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

This well-regarded combined degree program offers foundational knowledge in both Social Anthropology and Politics, two disciplines that mutually enhance and inform one another. Social anthropology examines human behavior and cognition, exploring the vast social, cultural, and political diversity across global societies.
Investigating these differences while uncovering our shared human essence lies at the core of social anthropology.
First Year - The initial year delivers a comprehensive overview of the field. Students take Social Anthropology 1A and 1B, covering Fundamentals: Studying Anthropology and Fundamentals: Anthropological Practice, alongside selecting two to four elective courses. Second Year - Coursework includes Social Anthropology 2: Key Concepts, Ethnography: Theory & Practice, Fundamentals: Ethnographic Theory, and Fundamentals: Reading & Writing Anthropology. Students also pick two to four supplementary courses, either program-related or from other academic disciplines. Third Year - Required courses encompass: Anthropological Theory, Kinship: Structure & Process, Ritual & Religion, and Consumption, Exchange & Technology. Additionally, students select two specialized courses from options like Happiness: Cross-cultural Perspectives, Urban Anthropology, the Anthropology of Africa, or Latin American Anthropology. The summer between third and fourth years presents research opportunities, with dissertation advisors assisting in project development for UK or international fieldwork. Fourth Year - The mandatory Culture & Power course accompanies honors dissertation completion using gathered research data, while students continue selecting optional courses.