Social Anthropology MA (Hons) Level: Undergraduate Subject: Social Anthropology Year of entry: 2026 Key facts UCAS Code L600 Award MA (Hons) Duration of study 4 years Delivery Full-time Study location Central Area Start date September 2026 School School of Social and Political Science College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Study abroad Available Placement No Open days and events Overview About the degree programme Social anthropology is the study of human conduct and thought. Societies around the world vary enormously socially, culturally and politically.The study of these variations, and the common humanity that underlies them, is at the heart of social anthropology.There are close links between social anthropology and:sociologyhuman geographydevelopment studieshistoryarchaeologyphilosophyYou will take a broad range of courses in Years 1 and 2, which will give you a good grounding in the study of anthropology. This includes an opportunity to undertake anthropological research.You will further develop your understanding of the subject and research skills in Years 3 and 4 by choosing from a variety of advanced option courses. You will also complete a dissertation project of your own design.Between Years 3 and 4 you will spend up to four months on an individual research project that will form the basis of your dissertation. Fieldwork for your project can be done both within and outside the UK. How long it takes to complete this degree programme This programme is studied over 4 years.A key benefit to studying a 4-year degree programme is that you have the flexibility to study a range of subjects, outside your chosen degree programme, in Year 1 and Year 2.This allows you the opportunity to study other courses that interest you or enhance your degree. By the end of Year 2, you can decide which of these subject areas you want to focus on in the honours years of your programme.How long it takes to complete our degree programmes Programme rankings Ranked in Europe's top 5 universities for anthropology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. Programme benefits Bring theory to life by carrying out your own research and fieldwork, in the UK or abroad.You will spend up to four months on an individual research project that will form the basis of your dissertation in Year 4.You will be able to choose from a wide range of courses covering regional specialisations from Africa to Latin America, and thematic specialisations such as happiness, medical anthropology, the invention of history, and anthropology of food. Entry requirements Find your entry requirementsUse the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.Select the qualification you are studying or studied. Where you are studying or where you studied United KingdomAfghanistanAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBhutanBoliviaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanYemenZambiaZimbabweMy country is not listed Qualification - Select a qualification -SQA Highers: standard requirementsSQA Highers: widening access requirementsA levels: standard requirementsA levels: widening access requirementsIB: standard requirementsIB: widening access requirementsOther UK qualificationsMature applicants (including adult returners)International qualifications by country United Kingdom, Fees and funding Tuition fees for MA (Hons) Social Anthropology View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) Social Anthropology. Additional costs If you choose to go overseas to do your dissertation research, you will be responsible for all costs.Most students have no additional costs, as they either remain in the UK or do their research while studying abroad in Year 3. Accommodation and living costs You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.This estimate covers the costs of:accommodationfoodutility billstravel within Edinburghhealth and wellbeing costsSee a breakdown of living costs Scholarships and funding Funding information You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section. Funding Programme details What you will study Year 1 Year 1 provides you with a broad introduction to the subject.You will study:Social Anthropology 1A: The Life CourseSocial Anthropology 1B: Anthropology Matterstwo to four option coursesSocial Anthropology 1A: The Life CourseThis course is intended as an introduction to social anthropology. As well as covering life crisis moments and rituals of birth, marriage, and death, this course includes themes such as:genderpersonhoodwork and making a livingthe houseconsumption and exchangehealththe bodySocial Anthropology 1B: Anthropology MattersThis course examines how concepts and ideas that have driven anthropology help us shed new light on debates that are at the heart of contemporary questions about how our societies work.Each week will include two sessions exploring a single issue and anthropological contributions to debates relating to that issue. The issues explored will vary from year to year, but examples include:climate changehungerwellbeingbody modificationhuman rights Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 2 You will study:Social Anthropology 2: Key ConceptsEthnography: Theory and Practicetwo to four additional courses, either related to your programme or from another academic areaSocial Anthropology 2: Key ConceptsThis course provides a historical overview of anthropological thought. You will be taught through an introduction to keywords that have helped to shape the development of social anthropology.This thematic approach is designed to be engaging and stimulating and to help foster critical, conceptual, and theoretical skills. It will highlight the continued significance of key concepts and oppositions over time.Ethnography: Theory and PracticeIn this course, you will examine the theory and practice of ethnographic fieldwork.At the heart of this course is a collaborative project in which you will learn about qualitative methods by putting them to the test in practical group work.Your collective ethnographies will require you to write extensive field notes, which will be assessed. This will help you learn to write effectively in an academic manner. Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 3 You will study compulsory courses including:Anthropological TheoryKinship: Structure and ProcessRitual and ReligionConsumption, Exchange and TechnologyYou will also choose two courses from a range of topics, such as:The Anthropology of Health and HealingUrban AnthropologyAnthropology and AfricaLatin American AnthropologyYou will have the opportunity to conduct your own research during the summer break between Years 3 and 4. Your dissertation supervisor will help you to plan and develop your research project, which can take place in the UK or overseas. Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Year 4 You will study Culture and Power.This course introduces a range of anthropological approaches to politics. It provides a detailed examination of both open and hidden forms of power and their workings at the global, state, national, community, and personal level.You will also use your research findings to complete an honours dissertation, and continue to study option courses. Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year) Study abroad In addition to your research project, which may be based overseas, you will have the opportunity to study abroad through the University's international exchange programme. What are my options for going abroad? Teaching and assessment Teaching You will be taught through a combination of:lecturesseminarstutorialsYou will receive supervision with your research project. Assessment We will assess you through:examscourseworkproject work Support for your studies You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.Support for your studies Our academic staff Our people are the most important thing about our subject area. It takes a team of academics, professional services colleagues and PhD students working together to deliver our teaching, carry out our research and keep the department running. Together, they form a supportive community covering a range of professional expertise.You can search for academic staff by name or role on our school website.Search academic staff by name or role Where you will study Study location Most of the teaching on this programme takes place at facilities located within the University's Central Area. Academic facilities You will also have access to the University's library and computer facilities. Career paths and further study Career paths Previous graduates from this programme have chosen careers in areas such as:social developmenthealthcarejournalismfilmOthers have gained employment with international organisations such as Oxfam.A growing number of graduates choose to continue with postgraduate study in anthropology, leading to careers as anthropological researchers within:universitiespublic bodies such as the National Health Service (NHS)private sector companies Careers Service Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.With the Careers Service, you can:access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisionsVisit the Careers Service website Further study After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:a masters degreea postgraduate diploma or certificatea PhDa second undergraduate degreeFind out about options for further study Applying How to apply You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.Guidance on applying through UCAS What you need to apply As part of your application, you will need:your academic qualificationsa personal statementevidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)a reference How we select If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.How we select applicants When to apply 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.Search degrees that are open on the UCAS websiteKey application dates and deadlines After you apply After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:How to submit your qualificationsAttend an offer holder eventReceiving our decisionAccepting your offerAfter you’ve accepted your offerIf you have a disability and need more support at university Applying as an international student As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS. Find out more about applying through UCAS Visas and immigration If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme. Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. Applying for a visa Agents An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact. Find contact details for an education agent Life at Edinburgh What our students say Student testimonialsHear about what it is like to study with us, and about life in Edinburgh from those who know it best: our students and graduates.Testimonials from our students and graduatesCheck out our student blogOur team of School of Political Sciences (SPS) student writers share their experiences and thoughts on the things that matter to them on our student blog, for example:writing your first assignmentwhat to do in Edinburgh on the weekendwhat to expect in Welcome Weekliving away from homehybrid learningliving sustainablyOur SPS student blog Accommodation We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.University accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaIf you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place Societies and clubs Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.SocietiesSports clubsAdditionally, most of the departments in the School of Social and Political Science (SPS) have associated student societies, which are designed to offer you the best chance to develop your interests, network and meet like-minded people.Edinburgh Political UnionFacebook - Edinburgh Political UnionX - Edinburgh Political UnionEmail the Edinburgh Political Union at edinburghpolitics@gmail.comSustainable Development AssociationFacebook - Sustainable Development AssociationX - Sustainable Development AssociationEUSA website - Sustainable Development AssociationEmail the Sustainable Development Association at eduni.sda@gmail.comSociology SocietyFacebook - Sociology SocietyInstagram - Sociology SocietyEmail the Sociology Society at edisociologysociety@gmail.comSocial Anthropology SocietyFacebook - Social Anthropology SocietyEmail the Social Anthropology Society at soc.anth.soc@gmail.comSocial Policy SocietyFacebook - Social Policy SocietyX - Social Policy SocietyEmail the Social Policy Society at ediunisocpolsoc@gmail.comQ-Step SocietyFacebook – Q-Step SocietyEmail the Q-Step Society at edqsoc@gmail.com The city of Edinburgh Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life.Find out more about living in Edinburgh Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities to daily life, including: sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) Health and wellbeing support You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.The support services we offer include:a student counselling servicea health centre (doctor's surgery)support if you're living in University accommodationdedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustmentHealth and wellbeing support services Contact and events
