Anthropology: Master of Arts (MA) at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada is a master's degree in Social & Cultural Studies programme. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,193 per semester (CAD 2,193 per semester for local students).
The MA in Anthropology sits within SFU's Department of Sociology and Anthropology and is a thesis-based research degree built around original, independent research. Students complete a graduate seminar, a course in anthropological theory and a course in ethnographic methodology, normally finishing this required coursework within the first three terms, then devote the remainder of the degree to writing the thesis. The department emphasises community-engaged, collaborative research with diverse populations locally, nationally and internationally, with faculty strengths in social theory, methods, social justice, gender and sexuality, and political economy. The program is designed for completion in two years across six consecutive terms, and MA students are guaranteed at least one teaching assistantship.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.25 / 4.33
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a bachelor's degree from SFU or an equivalent from a recognized institution, with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25/4.33, and a background of introductory sociology and/or anthropology coursework plus courses equivalent to SFU's undergraduate sociological or anthropological theory and methodology courses — a sociology or anthropology degree itself is not required. Applicants must also identify a faculty member with matching research interests who is willing to supervise them as a graduate student. Non-native English speakers must meet SFU's graduate English-language requirement (IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, minimum 6.0 per band, or TOEFL iBT 90 overall, minimum 20 per section) unless they completed a degree taught and examined in English in a majority English-speaking country. The program admits once a year, with the cohort commencing every Fall term.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC, with one set of dates per applicant type rather than by citizenship. Fall 2027 entry: high-school-route applications open 1 October 2026 and close 31 January 2027, while transfer applications open 1 March 2027 and close 15 April 2027 (Education and Contemporary Arts transfer applicants may apply from 1 October 2026). Spring 2027 entry runs 1 July to 15 September 2026, and Summer 2027 entry runs 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Admission documents are generally due 28 February 2027 (Fall) and offers must be accepted by 1 May. International applicants use the same EducationPlannerBC dates and portal; SFU publishes no separate international deadline. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
