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This MSc aims to provide sufficient knowledge of advanced medically related anthropology to enable students to utilise anthropological approaches in a range of research and professional roles. We train students in theoretical and applied aspects of the field, preparing them for careers that engage with and impact real-world contexts.
Students new to social science develop an understanding of a social science approach to the experience of illness and health, and gain skills required in social anthropological field research and analysis. For students with previous social science training, the programme focuses on the dimensions particular to medical anthropology.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of two core module (45 credits), optional modules in three distinct fields (45 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, small-group presentations and discussion, tutorials, laboratory and practical work, independent directed reading, interactive teamwork, and video film and web based courses. Assessment is through one examination, two essays, optional module requirements and the research dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Medical Anthropology MSc
Medical Anthropology is a rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field and graduates of our programme have gone on to develop exciting careers in academia, clinical services, social services, government, and non-governmental organisations.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Our approach is broad and open-minded, encompassing analysis of diversity issues in clinical practice, critical medical anthropology, psychology/psychiatry, social impact of genetic technologies, demographics, ethics, and studies of traditional healing. UCL is ranked fifth in the QS World University Rankings and our students benefit from a wealth of resources.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Anthropology was the first in the UK to integrate biological and social anthropology with material culture into a broad-based conception of the discipline. UCL Medical Anthropology at UCL integrates interpretive, critical and applied perspectives.
Our excellent results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercises and 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that we are the leading broad-based anthropology department in the UK. We are also one of the largest anthropology departments in the UK, offering a breadth of expertise.
Students are encouraged to take full advantage of the wider anthropological community in London and the department's strong links with European universities and international institutions.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Anthropology
68% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
New for 2018/19, the MSc in Biosocial Medical Anthropology is for those wishing to gain proficiency and understanding of biosocial approaches in examining disease, health and medicine. It draws from cross-disciplinary expertise in medical anthropology, human ecology and environment, and biological anthropology. It aims to equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to develop careers that engage with and make use of a biosocial approach.
There are two pathways, A: 'Statistic Training Pathway' (for those without statistics training), or B: 'Open Pathway' (for those with demonstrable statistics training e.g. at A level or equivalent).
The programme consists of a core course (30 credits), one or two core modules (15 to 30 credits), two to three optional modules (30 to 45 credits), and a dissertation (90 credits).
Core modules
Biosocial Medical Anthropology (two term module)
Anthropological Methods
Introduction to Statistics (compulsory if no statistics training)
Optional modules
Medical Anthropology
Aspects of Applied Medical Anthropology
Ecology of Human Groups
Population and Development
Evolution of Human Brain, Cognition and Language
Statistics and Causal Analysis for Qualitative Social Scientists
Anthropologies of Science, Society and Biomedicine
Reproduction, Sex and Sexuality
Human Behavioural Ecology
Anthropology and Psychiatry
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Biosocial Medical Anthropology.
Teaching and learning
Seminars, lectures and tutorials form a core part of the learning approach. Students will be encouraged to develop critical and independent thinking and to be able to engage and make use of cross-disciplinary perspectives on the biosocial topics related to health, medicine and disease. Assessment is through examination, essays, dissertation and optional module requirements.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Careers
Biosocial medical anthropology is a new and cutting-edge interdisciplinary approach that will equip students with the skills to think critically and engage with the biosocial contexts of health, disease and medicine. We expect graduates of this programme to be able to develop careers in academia, clinical research, public health, government and non-governmental organisations.
Employability
This programme will equip students for careers in research related to biosocial approaches to health, disease and illness and also for working across a wide range of health care arenas including public and global health, international development.
UCL Anthropology was the first in the UK to integrate biological and social anthropology with material culture into a broad-based conception of the discipline. It is one of the largest anthropology departments in the UK in terms of both staff and research student numbers, offering an exceptional breadth of expertise.
Our excellent results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise and 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that we are the leading broad-based anthropology department in the UK.
Students are encouraged to take full advantage of the wider anthropological community in London and the department's strong links with European universities and international institutions.
All applicants
Open: 11 January 2018
Close: 27 July 2018
The MSc in Medical Anthropology offers a unique opportunity to engage with anthropological approaches to the study of health drawing on sociocultural, ecological and evolutionary perspectives. The course provides a strong grounding in ethnographic approaches to the study of health, the political ecology of health and the application of anthropology to contemporary public health concerns, as well as a diverse range of options in areas such as theories of the body and evolutionary medicine. Our unique biosocial approach to the anthropology of health is one of our key strengths and attracts a wide range of students, contributing to a stimulating and exciting learning environment. An emphasis on developing and applying research skills is also central to our degree. The course is taught by the academic researchers from our highly regarded Anthropology of Health Research Group http://www.durham.ac.uk/anthropology/research/health
Please see the website for further information on modules.
