Graduate programs
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Learn everything you need to know about becoming a UVic grad student, from finding a supervisor to submitting your application.
ANTH grad application FAQs.
Slideshow from October 2024 grad info session here.
Funding
Every year, UVic awards $12 million to help fund graduate students through a combination of:
- UVic fellowships and awards
- teaching assistantships
- research assistantships
Most of our students also receive external awards and scholarships, and financial aid and bursaries. Consideration for funding is automatic. A funding offer is normally included with an offer of admission.
Our department offers a limited number of graduate awards and fellowships each year to incoming students. These range from $1,000 to $18,000. Some funding offers may include a combination of teaching assistantships, graduate awards and/or fellowships.
Co-op & Career Services
UVic is home to the largest co-op graduate program in Canada. Learn about combining co-op placements with your MA on the co-op for graduate students website.
Grad students are also eligible for the shorter Work Experience Program.
Visit career services website.
Lab facilities
Our labs are well-equipped to meet the instructional and research needs of our students.
- archaeology labs
- biological lab
- ethnographic mapping lab
- zooarchaeology lab
- visual media and teaching labs
- teaching labs
- counter currency lab
Courses
The graduate advisor will go over your program plan and give you advice about selecting courses, arranging for thesis supervision and planning your work for the year ahead.
We admit graduate students each September. The summer term is used for research-based courses.
Graduate adviser: Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj
Graduate assistant: Jindra Bélanger, 250-721-7047
During the summer, graduate students enroll in their research-based course. There are also undergraduate summer courses which may be valuable.
Please confirm your summer course registration with the graduate secretary to ensure your graduate student status is correct.
Links to individual courses can be found in the graduate calendar.
Links to instructors can be found on the faculty pages.
MA level classes
- ANTH 516 A01: Seminar in anthropological research methods - on campus
- ANTH 516 A02: Seminar in anthropological research methods - off campus
- ANTH 597 A01: Thesis Proposal Development - on campus
- ANTH 597 A02: Thesis Proposal Development - off campus
- ANTH 599 A01: Thesis - on campus
- ANTH 599 A02: Thesis - off campus
PhD level classes
- ANTH 693 A01: Doctoral candidacy examination - on campus
- ANTH 693 A02: Doctoral candidacy examination - off campus
- ANTH 699 A01: Dissertation - on campus
- ANTH 699 A02: Dissertation - off campus
Links to individual courses can be found in the graduate calendar.
Links to instructors can be found on the faculty pages.
MA level classes
- ANTH 500 A01: Seminar in anthropological theory
- ANTH 511 A01: Advanced research seminar in inequality, culture and health
- ANTH 516 A01: Seminar in anthropological research methods
- ANTH 520B A01: Marine historical ecology
- ANTH 552E A01: Evolutionary anthropology
- ANTH 597 A01: Thesis Proposal Development - on campus
- ANTH 597 A02: Thesis Proposal Development - off campus
- ANTH 599 A01: Thesis - on campus
- ANTH 599 A02: Thesis - off campus
PhD level classes
- ANTH 600 A01: Professional development in anthropology
- ANTH 611 A01: Advanced research seminar in inequality, culture and health
- ANTH 612 A01: Graduate colloquium
- ANTH 693 A01: Doctoral candidacy examination - on campus
- ANTH 693 A02: Doctoral candidacy examination - off campus
- ANTH 699 A01: Dissertation - on campus
- ANTH 699 A02: Dissertation - off campus
Links to individual courses can be found in the graduate calendar.
Links to instructors can be found on the faculty pages.
MA level classes
- ANTH 511 A01: Advanced research seminar in inequality, culture and health
- ANTH 516 A01: Seminar in anthropological research methods
- ANTH 551 A01: Advanced research seminar in ecology and evolution
- ANTH 597 A01: Thesis Proposal Development - on campus
- ANTH 597 A02: Thesis Proposal Development - off campus
- ANTH 599 A01: Thesis - on campus
- ANTH 599 A02: Thesis - off campus
PhD level classes
- ANTH 611 A01: Advanced research seminar in inequality, culture and health
- ANTH 612 A01: Graduate colloquium
- ANTH 651 A01: Advanced research seminar in ecology and evolution
- ANTH 693 A01: Doctoral candidacy examination - on campus
- ANTH 693 A02: Doctoral candidacy examination - off campus
- ANTH 699 A01: Dissertation - on campus
- ANTH 699 A02: Dissertation - off campus
MA program planning
This full-time program is designed to be completed in 2 years. MA students must complete a minimum of 7.5 units of coursework and a 7.5-unit thesis.
Your coursework will connect across the subfields of anthropology. Our department works within 4 innovative and integrative themes:
You'll take courses in relevant methods and your research area. Your independent thesis research project will incorporate fieldwork and/or lab work, which will allow you to make original contributions to the discipline and our communities of practice.
You will complete 5 1.5-unit graduate courses on campus during the first 2 years of your program.
You'll also complete ANTH 597: Thesis proposal development with your supervisor and then enroll in ANTH 599: Thesis.
See program requirements in the academic calendar.
PhD program planning
This program is designed to be completed in 4-5 years. Your coursework will connect across the subfields of anthropology. Our department works within four innovative and integrative themes:
- culture, health and inequality
- evolution and ecology
- space, place, knowledge and power
- visual anthropology and materiality
Learn about .
You’ll complete 4 1.5-unit graduate courses on campus during the first 2 years of your program.
You’ll also participate in ANTH 612: Graduate Colloquium during your two-year residency.
See program requirements in the academic calendar.
After fulfilling all course requirements, you’ll enroll in ANTH 693 (PhD Candidacy Examinations) and complete the language requirement, the comprehensive examinations and the dissertation proposal defence.
Language requirement
If English is your first language, you must complete a language requirement by either:
- coursework: taking courses in another language (2 introductory courses or 1 upper-level course taken as part of your program) or
- translation exam: passing a language translation exam administered by the relevant department (e.g., French, Hispanic and Italian Studies, Pacific and Asian Studies)
Comprehensive exam
You will create 3 important questions about your research area with your supervisory committee. You will answer these questions in three papers, drawing upon pertinent literature. The committee will evaluate the papers as pass or fail. They may ask for revisions before passing the exam.
Dissertation proposal defense
You will prepare and defend a dissertation research proposal. You will give a 20 to 30-minute presentation on your topic and answer questions from the supervisory committee. The oral defense will be evaluated as pass or fail.
After you’ve fulfilled these requirements, you will enroll in ANTH 699 Dissertation and start your dissertation research.
Customize your degree
Concentration or certificate: You have the option of combining this program with the concentration in Cultural, Social and Political Thought or the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Nationhood.
Interdisciplinary degree: Combine more than one field of study in an individual interdisciplinary (INTD) degree. Tailor an academic program to your unique interests or choose from one of UVic’s existing interdisciplinary programs.
You’ll work with co-supervisors and faculty members from at least 2 different units to develop an individual program tailored to your interests.