Anthropology and Law MA
The MA in Anthropology and Law program advances knowledge of human thought, behavior, and social activity across cultures by focusing on the interconnections of anthropology and law.
The program is designed to train scholars and practitioners working at the intersection of law and anthropology across the broad area of legal humanities. The program is geared toward all students who are interested in exploring the historical, theoretical, and ethnographic interconnections of anthropology and law.
The Anthropology and Law MA will be especially attractive to UB students graduating with a Legal Studies major, offered through UB’s Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Degree Programs; students graduating from UB, or elsewhere, with a BA in Anthropology; students who are interested in exploring the possibility of applying to a PhD program and/or to a JD program; and, more broadly, students interested in pursuing careers that will enable them to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course of their MA study and research.
The MA in Anthropology and Law is a 30-credit master's degree program offered by the Department of Anthropology (21 credits) in conjunction with the Law School (9 credits) at the University at Buffalo. Anthropology is the degree-granting department.
The program consists of three required courses, three Law electives, and the remainder is a combination of Anthropology electives, project credits and independent study. Students must complete an MA Project, namely, a final culminating paper. The MA Project must be approved by a two-member committee, consisting of a member of Anthropology and Law and contingent on faculty agreement.
| Required Courses | 9 credits |
|---|---|
| APY 654: Graduate Survey of Social Anthropology II | 3 credits |
| APY 655: Graduate Survey of Social Anthropology I | 3 credits |
| APY 625: Law, Culture and Society | 3 credits |
| Anthropology Electives (or other APY electives with program director approval) | 1-6 credits |
|---|---|
| APY 508: Qualitative Research Methods | 3 credits |
| APY 512: Kinship and Social Structure | 3 credits |
| APY 521: Language, Culture and Power | 3 credits |
| APY 536: Contemporary Europe | 3 credits |
| APY 554: Cultural Anthropology Topics | 3 credits |
| APY 578: Ethnomedicine | 3 credits |
| APY 601: Individual Readings - Archaeology | 1-6 credits |
| APY 602: Individual Readings - Cultural | 1-6 credits |
| APY 604: Culture and Disability | 3 credits |
| APY 607: Individual Readings - Physical | 1-6 credits |
| APY 610: Method and Theory in Archaeology | 3 credits |
| APY 618: Cultural Heritage - Perspectives from Sociocultural Anthropology | 3 credits |
| APY 623: Memory and Commemoration | 3 credits |
| APY 735: Adv Arch Techniques & Methods - Cultural Resource Management | 3 credits |
| Law Electives (or other LAW electives with program director approval) | 9 credits |
|---|---|
| LAW 507: Property | 3 credits |
| LAW 631: Administrative Law | 3 credits |
| LAW 713: Palestine-Israel - Settler Colonialism and Environmental Justice | 3 credits |
| LAW 737: Topics in Juriprudence | 3 credits |
| LAW 779: Indigenous Law and Culture | 3 credits |
| LAW 795: Advanced Topics in Law and Technology | 3 credits |
| LAW 799: Independent Study | 1-6 credits |
| LAW 819: Climate Change and the Law - Interdisciplinary Explorations | 3 credits |
| Project | 1-6 credits |
|---|---|
| APY 600: MA Project/Thesis Guidance | 1-6 credits |
| Total Program | 30 credits |
April 1 is the application deadline. Applications received after this date will be considered on a rolling basis.
Application Instructions
Use the link below to access our online application system.
Begin by creating an account. Once created, you will be prompted to choose an application, select your term year and program. Please read the directions on your College of Arts and Sciences application carefully. Returning users can use this link to log in to their existing application(s).
You will upload all materials requested in your applicant status portal after completing the application.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Copies of transcripts
Official transcripts will be required upon acceptance to the program.
- Statement of Purpose
Please describe your academic background, research/professional experience (if any), research interests, and career goals. Explain why you have decided to pursue an MA in Anthropology and Law at UB.
- Academic Writing Sample
Your sample, preferably related to anthropology, law, or a relevant discipline, needs to showcase critical thinking.
- Three recommendation letters
When you submit your references' email addresses, each person will receive an automatic electronic solicitation. It is crucial that you provide a viable email address for each referee. You may wish to notify them in advance so that they can have their letter ready to upload. Please note that your recommenders will only receive this solicitation after you have submitted your application for final review. As such, we recommend that you plan to finalize your application prior to the deadline.
Upon application submission, pay the $75.00 fee through your Application Status page.
Master's Application Fee Waiver
A fee waiver is available for New York State residents who meet the following eligibility requirements. Applicants must:
- Submit a Master's application for formal review to a department in the College of Arts and Sciences
- Present an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0
- List a permanent N.Y. State mailing address
- Meet all posted departmental deadlines for admission
Information about fee waiver eligibility is supplied upon submission of your application.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS:
To be reviewed for admission you must fill out the supplemental questions on the application for international students and upload the following documentation to your application.
These documents should be uploaded to your applicant status portal.
International applicants must also provide the following:
- Complete the Financial Form with supporting bank documents;
- Officially verified TOEFL score from ETS;
- English translation of transcript;
- Proof of degree; and
- Copy of passport.
If you have questions about these documents, please ask - we are happy to help!
Contact Us
Vasiliki Neofotistos
Program Co-Director
Department of Anthropology
Mateo Taussig-Rubbo
Program Co-Director
School of Law