About the Program
Anthropology is the study of humankind from its beginnings to present. In practice, the discipline divides itself into several subfields, each of which focuses on different aspects of human life across space and through time.
The Anthropology HBA programs (Specialist, Major and Minor) focus on contemporary societies, languages and cultures across the globe. Anthropology Arts faculty do research in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and North America. Through far-reaching subject matter – from language and communication to political, legal and economic systems; magic, science and religion to the body, sex and gender – students gain unique insights into the extraordinary similarities and differences that make humans human. The Anthropology HBA fosters skills in oral and written communication, critical thinking and problem solving, social and cultural analysis, and library and field research – highly prized skills among a wide range of employers and professional degree programs. For double majors, our programs pair well with many other disciplines including Sociology, History and Political Science.
Honours Bachelor of Arts
After completing your first year, you'll be asked to confirm what program(s) you wish to study – your Programs of Study. They can be integrated in unique ways to obtain your U of T degree, but must be one of the following three combinations: one Specialist; or two Majors; or one Major and two Minors. You don't need to worry about that now, but if you'd like to learn more about this process, watch our handy video (7 min).
Admission Requirements
You apply to an admission category, which is a collection of similar programs. Once you've accepted an offer of admission to our campus, we go into greater detail about specific program and course selection options.
At the end of your first year, you will choose your program(s), which means that your first year is an excellent opportunity to explore the full breadth of offerings.
Regardless of what you study, remember that you will receive a prestigious University of Toronto degree when you graduate that tells everyone that you are ranked among the best in the world!
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The admission average is calculated with English (ENG4U) plus the next best five Grade 12 U or M courses. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee you admission to the University. Admission is subject to space availability and competition.
The content in this section is based on requirements in the Ontario curriculum.
Find requirements to other common curricula:
- Canadian High School
- International Baccalaureate
- U.S.-Patterned Education
- British-Patterned Education
- French Baccalaureate
- Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)
Please visit the Admissions section of our site for full requirements.
Discover Your Potential
From a secret language that parents don’t understand to the complexities of a not-so-simple handshake, U of T Mississauga anthropologist Sarah Hillewaert studies how young Kenyans negotiate the interaction between traditional and global cultures.
Anthropologist Madeleine Mant takes the concept of school dress codes to an entirely new level. Over the past semester, the U of T Mississauga lecturer has turned up to teach her classes wearing vintage woolen capes, Victorian dresses or a bird-like black leather plague mask.
As summer ends and the cooler months near, the northerners who live along the shore of Hudson Bay, in Arviat, Nunavut, busily prepare for the fall and winter hunting seasons. Soon, beluga whale hunters will set out in boats, casting nets along the way in the hope of also catching Arctic char.
Student Experience
Courses You Would Love
Introduction to linguistic anthropology and sociolinguistics. This includes: the issue of meaning in language, the use of language in context, the role of language in the organization of human activity, language and identity.
This course explores ethnographically the social and cultural practices through which the exercise of power is legitimized, authorized, and contested.
What's the difference between magic and science? Is there one? This course explores anthropological approaches to magic and science and related topics.
Planning Ahead
Whether you want to land your dream job, conduct groundbreaking research, or start your own business, we can get you there. Here are resources to help you explore your career options.
Career Options
Created by our Career Centre, the Careers by Major database identifies some potential career fields, how to gain related skills and experience, and useful resources and job samples. But always remember, your program of study doesn't have to determine your career!
Program Plans
Program Plans are quick and accessible overviews of the many academic and co-curricular opportunities available to help you get the most out of your UTM experience.
Tip Sheets
The Career Centre offers dozens of tip sheets with helpful information about topics related to searching for work, planning your career, and pursuing further education.
View to the U: An eye on UTM research
View to the U is a podcast that features U of T Mississauga faculty members from a range of disciplines who will illuminate some of the inner-workings of the science labs and enlighten the social sciences and humanities hubs at UTM.
On this episode of VIEW to the U, the guest is Zoë Wool, an assistant professor from UTM’s Department of Anthropology and Director of the newly launched Toxicity Waste and Infrastructure Group Research Kitchen. In this interview Zoë talks about the extraordinary range of her work, which spans medical and sociocultural anthropology, and examines the harms of war and toxic burn pits that the US military use around the world, as well as her focus on disability and technology studies, queer theory, and feminist science studies.
Learn More About this Program
Other Programs to Consider
Criminology, Law & Society
The Criminology, Law & Society programs take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and explaining law, crime and criminal justice. This permits students to use select courses in Anthropology, Forensic Science, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, and Women and Gender Studies to satisfy program requirements.
Sociology
Sociology thus creates theories about a broad range of human activity. Sociologists study how families work; how individuals change over the life course; how norms and laws are made, broken, enforced, and changed; how inequalities of gender, class, and race emerge, continue, and change.