses
(3 units) One of the following methods courses: Electives
(15 units) Five 500/600/700 numbered elective courses from any department at SDSU determined in consultation with the student’s thesis or comprehensive exam chair. Note: At least three (3) units must be at the 600 or 700 level. Only 9 units can be taken outside of Anthropology. Students should be aware that some electives may require prerequisites that will not fulfill degree requirements. ANTH 798 (Special Study; 1-3 units) and ANTH 795 (Internship; 3-9 units) are Credit/No-credit only courses, and may be used toward satisfaction of the degree as electives. However, no more than 9 units of CR/NC courses can be used toward the program of study. Foreign Language Requirement
To be awarded an M.A degree, students must satisfy the “foreign language requirement.” The department offers four options to meet this requirement: demonstrate upper division competency in 1) a foreign language, 2) statistics, 3) Geographic Information Systems (GIS), or 4) a computer programming language. Because courses which fulfill the foreign language requirement do not need to be 500-level and above and may require prerequisites, these credits may be in addition to the minimum of 30 units required for the M.A. degree. Details about the foreign language requirement are available on the department’s website. Research Requirement
(3 units) ANTH 797 Research (Credit/No-credit only) Units: 3. Can be taken before or after advancing to candidacy. Culminating Experience
(3 units) Plan A (Thesis/Project) After advancing to candidacy and submitting an approved Appointment of Thesis Committee form (available on the Anthropology Department’s website), Plan A students can enroll in: ANTH 799A Thesis (Credit/Satisfactory Progress/No-credit only) Units: 3 As a requirement for the Master of Arts degree, all graduate students must present their thesis research as an oral examination with all committee members present. OR Plan B (Comprehensive Exam) After advancing to candidacy and submitting a Comprehensive Exam Planning form to the graduate advisor, students can enroll in ANTH 798 to prepare for their comprehensive exams. Plan B students will only receive credit for this course if they have passed their comprehensive exam. ANTH 798 (Credit/No-Credit) Units: 3 |
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