MA (Hons) Archaeology and Social Anthropology in Edinburgh United Kingdom | The University of Edinburgh

Archaeology and Social Anthropology explores human behavior across time, from ancient civilizations to contemporary societies. This program investigates the rich diversity of social structures and material culture throughout history. Students can choose to focus their final-year research project on either discipline. Social anthropology analyzes human actions and beliefs, revealing how communities worldwide differ in their social, cultural, and political organization while sharing fundamental human traits. Archaeology reconstructs humanity's entire past, from our earliest ancestors millions of years ago to recent historical periods, through examination of physical artifacts and sites. Unlike archaeology's focus on material remains, social anthropology directly observes living communities, often requiring extended immersive fieldwork. The program provides practical archaeological training, including artifact analysis using our Vere Gordon Childe collection. First-year students participate in a three-week excavation, with opportunities for additional fieldwork, heritage projects, and laboratory work in subsequent years. Those selecting a Social Anthropology dissertation can conduct original research during the summer between third and fourth year.