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Anthropology (BA in Combination)

waterloo

Develop a wide-ranging understanding of people’s lived experiences and how they influence their perspective of the past and their planning for the future. This program invites students to consider the multiple meanings of being human and how people navigate the world around them.  As a senior student, conduct your own original research that immerses you in a particular culture. Graduate with practical experience that translates into the flexible skills needed in today’s world.  

This program must be combined with another Bachelor of Arts program. 

Apply Your Learning

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you. Volunteer work, campus clubs, leadership programs, studying abroad, work experience – there are so many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world.

Here are just a few examples of the experiences you can add to your Anthropology program:

  • Learn by doing in your classes and practise ethnography, a unique anthropological research method that immerses you in a different culture.
  • Prepare for life beyond your degree by conducting your own original research and writing reports in your capstone fourth-year course.
  • Study abroad for an academic term and immerse yourself in another culture.
  • Combine your Anthropology program with another program, like Political Science or Global Studies, and apply for co-op at the end of your first year.

Check out the Anthropology Experience and Career Guide for more!

 

2022 graduates who secured employment or went on to postgraduate studies

 

Laurier ranks in the top 6 percent of universities worldwide*

 

students who gained hands-on learning experiences at Laurier in 2022

*Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

Admissions

Format: full time or part time      Duration: four years     Start: September (fall term) or January (winter term)     OUAC code: UH

Your Next Steps

Apply Now Strengthen Your Application Important Dates

Program Options and Courses

Design Your Degree

This program must be completed in combination with another Bachelor of Arts program. You can easily pair your studies with Communication Studies, English, Film Studies, Global Studies or Women and Gender Studies, among others.

In addition, you can add an option or minor that will allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge. A few examples of popular options and minors include:

  • Applied Social Research Option
  • Teaching Option (Coming soon!)
  • Human Relationships Minor
  • Intercultural Understanding Option
  • Management Option
  • Public Policy Minor

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

First-Year Courses

You'll have the option to take these two courses:

  • Cultures Today
  • The Greatest Party in the World: Cultures and Celebration

And one of the following courses:

  • Introduction to Global Studies
  • Introduction to Sociology I: Critical Foundations
  • Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
  • Invitation to Archaeology
  • Media History
  • Religions of the Americas: Indigenous, African and European
  • Studying Popular Culture

In addition, you'll choose 4.0 elective credits in courses that interest you.

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Life After Socialism
  • Indigenous Religions
  • Climate Change in Anthropocene
  • Race, Ethnicity & Nationalism
  • Science, Technology and Culture

Similar Programs

Community Service-Learning

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Community Service-Learning (CSL) courses at Laurier integrate service in the community with what you are learning in your classes. Placements are approximately 10 weeks and take place on a weekly basis from the second week of classes to the final week, typically for two hours per week.

CSL placements consist of volunteering at a local community service, such as a soup kitchen or a children's treatment centre. It’s a great way to apply classroom knowledge and gain practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, develop your network, and graduate with experience.

Interested? Learn more about Community Service-Learning.

Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

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"It was the concepts of structure and agency from my course on space and place that led me to consider urban planning as a career. [...] Anthropology at Laurier taught me to keep my eyes open and notice the subtleties of the human condition as it relates to people and their environment."

Jacob Bolduc, Anthropology graduate, planner with Fotenn Planning and Urban Design

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • archaeologist
  • archivist
  • cultural interpreter/consultant
  • ethnographer
  • genealogical researcher
  • human resources professional
  • immigration officer
  • journalist/reporter/critic
  • lawyer/paralegal
  • public administration/policy analyst

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Waterloo Campus

The Waterloo campus is tucked into about one city block, so you’re steps away from your classes, food and your new favourite study spot.

There are many ways to tour our Waterloo campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

"In my Anthropology courses, I often found the opportunity to challenge Western notions of charity and social justice, and explore the many ways of seeking justice across a wide range of cultures."

Kendra Foord, Anthropology graduate

Interested in More Info?

Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.

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