Graduate Program Overview

California State University, Long Beach (ºÚÁÏÍø) is located in the center of one of the most diverse regions in the United States. This offers anthropology graduate students many opportunities to gain invaluable experience conducting research locally or globally and finding interesting, worthwhile internships or employment. The ºÚÁÏÍø Department of Anthropology offers two Master of Arts degrees: General Anthropology and Option in Applied Anthropology. Both programs prepare graduates for employment or further study in anthropology or a related field.

We are not currently accepting graduate applications in the fields of archaeology and biological / physical anthropology.  Students intending to pursue an MA degree in these fields will not be accepted into the graduate program.

We are proud of our alumni from the graduate program, who are employed in a diverse range of fields, including:

Anthropology Career Options

Degree Pathways

MA in Anthropology 

A graduate degree in anthropology prepares students to understand the complex, diverse, and globally connected world we live in. Studying anthropology provides a unique perspective on the human experience.  Students who obtain an MA in Anthropology acquire specialized research skills that aid them in addressing specific questions and social problems in the world around them. The program is designed to prepare students to enter a Ph.D. program or pursue a career in one of the fields mentioned above. The program also offers training opportunities in areas such as ethnographic research, visual anthropology, social justice work, linguistic anthropology and communication, applied research and grant writing, and other specialized areas. 

Our students receive rigorous training in anthropological methods and gain skills in applying anthropological theory to a range of social issues. The MA degrees prepares you for many of the fields listed below. Our graduates have also entered doctoral programs in anthropology and related fields. 

MA in Applied Anthropology 

Applied anthropology is the application of anthropological methods and theories to contemporary issues at the national and international level. Applied, or practicing, anthropologists utilize a variety of ethnographic, quantitative methods and cross-cultural skills to understand and address social and global problems. Applied anthropologists are committed to creating the conditions of social change that improve the lives of people.  This option is focused on providing students with a strong foundation in using ethnographic methods and anthropological theories to address social issues and to answer research questions.  Students gain practical experience while learning about the ethics of practice and the various settings in which applied anthropologists work.  The program offers training in mixed methods as well as opportunities in visual anthropology. 

Graduate Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Describe, compare and contrast major historical and contemporary theories in anthropology.
  2. Conceive of, plan and conduct an original anthropological study resulting in a thesis or project.
  3. Employ relevant methods and theoretical frameworks to answer specific research questions.
  4. Locate, access, synthesize and critically assess research literature.
  5. Present research findings in a variety of professional formats: oral, visual and written.
  6. Plan and conduct research following professional ethical guidelines.