Anthropology and Communication Joint Major
Bachelor of Arts
Anthropology and communication overlap in many concerns: nature, production, commodification, and politics of culture; communicative processes and social identity, class, gender, etc. This joint major is for those who share these common interests.
A minimum 2.50 CGPA is required for entry to this program. A minimum 2.25 CGPA is required for continuance in this program.
Students may complete their BA degree in either the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, or in the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology.
Program Requirements
Students complete 120 units, as specified below.
Lower Division Anthropology Requirements
Students complete a minimum of 18 units, including all of
SA 101
-
Introduction to Anthropology (A)
(4)
Anthropology asks fundamental questions about how people live and interact in different contexts. Engages with contemporary social life around the world, including the relations among people, ideas, and things. Provides analytical tools to help understand the role of culture and society in our lives. Breadth-Social Sciences.
| Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
|
D100
|
Bascom Guffin
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D101
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Tue, 4:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D102
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Tue, 4:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D103
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
Show lab/tutorial sections
SA 201W
-
Anthropology and Contemporary Life (A)
(4)
An introduction to the anthropological perspective as applied to the organization of everyday life in contemporary settings. Introduces positivist, interpretive, and critical interpretive approaches to the analysis of social actions, identities, and values as enacted in space and time. Prerequisite: Recommended: SA 101. Writing.
| Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
|
OL01
|
Jie Yang
|
|
Online
|
SA 255
-
Introduction to Social Research (SA)
(4)
Explores how sociologists and anthropologists investigate social relations and contexts. Students learn to develop research questions and turn them into research projects. Introduces data collection techniques and related ethical issues, the relationship between theory and research, and other fundamental concepts and issues involved in conducting qualitative and quantitative research. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150. Quantitative.
and two additional 200 division SA course designated (A), (S), or (SA).
Lower Division Communication Requirements
Students complete all of
CMNS 120W
-
Creativity and Communication Across Media
(3)
Introduces students to the creative practice of multimodal writing and content creation for communication and media studies. Topics may include: creativity and idea generation; media literacy in digital environments; writing conventions for various platforms and genres; analytical writing and scholarly argumentation; audio-visual production for popular audiences. Writing.
| Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
|
D100
|
Jennesia Pedri
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D101
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 8:30–9:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D102
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 9:30–10:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D103
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D104
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D105
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
|
D106
|
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
Show lab/tutorial sections
CMNS 130
-
Communication and Social Change
(3)
An introduction to the forms, theories and institutions of communication as they relate to broader social change, with a focus on the political, economic and regulatory shifts characterizing Canadian and transnational media systems. This course is required for a major, honours or minor in communication.
| Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
|
OL01
|
Darren Fleet
|
|
Online
|
and at least five 200 level CMNS courses, including
CMNS 201W
-
Empirical Communication Research Methods
(4)
*
An introduction to empirical research methods in diverse traditions of communication enquiry. Some methods recognize communication as everyday interactions; others analyze communication as a process; still others blend traditional scientific empiricism with analytical and critical methods derived from the arts and humanities. Topics include: ethics, paradigms, conceptualizing and operationalizing research, sampling, interviews, surveys, unobtrusive observation, content analysis, and the role of statistics in communication research. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 201 or CMNS 260 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Quantitative.
or
CMNS 201
-
Empirical Communication Research Methods
(4)
*
An introduction to empirical research methods in diverse traditions of communication enquiry. Some methods recognize communication as everyday interactions; others analyze communication as a process; still others blend traditional scientific empiricism with analytical and critical methods derived from the arts and humanities. Topics include: ethics, paradigms, conceptualizing and operationalizing research, sampling, interviews, surveys, unobtrusive observation, content analysis, and the role of statistics in communication research. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 201W or CMNS 260 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
CMNS 202
-
Design and Method in Qualitative Communication Research
(4)
An introduction to interpretive approaches in communication inquiry. Topics include ethics, paradigms, conceptualizing the research process, documentary research, historical methods, discourse or textual analysis, ethnographic research, and performative research. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 262 may not take CMNS 202 for further credit.
Upper Division Anthropology Requirements
Students complete a minimum of 20 units, including
SA 301
-
Contemporary Ethnography (A)
(4)
A consideration of key themes in contemporary anthropology. Addresses theoretical and methodological questions by examining the work of contemporary anthropologists conducting research in diverse locations around the world. Prerequisite: SA 101.
SA 356W
-
Ethnography and Qualitative Methods (SA)
(4)
An examination of qualitative field methods, including participant observation, interviewing, archival research, cross-cultural research, life histories, network analysis, mapping, and ethical problems of fieldwork. Prerequisite: SA 255. Writing.
| Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
|
D100
|
Madelyn Prevost
|
May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
and three upper division SA electives. All of these must be designated (A). One of these must be a 400 division course.
No more than four units of Directed Readings and no more than 15 upper division units transferred from another institution may be used toward completion of these requirements.
Upper Division Communication Requirements
Students complete six upper division CMNS courses (minimum of 24 upper division units).
Directed study and field placement courses may not be used to meet this requirement.
Graduation Requirements
In addition to the normal university degree requirements, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology requires a minimum 2.00 SA cumulative grade point average (CGPA) (calculated on all SA courses completed at SFU), and a minimum 2.00 SA CUDGPA (calculated on all upper division SA courses completed at SFU) for graduation with an SA program.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Degree Requirements
For all bachelor of arts (BA) programs, students complete 120 units, which includes
- at least 60 units that must be completed at Simon Fraser University
- at least 45 upper division units, of which at least 30 upper division units must be completed at Simon Fraser University
- at least 60 units (including 21 upper division units) in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses
- satisfaction of the writing, quantitative, and breadth requirements
- an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and upper division overall CGPA of at least 2.0, and program CGPA and upper division program CGPA of at least 2.0 on the course work used to satisfy the minimum program requirements. FASS departments may define additional GPA requirements for their respective programs.
Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology Degree Requirements
For more information, please refer to the SFU Degree Requirements.
Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements
Students admitted to Simon Fraser University beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.
WQB Graduation Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit
| Requirement |
Units
|
Notes |
| W - Writing |
6
|
Must include at least one upper division course, taken at Simon Fraser University within the student's major subject; two courses (minimum three units each)
|
| Q - Quantitative |
6
|
Q courses may be lower or upper division; two courses (total six units or more) |
| B - Breadth |
18
|
Designated Breadth |
Must be outside the student's major subject, and may be lower or upper division:
Two courses (total six units or more) Social Sciences: B-Soc
Two courses (total six units or more) Humanities: B-Hum
Two courses (total six units or more) Sciences: B-Sci
|
|
6
|
Additional Breadth |
Two courses (total six units or more) outside the student's major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements).
Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.
|
Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit
- At least half of the program's total units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.
- At least two thirds of the program's total upper division units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.
Elective Courses
In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.