Social Anthropology - Humanitarian and Environmental Crises - MA

Our world is experiencing humanitarian and environmental challenges of disturbing dimensions. This programme addresses these challenges from a human and ethical angle, exploring the social, political, economic and technological aspects of the crises that mark our contemporary world.

Overview

Study Social Anthropology to deepen your understanding the roots of global challenges and human suffering – and to make a difference to today’s complex world. Our programme provides excellent preparation for a wide range of careers such as non-governmental organisations aimed at humanitarian issues and state initiatives providing aid in response to conflict or planetary emergency.

What you’ll learn

You’ll explore how to study humanitarian or environmental crises from an anthropological point of view using a variety of ethnographic research methods, such as interviewing, participant observation, and localised surveys.

Careers

Our Social Anthropology Master’s programmes is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as having research training status, so successful completion of these courses is sufficient preparation for research in the various fields of social anthropology. Many of our students go on to do PhD research. Others use their Master’s qualification in employment ranging from research in government departments to teaching to consultancy work overseas.

Many of our alumni teach in academic positions in universities across the world, whilst others work for a wide range of organisations. Examples of positions held by our alumni include:

• Corporate anthropologist
• Campaign developer for War Child
• Project director for the Global Diversity Foundation
• Curator at Beirut Botanic Gardens
• Film producer for First German Television
• Project manager for Porchlight Homelessness Charity.

A first or second class honours degree in anthropology or associated fields. In certain circumstances, we will consider students who have not followed a conventional education path. These cases are assessed individually by the Director of Graduate Studies and the programme convenor. All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.