BA Medical Anthropology at The Ohio State University

Programme overview

Medical anthropology is the study of health, illness and disease from an evolutionary, biocultural, cross-cultural and historical perspective. Medical anthropology focuses on how biology, culture and the environment intersect to shape variability in human health and well-being through an evolutionary lens, while maintaining a biocultural perspective emphasizing the need for ethnographic engagement with diverse populations.

Faculty: Arts and Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Columbus, OH, United States

What you will study

The BS option requires a minimum of 46 credit hours; the BA option requires a minimum of 43 credit hours. In either option, students will complete prerequisite course work in physical and cultural anthropology and statistics and core course work in medical anthropology, epidemiology, anthropological theory, research design and more. See the full list of possible courses for the BS option. See the full list of possible courses for the BA option.

Career pathways

A variety of employment opportunities exist for a graduate with a medical anthropology degree, including working as administrators analysts, and researchers in health care settings, domestic and international nonprofit organizations (e.g., Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, RAND Corporation, World Health Organization), think tanks (e.g., Economic Policy Institute, Kaiser Family.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to the university (and the Arts and Sciences college where applicable) applies; no separate programme-specific requirement published. The medical anthropology major can lead to a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree. The BS option is designed for students committed to pursuing careers in health care (in fields such as public health, occupational therapy, psychiatry, nursing and allied health fields).

Domestic applicants: USD 12,921 a year (2026-27). Columbus campus on-campus Instructional Fee (tuition) for students beginning Autumn 2026: $6,460.50 per semester at 12-18 credit hours, shown as two semesters (Autumn and Spring). The Ohio State Tuition Guarantee fixes this rate for four years for Ohio re Source

Entry terms for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus: Autumn 2027 and Spring 2027 (Spring 2027 deadline November 1, 2026). Summer first-year applications are not accepted.

Transfer applicants can start in Spring, Summer or Autumn 2027.

First-year, Columbus campus, Autumn 2027: early action (non-binding) deadline November 1, 2026; regular decision deadline January 15, 2027; financial aid priority date February 1; acceptance fee deadline May 1, 2027. Early action decisions: December 11 (Ohio residents and Stamps Eminence applicants) and January 22 (non-Ohio residents and international applicants); regular decision decisions March 5.

First-year applicants apply with the Common Application. ACT or SAT scores are required for first-year Columbus applicants (superscored; sent directly by the testing agency); applicants out of high school two or more years are not required to submit scores. The essay is not required.

Transfer applicants (Columbus campus): Spring 2027 deadline November 1, 2026; Autumn 2027 deadline March 1, 2027; Summer 2027 deadline May 15, 2027. Regional campuses: December 1, 2026, April 15, 2027 and July 15, 2027 respectively.

International transfer applicants: Spring 2027 deadline October 1, 2026; Autumn 2027 deadline March 1, 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply

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