The full-time course runs for a full year, from October to September. Full-time students attend classes between October and December (Michaelmas Term) and January and March (Epiphany), with further assessment in April and May (Easter Term), and then work, under the supervision of a specialist supervisor, to complete a dissertation by September. Core modules introduce the Anthropology of Global Health and Public Health Anthropology, and anthropological methods. Students can choose to focus on qualitative or quantitative methods or to train in both.
The programme is delivered through a mixture of interactive lectures, seminars, practical sessions and workshops, in addition to one-to-one dissertation supervision. Typically, lectures deliver key information on progressively more advanced themes and topics. Seminars provide an opportunity to reflect in more depth upon material delivered in lectures and gathered from independent study outside the programme’s formal contact hoursThey give students an opportunity to engage with academic issues at the cutting-edge of research in Anthropology, in a learning environment focused on discussion and debate of current issues.
Full-time students have on average 6-8 hours of formal teaching and learning contact per week, and are also expected to attend weekly departmental and Anthropology of Health Research Group research seminars, often given by prominent visiting speakers. Students also have the opportunity to present their work at the Department’s annual postgraduate conference, and to join activities with other universities, such as our annual advanced medical anthropology workshop with the University of Edinburgh. Outside timetabled contact hours, students are expected to devote significant amounts of time to reading, discussing and preparing for classes, assignments and project work.
Throughout the programme, all students meet fortnightly with the degree tutor, who provides academic support and guidance. Furthermore, all members of teaching staff have weekly office hours when they are available to meet with students on a ‘drop-in’ basis, or can be e-mailed to arrange a mutually agreeable time. Students work closely with leading academics to develop an original piece of research for their dissertation, and guidance on the dissertation is also provided by the dissertation leader. Before the academic year starts, we provide information on preparing for the course. On arrival we have induction sessions, including a field trip and social events, headed by the Director of Postgraduate Studies and the degree tutor for Medical Anthropology. Students also attend an introduction to our departmental research groups, including the Anthropology of Health Research Group.
Students with a postgraduate qualification in Anthropology pursue a diverse array of careers in areas such as conservation, tourism, public health, health research and management, captive primate care and zoological research management, local government research and management, education (secondary, further and higher), social care, social research, in addition to academia.
This programme will enable you to join the key debates on contemporary medical anthropology, apply analytical tools drawn from social theory, select anthropological research methods for use in health-related settings and develop a research agenda.
You will follow taught courses, and receive hands-on training in social research skills. You will also complete an individually supervised project on a topic of your choice. Students often progress to a PhD in Social Anthropology, but the MSc can also be taken as a standalone degree.
The dissertation will constitute the main work in which you demonstrate your learning. It normally takes the form of an extended research proposal with the following components:
Where the programme is taken as a standalone degree, the dissertation normally includes a component of data collection and analysis, or selection of theoretical documents and analysis.
This interdisciplinary MSc by Research is an opportunity to develop a specialisation in an area of medical sociology or anthropology.
On completion of the programme you will be able to articulate your own approach to theories and methodologies in medical sociology; think creatively about the social dynamics of health and healing in local and global perspectives; and think from both medical and social science perspectives.
This programme studies health, illness and healing from a cross-cultural perspective.
With a focus on the understanding of health, illness and medicine in a globalised world, this programme allows you to engage with contemporary debates about old ills and emerging diseases, and explore both traditional forms of healing and modern medical technologies.
You’ll examine key questions in current medical anthropology from the perspective of both medical and social sciences, and address relevant issues, such as the way encounters between patients and professional healers are negotiated in varied cultural settings; the importance of political, economic and historical analysis to an understanding of the body; and the health-related effects of globalisation.
Intended for a diverse range of students, this distinctive and interdisciplinary programme will complement your background in anthropology or health sciences
This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Health Academy and Global Development Academy:
Teaching combines lectures, seminars and tutorials, and you will produce essays and assessed coursework.
The programme works in close collaboration with the Global Public Health Unit and other subjects in the School of Social & Political Science.
You will complete two compulsory courses and four option courses. You are also encouraged to take the Development Research Methods course.
After the taught courses you will work towards your independently researched dissertation.
You will gain the conceptual and methodological skills to understand contemporary health practices in a wider context of social, political, and economic problems, and be able to work in academic and applied health research.
The programme also acts as a conversion MSc for those without training in anthropology who wish to progress to a research career.
In addition, you will develop a range of highly transferable skills, such as communication and project management, which can be applied to roles in any field.
