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Combined BA/BS + MA: The 4+1 Master's Degree in Anthropology

Undergraduate majors in Anthropology may be eligible to apply for the MA in Anthropology in addition to their BA or BS. This joint BA or BS and MA in Anthropology would provide a Master's Degree in Anthropology at the end of 5 years of study. The joint BA or BS and MA in Anthropology is a separate program from the department's doctoral (PhD) program. Students who wish to pursue the PhD in Anthropology at Tulane must apply separately to that program.

The Anthropology faculty determines the number of students to be admitted into the program each year, based on overall GPA, performance in the major, and the faculty's evaluation of each applicant's potential. Upon acceptance into the 4+1 Program, each student is assigned a faculty advisor whose expertise coincides with that student's interests.

Conditions of the Program

  1. 4+1 Graduate students must complete all normal requirements for the BA or BS in Anthropology.
  2. Students must complete 126 credit hours at the undergraduate level, including 2 graduate-level anthropology courses beyond those required for the major.
  3. Students must complete 24 additional credit hours at the graduate level during their 5th year for a non-thesis MA; students who choose the thesis option are required to take 18 credits (6 courses) at the graduate level in their 5th year, 9 credits (3 courses) in the first semester, and 9 credits in the second semester. In both cases, students must take at least two 7000-level courses during their 5th year.
  4. Students must satisfy both a graduate-level foreign language requirement and a statistics requirement (described in the "green sheet" for graduate students).
  5. The graduate year of this MA program requires full-time registration (enrollment in at least 3 courses each semester).

Application to the Program

Application to this program requires the following conditions:

  1. Applicant must be an Anthropology major.
  2. Applicant must apply for admission for a 5th year of course work in Anthropology no later than the spring semester of the student's junior year.
  3. In accordance with Graduate School regulations, the applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or greater.

How to apply?

Students interested in the 4+1 M.A. program in anthropology should first consult with their anthropology major advisor and the graduate studies coordinator in the department, or other mentors. Students who decide to apply or who are encouraged to apply for the 4+1 M.A. program in anthropology should send a short email message to the department chair and graduate studies coordinator indicating an interest in applying and a short statement about why they are interested in the program. If anthropology department faculty members choose to accept applicants, they must then complete the online application form, which can be found at https://applygrad.tulane.edu/apply/. No personal statement is required for the online application, but applicants should supply one letter of recommendation to the 4+1 M.A. program in anthropology. An application fee of $50.00, payable by credit card, is required. Anthropology majors may express interest and may apply at any time, but the spring term of the junior year is the most common time to apply. Students going abroad for some or all of the junior year may want to consult with advisors in advance or immediately after returning to campus about potential interests in the 4+1 program.

Apply for the 4+1 M.A. program in anthropology here:

https://applygrad.tulane.edu/apply/

Questions

Visit our F.A.Q.

For further information regarding any aspect of Anthropology graduate programs at Tulane, send questions to our Director of Graduate Studies, Prof. Nathalie Dajko.