Social Anthropology

Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews offers students a comprehensive exploration of human societies, cultures, and social processes. This interdisciplinary programme combines ethnographic research, theoretical analysis, and historical context to provide a deep understanding of the diverse ways in which human beings organize their lives, beliefs, and relationships across the world. Students are encouraged to engage critically with contemporary social issues, examining topics such as identity, power, conflict, and social change through a variety of ethnographic case studies and theoretical frameworks. The programme emphasizes qualitative research methods, including fieldwork and participant observation, enabling students to develop practical skills that are highly valued in academia, government, NGOs, and international organizations. Throughout their studies, students have the opportunity to analyze cultural practices, social institutions, and belief systems within their specific contexts, fostering a nuanced appreciation of diversity and human complexity. The curriculum includes core modules in anthropological theory, ethnographic methodology, and area studies, as well as options that reflect current global challenges such as globalization, migration, environmental change, and human rights. Students are supported by expert faculty who are active researchers in fields such as kinship, religion, political systems, and everyday social interactions. The programme prepares graduates for various careers, including research, policy analysis, education, and community development, by equipping them with critical thinking, cultural awareness, and communication skills. With its rich academic environment and strong emphasis on fieldwork and practical application, the Social Anthropology degree at St Andrews is ideal for students passionate about understanding human societies in a global context.

Over two semesters, students take two compulsory and two optional modules. Teaching methods include formal lectures combined with seminar style teaching and student-led group work. Lecture class sizes range from five to ten students and tutorial sizes range from two to six students. Modules are assessed through coursework which includes essays, independent research-led assignments and group assessed oral presentations.

Over the course of the year, with particular focus during the summer months, you will devise a research project culminating in a 15,000-word dissertation. Every taught postgraduate student is assigned an individual supervisor from among the Anthropology staff who works with them closely to develop a topic and direction for the end of degree dissertation.

The Department of Social Anthropology provides postgraduates access to a museum collection of ethnographic objects and a common room that includes a general anthropological class library, providing a space that is shared by both staff and postgraduates. The departmental libraries, along with the main library which holds a fine anthropology collection, include materials from all ethnographic regions of the world.

Compulsory modules

• The Anthropology of Connections: Interdisciplinarity as Methodology: examines the relevance of other disciplines for social anthropology by working with methodologies and concepts drawn from history, social science, philosophy, language and the arts.
• Research Methods in Social Anthropology: examines the methodology of anthropological research through close attention to the relationship between method and fieldwork experience.

Optional modules

Students choose two optional modules, taking one in each semester. 

• Being a Social Scientist: Skills, Processes and Outcomes: focuses on how to design and produce a research dissertation and addresses issues of professional development (e.g. ethics, careers, grant writing).
• Philosophy and Methodology of the Social Sciences: introduces students to the basic theoretical approaches in the social sciences, covering the methodological and epistemological issues involved in conducting social scientific research.
• Qualitative Methods in Social Research: offers both a theoretical and practical introduction to the collection, analysis and writing of qualitative social science research.
• Quantitative Research in Social Science: an introduction to the fundamental concepts of quantitative analysis.
• Anthropology, Art and Perception 1 or Anthropology, Art and Perception 2
• Anthropology of the Pacific 1 or Anthropology of the Pacific 2
• Amerindian History and Ethnography or Special Subject (Amerindian Studies)

Dissertation

Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August. 

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MRes, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGCert or PGDip instead of an MRes.

Requirements

• Postgraduate candidates will be expected to hold a Russian Bachelor’s degree - Diplom Bakalavra/ Bakalavr Diploma or a Specialist Degree issued by the Russian Federation -  Specialist Diploma / Diplom Specialista.  In either case, students should have completed their degree with an average mark (grade) of 4 or higher on the Russian 5-point marking scale.  Students with higher level qualifications such as Magistr, the Kandidat Nauk, would also be considered for postgraduate study.
• CV
• Sample of academic work (2,000 words)
• Letter of intent (300 to 500 words)
• Two original signed academic references
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates 
• IELTS 7.0

Scholarships

• Russia Global Education Program (GEP)
• Accommodation Award
• Chevening Scholarships 
• Thomas and Margaret Roddan Trust Bursary 

Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews offers students an in-depth exploration of human societies, cultures, and social structures across the globe. The program is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the diversity of human life, emphasizing ethnographic research methods and critical analysis of social issues. Students studying Social Anthropology will engage with topics such as kinship, religion, politics, economic practices, and contemporary social challenges, enabling them to develop a nuanced perspective on human behavior and societal change. The curriculum combines theoretical frameworks with practical fieldwork opportunities, encouraging students to apply their learning in real-world contexts.

The program is structured to offer flexibility, allowing students to tailor their studies according to their interests while gaining a solid foundation in anthropological theories and methods. Throughout the course, students will enhance their analytical skills, cultural awareness, and research competencies, preparing them for careers in academia, public policy, development agencies, cultural heritage, or international organizations. The university's strong emphasis on ethnographic research ensures students can acquire valuable field experience, often involving travel and community engagement, which is essential for a well-rounded anthropological education.

Faculty members are experts in various areas of social anthropology, including medical anthropology, political anthropology, economic anthropology, and visual anthropology. Students benefit from the university's vibrant academic community and access to extensive resources and archives. The program also encourages interdisciplinary approaches, enabling students to explore intersections with sociology, politics, history, and other social sciences.

Graduates of the Social Anthropology program at St Andrews have gone on to work in numerous fields, including NGOs, governmental organizations, research institutions, and cultural sectors, or pursued postgraduate studies for further specialization. The program's emphasis on critical thinking, field research, and cultural understanding aims to produce socially conscious and globally aware graduates equipped with skills to address complex social issues. Overall, studying Social Anthropology at St Andrews offers an engaging, rigorous, and globally relevant education that prepares students to understand and contribute to diverse societies worldwide.