The Anthropology MRes offers students a thorough grounding in a wide range of biological or social science methodologies and methods, an advanced knowledge of contemporary questions in anthropology, and training in statistical and professional skills, which prepare graduates for doctoral research or employment as social science researchers.
Students develop an advanced knowledge and understanding of topics in one of the sub-disciplines of anthropology (biological, social, medical or material culture). They are prepared for advanced level research through a general training in social science research methods and specialised research training in broad-based anthropological research methods and techniques.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of two core modules (45 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (105 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
The following is a selection of possible optional modules:
Dissertation/report
All MRes students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 17,000 words (inclusive of notes).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, small group presentations and discussion, tutorials, laboratory and practical work, independent directed reading, interactive teamwork, video, and film and web-based courses. Assessment is through coursework, unseen and take-home examination, laboratory books, posters and the dissertation.
Fieldwork
Students usually conduct fieldwork over the summer after the end of the third term. The research carried out will inform the final dissertation,
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Anthropology MRes
With the completion of the MRes, we expect students to be highly competent professionals, who will either continue to the MPhil/PhD level or who will be well equipped to apply their knowledge of social science methodologies and methods and their specific anthropological expertise in a range of settings.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
The MRes enhances the profile of students who already have a strong background in anthropology by training them in professional skills, statistics and various other social science methods. Exposure to positivist social science methodologies makes graduates attractive candidates for positions in NGOs or work in applied social science. Emphasis on research design and data collection through field research prepares graduates to be independent researchers. The general social science orientation of the degree qualifies students to apply for research positions on grants in various disciplines, and it opens the way to doctoral study in anthropology and other social science subjects.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Anthropology was the first in the UK to integrate biological, social, medical and material culture into a broad-based conception of the discipline. It is one of the largest anthropology departments in the UK in terms of both staff and research student numbers, offering an exceptional breadth of expertise.
Our excellent results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise and 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that we are the leading broad-based anthropology department in the UK.
Students are encouraged to take full advantage of the wider anthropological community in London and the department's strong links with European universities and international institutions.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Anthropology
68% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The MA in Anthropology and Development is an advanced degree in socio-cultural anthropology with a particular emphasis on the Critical Anthropology of Development. During their studies students shall be provided with a sophisticated introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of socio-cultural anthropology, together with a block of modules that open up and explore the conceptual and methodological core of the discipline, and a series of specialised modules in the Critical Anthropology of Development. Students are also asked to write a thesis in the Anthropology of Development. This Masters programme is primarily a scholarly degree that aims to equip students for later doctoral research or for work in third sector roles that demand academic social-scientific knowledge or the particular skills of trained ethnographic researchers.
Students take a total of 90 credits over 1 year.
Compulsory Modules (70 credits)
AN651 Social Thought (10 credits)
AN653 Writing Cultures (10 credits)
AN649 Foundations of Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
AN652 Key Concepts in Anthropology (10 credits)
AN669 Topics in Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
AN634T Thesis (30 credits)
Optional Modules (subject to availability)
AN646 Foundations of Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
AN647 Foundations of Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
AN648 Foundations of Material Culture and Design (5 credits)
AN862 Ethnography Winter School (5 credits)
AN657 Ethnographic Ireland (5 credits)
AN630 Creole Culture (5 credits)
AN666 Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
AN667 Topics in Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
AN668 Topics in Material Culture & Design (5 credits)
PD606 Design Ethnography (7.5 credits)
GY621 Dublin Urban Laboratory (10 credits)
GY619 Public Engagement Research and Practice (10 credits)
GY627 Places, Landscapes, Mappings (10 credits)
Students complete an intensive course of four 6-week compulsory modules in anthropological theory (10 credits each) alongside four compulsory modules in Anthropology and Development (5 credits each), as well as two Saturday workshops. Students develop a proposal for a research project during the taught year in consultation with a member of the anthropology faculty, who will advise the student and mark the project. In the summer, students register for the 30-credit Thesis, which must be completed by early September.
An anthropology degree provides an excellent preparation for a wide variety of fields in both public and private sectors, and is an especially good foundation for an international career. Anthropology has become increasingly important as a job skill in the context of globalisation, where a deeper understanding of cultural difference is crucial, both locally and internationally. Our graduates go on to employment in a wide variety of careers in community work, education, the health professions, product design, international aid and development projects, NGO work, business and administration, and more.
The MA in Anthropology is an advanced degree in socio-cultural anthropology in which students are given a sophisticated introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of the discipline, a block of modules that open up and explore the conceptual and methodological core of the discipline, and a series of specialised modules that show the range of socio-cultural anthropology today. Students are also required to write a thesis. The MA in Anthropology is primarily a scholarly degree that aims to equip students for later doctoral research or for work in roles that demand academic social-scientific knowledge or the particular skills of trained ethnographic researchers.
