Social Anthropology MA

Year of entry: 2025

Course length: 12 months Full-Time | 24 Months Part-time

About the course

The MA in Social Anthropology is an ideal course for students who are new to the field as well as those who already hold an undergraduate degree in Social Anthropology and wish to deepen their anthropological knowledge. By enrolling in this program, you will have the opportunity to question assumptions that are often taken for granted and develop a fresh perspective on the world. Through the study of ethnography, you will learn to critically analyse and compare different societies, gaining a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

This course aims to provide you with an anthropologically informed understanding of social life, both in Western and non-Western societies. By exploring the remarkable diversity of human social and cultural experiences, we strive to challenge your preconceived notions and broaden your worldview. In addition to expanding your academic knowledge, the MA Social Anthropology course equips you with valuable transferable skills. These include assessing research reports, honing your essay-writing abilities, improving oral presentation skills for seminars and various settings, developing computing proficiency, and conducting effective bibliographic research.

See the full course profile on our website >

Study at a university ranked top 10 in the UK and top 30 in the world for Anthropology

(QS rankings by subject 2023)

Join one of the largest Social Anthropology departments in the UK

We're one of the top 10 departments in the country for Social Anthropology research

(REF 2021)

Compulsory Units

Images, Text, Fieldwork
MA Ethnography Reading Seminar
Key Approaches in Social Anthropology
Contemporary Debates in Social Anthropology

Optional Units

Anthropology of Development and Humanitarianism
Anthropology of Displacement and Migration: Why and how do people move?
Anthropology of Human Learning: Childhood and Education
Ethnographies and Adventures in Manchester
Anthropology of Health and Wellbeing
Food and Eating: The Cultural Body

These are examples of units offered in 2023/24 and are subject to change.

See the full list of units and find out more on the full course profile >

Where will your degree take you?

Social Anthropology MA allows you to develop a variety of highly transferrable skills, including analytical, research, problem solving and communication skills, which are in high demand for a wide variety of different roles.

Our graduates are highly sought after and are able to use their skills and knowledge in a wide range of different areas, such as the creative arts, journalism and the media, education, business management and administration, and government work.

This degree also allows you to develop skills applicable to jobs in social research, management, third sector services, social work, and teaching, as well as to progress to PhD level study, research and academia.

Thomas Webb-Riley

Social Anthropology MA

"The lecturers always make time and seem really interested in having an honest academic conversation, I’ve had my viewpoints challenged and been set onto a more anthropological way of thinking. I feel very lucky to be here, I’ve really enjoyed both semesters and all my lecturers have been amazing."