Medical Anthropology and Global Health

The main purpose of the Master of Arts degree program is to prepare students to begin teaching, research, or service careers with a solid background in anthropology. Undergraduate course work in anthropology, while helpful, is not a prerequisite for admission.

Requirements for the master’s degree include credit hour requirements, core course requirements, and a six-hour comprehensive written Master of Arts examination. A candidate for the master’s degree is required to complete 27 hours of class work, including an approved statistics course (3 hours) in which the student has earned a grade of C or better. No more than 6 credit hours of electives may be taken in 300-level courses (advanced undergraduate courses). All master’s degree candidates are required to attain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in the core courses (described below) in order to qualify for the degree.

All master’s degree candidates are required to take a six-hour comprehensive written examination. This examination must be taken before the completion of 27 semester hours of graduate work. Written master’s degree examinations can receive one of three grades: High Pass, Pass, or Fail. “High Pass” signifies performance sufficient for both the Master of Arts degree and advancement to the Doctor of Philosophy program, provided other requirements have also been satisfied. “Pass” signifies performance adequate for the master’s degree but insufficient to enter the doctoral program. “Fail” means a performance inadequate for the master’s degree. In the case of grades of Pass and Fail, the written examination may be retaken once.

The curriculum covers the range of medical anthropology interests: ethnomedicine, international health, urban health, psychiatric anthropology, human adaptation and disease, nutrition, social demography, and so on. All Master of Arts degree students in medical anthropology must complete 27 hours:

Specializations in Medical Anthropology and Global Health

International Health

The international health specialization offers students training in international health research as well as in evaluation of international health projects. The curriculum includes course work in medical anthropology, epidemiology, and special topics in international health, such as maternal and child health. Students are qualified to work in international health research, in academic positions, or in administrative positions in governmental or private agencies.

Urban Health

The urban health specialization prepares students for careers in anthropology, public health, or allied fields, with a special focus on racial and ethnic disparities in health and on underserved populations in urban areas around the world. Under the guidance of faculty with research experience both domestically and internationally, students will learn anthropological theory and methods focusing on health and illness among urban populations. 

Psychological Anthropology

The psychological anthropology specialization prepares students for positions in teaching and research institutions. It is also relevant for mental health professionals concerned with research and theoretical issues related to multiethnic patient populations.

Cross-Cultural Aging

The cross-cultural aging specialization focuses on the processes of aging and the circumstances of older people throughout the world. Particular attention is given to the impact of social, cultural, economic, political, and demographic variables on the experience of aging.

All MA students in the cross-cultural aging specialization must complete 27 credit hours, including the medical anthropology core courses, an approved statistics course, and 12 credit hours of electives approved by the advisor. At the PhD level, students specializing in cross-cultural aging must develop a program with their advisor to meet all PhD requirements.

Requirements

• Applicants must have a good academic record, e.g., a B-average or rank in the upper third of his or her graduating class at an institution whose status and programs are readily assessed.
• Applicants must meet all of the undergraduate prerequisites for the proposed field of graduate study.
• Statement of Objectives — Some programs have this built into the application. If not, create your own using "Statement of Objectives" as the heading. The statement should be one to two pages and include your purpose in undertaking graduate work as well as an explanation of your study and research interests as they relate to your undergraduate/graduate study and professional goals.
• Academic Transcripts – You are required to identify all post-secondary educational institutions you have attended on your application form, and to submit an official transcript from each. Admission to the School of Graduate Studies is conditional on final certification of degrees awarded. Note to International Students: Documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by certified translations in English.
• Letters of Recommendation - Three letters of recommendation must be submitted from those individuals sufficiently familiar with you, and who can assess your academic preparation, abilities and accomplishments. Letters should be from your most recent instructors in your proposed field of study. If you have been out of school for several years, one letter may be from your employer, supervisor or other person familiar with your most recent activities.
• Test Scores – Your department will identify required standardized tests. When you fill out forms for these use 1105 as the institutional code for Case Western Reserve University. The School of Graduate Studies will forward all official score reports of standardized tests (GRE, TOEFL, etc.) to the program of interest. The department will inform you which standardized tests are required for your program. International students whose first language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and earn a minimum score of 577 if paper-based, or 90 if Internet-based. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also accepted. The minimum acceptable score is 7.0. Some departments may require higher scores. International applicants cannot be admitted without receipt of an acceptable official TOEFL score. The TOEFL is valid for two years after the test date. The GRE is valid for five years after the test date.
• Application Fee - A nonrefundable application fee of $50 is required for each application submitted.

Scholarships

• Global Education