MS in Medical Anthropology & Cross-Cultural Practice

The Master of Science Program in Medical Anthropology & Cross-Cultural Practice is designed as a 60-unit, two-year, full-time program requiring research methods and theory courses, seven electives, a service-learning internship, summer fieldwork, a series of professional development workshops, and a master’s thesis. Program start is in September only. Students can opt to participate in the program on a half-time basis.

The overall goal of the MS in Medical Anthropology & Cross-Cultural Practice is to provide interdisciplinary training in medical anthropology and cross-cultural clinical and/or research practice. The curriculum has been designed to provide students with a solid foundation in the theory and methods of medical anthropological and qualitative research, and in the student’s own area of concentration.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the history and breadth of medical anthropology theory and its applications in research.
• Demonstrate an ability to design and propose an original qualitative fieldwork research project for ethics committee review and funding agencies.
• Demonstrate expertise in a particular area of research concentration.
• Demonstrate effective public and professional communication of medical anthropology research through publication and presentations.
• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with a group related to research focus, to develop applied dimensions.
• Demonstrate the ability to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Program Requirements

Required Seminars

• GMS MA 700 History and Theory of Medical Anthropology, 1
• GMS MA 701 History and Theory of Medical Anthropology, 2
• GMS MA 708 Internship
• GMS MA 709 Internship
• GMS MA 710 Medical Anthropological and Qualitative Research Methods and Design
• GMS MA 711/GMS MA S711 Summer Fieldwork, 1
• GMS MA 712/GMS MA S712 Summer Fieldwork, Pt 2
• GMS MA 734 Reading Ethnography in Medical Anthropology
• GMS MA 735 Writing Ethnography in Medical Anthropology
• GMS MA 742 Medical Anthropological and Qualitative Data Analysis
• GMS MA 770 IRB Proposal Development and Writing
• GMS MA 785 Medical Anthropology Thesis Writing, 1
• GMS MA 786 Medical Anthropology Thesis Writing, 2 (currently titled Final Project Writing Seminar)

Elective Courses (7)

In addition to the required seminars and thesis-related requirements, students must also take a total of seven electives:

• A minimum of three MACCP electives
• Up to 12 elective units can be taken outside of the program, either as three 4-unit courses, or combinations of 2-unit and 4-unit outside courses.
• Volunteer Service-Learning Internship

Thesis-Related Fieldwork in the Boston Region

• Master of Science Thesis
• ePortfolio