In the autumn and spring semesters, students complete an intensive course of four 6-week compulsory modules in anthropological theory (10 credits each) alongside two professional development modules and two optional modules (5 credits each). The taught programme develops students’ core theoretical competence and combines this with the methodological tools necessary to successfully formulate an anthropological topic and carry out a research project. In the summer, students register for the 30-credit Thesis, which must be completed by early September.
Students take a total of 90 credits over 1 year.
Compulsory Modules (60 credits)
AN651 Social Thought (10 credits)
AN653 Writing Cultures (10 credits)
AN652 Key Concepts in Anthropology (10 credits)
AN634T Thesis (30 credits)
Optional Modules (subject to availability)
AN646 Foundations of Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
AN647 Foundations of Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
AN648 Foundations of Material Culture and Design (5 credits)
AN649 Foundations of Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
AN862 Ethnography Winter School (5 credits)
AN657 Ethnographic Ireland (5 credits)
AN630 Creole Culture (5 credits)
AN666 Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
AN667 Topics in Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
AN668 Topics in Material Culture & Design (5 credits)
AN669 Topics in Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
PD606 Design Ethnography (7.5 credits)
GY621 Dublin Urban Laboratory (10 credits)
GY619 Public Engagement Research and Practice (10 credits)
GY627 Places, Landscapes, Mappings (10 credits)
An anthropology degree provides an excellent preparation for a wide variety of fields in both public and private sectors, and is an especially good foundation for an international career. Anthropology has become increasingly important as a job skill in the context of globalisation, where a deeper understanding of cultural difference is crucial, both locally and internationally. Our graduates go on to employment in a wide variety of careers in community work, education, the health professions, product design, international aid and development projects, NGO work, business and administration, and more.
This Economic and Social Research Council approved MA provides training in research methods with a focus on methods used by researchers in anthropology. At the end of this course, you will be well-prepared to go on to do research in Anthropology or a related discipline. Most students expect to move on to a PhD. The course includes training in qualitative and quantitative methods needed by researchers in social sciences and draws on expertise within the Department of Anthropology to provide specialised training in either sociocultural anthropology, medical anthropology, the anthropology of development or cultural evolution (depending on your chosen pathway). It is affiliated to the Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership, which offers funding to British and European Union students interested in taking the course preparatory to moving on to a PhD at Durham.
The full-time course runs for a full year, from October to September. Students attend classes between October and December (Michaelmas Term) and January and March (Epiphany), with assessment in April and May (Easter Term), and then work, under the supervision of a specialist supervisor, to complete a dissertation in September. This is often a pilot project for a PhD project.
Students take core modules on qualitative and quantitative methods. Further modules are chosen from within each specialist pathway.
Please see the website for further information on modules.
The programme is delivered through a mixture of interactive lectures, seminars and workshops, in addition to one-to-one dissertation supervision. Typically, lectures deliver key information on progressively more advanced themes and topics. Seminars provide an opportunity to reflect in more depth upon material delivered in lectures and gathered from independent study outside the programme’s formal contact hours. They give students an opportunity to engage with academic issues at the cutting-edge of research in Anthropology, in a learning environment focused on discussion and debate of current issues.
Full-time students have on average 8 hours of formal teaching and learning contact per week and are also expected to attend weekly departmental seminars and research group seminars (hosted by our Social Anthropology Research Group http://www.durham.ac.uk/anthropology/research/socialanthropology, our Anthropology of Health Research Group http://www.durham.ac.uk/anthropology/research/health and our Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group http://www.durham.ac.uk/anthropology/research/evolutionary, depending on their particular interests. Outside timetabled contact hours, students are also expected to devote significant amounts of time to reading, discussing and preparing for classes, assignments and project work. Throughout the programme, all students meet fortnightly with their degree tutor, who provides academic support and guidance. Furthermore, all members of teaching staff have weekly office hours when they are available to meet with students on a ‘drop-in’ basis. Students work closely with leading academics (usually their expected PhD supervisors) to develop an original piece of research for their dissertation, and guidance on the dissertation is also provided by the dissertation leader. Before the academic year starts, we make provide information on preparation for the course. On arrival, we have induction sessions, including field trip, and social events, headed by the Director of Postgraduate Studies and the Degree Tutor for the MA. Students also attend an “Introduction to Research Groups in Anthropology”.
Students with a postgraduate qualification in Anthropology pursue a diverse array of careers in areas such as conservation, tourism, public health, health research and management, captive primate care and zoological research management, local government research and management, education (secondary, further and higher), social care, social research, in addition to academia.
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