Advice sought: some questions about MA Anthropology applications

[chengji]

Hey, all

I'm a student from mainland China, currently just in my third year of undergraduate studies, planning to go to the US to get a MA/PhD in Anthropology

A few days ago, I had a long conversation with a senior student who got her mphil in anthropology from Cambridge University, and she mentioned that I can try to apply for the master's programmes in uchicago and columbia, and from her experience, I have a high hope of success.

But today I happened to find this forum, and I found out that the MAPSS programme in uchicago doesn't really meet my expectations, and many people have negative comments about it.

My current interest is more in socio-cultural anthropology/medical anthropology.

But I am facing several problems:

1. I don't have any medical/anthropology background, and applying directly to a master's programme in medical anthropology will almost certainly be rejected. It is also impossible for me to apply to a PhD programme with my CV and background, so I will most likely apply to a master's programme in socio-cultural anthropology.

2. I understand that there seem to be very few anthropology programmes in the US that offer a master's degree, so I'd like to ask all of you to introduce me to the master's programmes that you know of, and it would be great if you could include the advantages and disadvantages and characteristics of each of them. Thank you very much!

3. I have considered whether to go to the UK to get my master's degree, but the senior told me that the UK master's degree is very poorly recognised for PhD applications in the US, so if I want to do a PhD in the US in the future, going to the US to do a master's degree would be the best option.

4.About the funding issue, my family can provide me with the cost of my master's degree, but I can't accept a programme without funding for my PhD, and that's the reason why I don't choose the UK master's degree. However, I would like to know if such a path is possible by getting a masters degree in the US and then getting admission to a PhD programme? For example, if I get my master's degree from Columbia University, how much can this help me with my PhD application afterwards?

5. Do faculty and admissions committees at U.S. colleges and universities pay little attention to students in anthropology master's programmes, or is this a common phenomenon, or is it more pronounced at certain schools?

For example, what is the attitude of Columbia University towards MA students, and can I be well trained and treated there?

6. Two days ago, I was browsing for information and came across Prof. Lesley A. Sharp from the Anthropology Department of Columbia University, whose research area and direction I like quite a lot, and she is also one of the few scholars in the field of medical anthropology in Columbia University, so I was wondering if there are any seniors who know about her and can give me some information.

 

Thank you very much for your help!

I wish you all the best.

Edited September 6, 2023 by chengji
Forgot to change language

[AJJJJJJJJ]

You should look at the University of Arizona and the University of Southern California for medical anthropology. I did my undergraduate degree in anthropology at the University of Arizona and there were a few professors in medical anthropology. I took a class on the subject with Dr. Ivy Pike and really enjoyed her lectures. I also took a biomedical anthropology course with Dr. David Raichlen -- who was at Arizona but is now at USC -- and he was also a personal favorite of mine. Sometimes medical anthropology gets lumped in with biological anthropology, so be sure to look in that sector as well. There's also Dr. Nancy Chen at the University of California - Santa Cruz, if you want to check out that program. 

Your background doesn't always matter when it comes to acceptances into a university -- there are plenty of people in PhD programs without anthro degrees. What matters is how you connect the dots for the admissions committee, so they're not left thinking "Why does this person want to study medical anthropology? And why here?"