Master of Arts in Anthropology The University of Waikato - Hamilton Campus, New Zealand

The Master of Arts involves advanced study in an Arts subject and is intended for those who want to deepen their knowledge of that subject. The degree helps applicants to build the skills required to work in their chosen field.

Why study the Master of Arts?

Are you seeking the ability to think critically and communicate well? A Master of Arts (MA) from Waikato will teach you the skills to work independently and see a major project through to completion. These are characteristics that are highly sought after by employers.

Our comprehensive MA taught programme (180 points) is open to graduates from a full range of bachelor’s degrees, including arts, education, management, psychology, social sciences or sciences. You can select from a large number of different subjects, each designed to meet the needs of today's global job market.  These programmes are comprised of taught papers only meaning that you can improve your career prospects or switch your focus and potential earnings regardless of your previous academic experiences.

Major: Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humanity in all its fantastic diversity. Waikato's Anthropology students learn from anthropologists who have a strong Pacific focus and engage in research across a wide range of crucial global issues.

Why study Anthropology?
 

Cultural anthropology, our area of specialty, is the interpretation and appreciation of the vast array of cultural possibilities for human life. Studying Anthropology will challenge students to reimagine their assumptions about their own societies and cultures and develop a toolkit to critically understand their changing world.

One undergraduate student Naveena, said that “I respect contemporary anthropology’s efforts toward reckoning with its colonial roots and decolonizing the discipline, and I want to be part of its journey to becoming a more inclusive field,” while Mona, a postgraduate student shared that “Anthropology has taught me to see the world from a wholly unique perspective. For me, Anthropology opened my eyes to the beauty of diversity and differences, while being instrumental in understanding my own cultural identity.”

In anthropology we study issues as varied as the environment and climate change, racism and ethnic conflict, religion and spirituality, media and visual culture, politics and power relationships, money, finance and trade. In all of these areas anthropology focuses on the experiences of people. It is by listening to people and understanding things from their perspective that anthropology challenges mainstream knowledge. Too often decisions and power reside in the hands of those who merely make assumptions about the lives of others. Anthropology brings the voices of everyday lives into the global production of knowledge.