Our BA Social Anthropology Degree explores what it is to be human in a complex and changing world.

You will study the great variety of beliefs and practices that exist around the world, from remote communities to global cities. You will learn theoretical frameworks and question your own assumptions, helping you to think creatively about how to address global problems.

Bridging the humanities and social sciences, anthropology offers a unique approach grounded in real-world research allowing for a greater understanding in cultural differences, political dynamics, social conflict, and human creativity.

Studying at SOAS is unique as it draws from the regional expertise of our academics in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern languages and societies. If you are passionate about understanding human society and behaviour, and want to learn to think critically about the world around you, then Anthropology at SOAS is for you.

See our Virtual Classroom and taster lectures.

Why study Social Anthropology at SOAS

• our Anthropology Department is ranked 5th in the UK and 13th in the world in the 2020 QS World University Rankings
• we draw on the exceptional regional expertise of our academics in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern languages and politics, many of whom have joined us with a practical working knowledge of their disciplines
• you will be joining our thriving community of alumni and academics who have an impact on the world outside of academia
• you will be able to flexibly structure your programme using our optional modules and/or optional modules from other departments, including the opportunity to learn a regional language
• we are specialists in the delivery of languages. Your command of a second language at SOAS will set you apart from graduates of other universities

This programme has a first-rate graduate employability record, with graduates having moved on to work for a range of organisations such as Deloitte, The New York Times and the British Council.

What subjects can you combine it with?

• 3 year combined degrees: Arabic; Development Studies; Economics; History; History of Art; International Relations; Languages and Cultures; Law; Linguistics; Music; Politics; World Philosophies.
• 3 or 4 year combined degrees: Burmese, Hindi, Indonesian, Nepali, Thai, Vietnamese
• 4 year combined degree: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Hausa, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Swahili.

• Apply now via UCAS or visit our upcoming Open Day
• Find out more about how to apply
• Find out more on our Anthropology and Sociology department page
• For more information email: eh17@soas.ac.uk 

Programme Code: See May Be Combined With

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

May be combined with:

• African Studies, (TL56 BA/SAAF)
• Arabic+, (LT66 BA/SAA)
• Chinese+, (LT61 BA/SACH)
• Development Studies, (LL96 BA/SADVS)
• East Asian Studies 
• Economics, (LL16 BA/SAEC)
• History, (LV61 BA/SAH)
• History of Art (V350 BA/HAR)
• International Relations (LL26S09 BA/IRSA)
• Japanese+, (LT62 BA/SAJ)
• Korean+, (LTPL BA/SAKO)
• Languages and Cultures 
• Law, (LM61 BA/SALW)
• Linguistics, (LQ61 BA/LGSA)
• Music,(LW63 BA/SAMS)
• Politics, (LL62 BA/SAPOL)

+ 4-year degree with (compulsory) one year abroad

Key Information Set data

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Programme Overview

Students take 120 credits per year.

All students are expected to complete all compulsory modules.

In years one and two, students will take 60 credits in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology and 60 credits in their second subject.

In year three, students are entitled to select up to 30 credits of Open Option modules. These modules can be in anthropology or based in other departments within the School, either in another subject or a language option.

Programme Detail

Programme Specification

• BA Social Anthropology and...Programme Spec 2020 (pdf; 385kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

The modules are taught by lectures and group discussions. Students become active in class through their reading and essay-writing as well as their participation in discussion groups. Whatever the topic, modules draw particularly on ethnographic studies of China, Japan, South East Asia, South Asia, the Near and Middle East, West Africa and East Africa, as well as their diasporas.

The academic staff in the Department of Anthropology are dynamic, experienced teachers who are widely recognised for their expertise and enjoy working directly with students. Renowned scholars from other institutions also come to share their knowledge. The SOAS Anthropology Department sponsors several lecture series that are open to students, including the weekly Departmental Research Seminar, the Food Studies Centre's Food Forum and the Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies’ Seminar Series.

In addition to these formal settings for learning, our students also learn from one another. Hailing from around the globe, their diverse life experiences make our classes an exciting, rich environment for cultural and intellectual exchange. Students also benefit from campus-wide programmes, clubs, study groups, and performances.

Modules

The modules are taught by lectures and group discussions. Students become active in class through their reading and essay-writing as well as their participation in discussion groups. Whatever the topic, modules draw particularly on ethnographic studies of China, Japan, South East Asia, South Asia, the Near and Middle East, West Africa and East Africa, as well as their diasporas.

The Independent Study Project (ISP)

The ISP can be taken by final-year students only. This is an opportunity for students to conduct original anthropological research on their own initiative, to engage in in-depth analysis of particular subjects and to undertake ethnographic fieldwork and/or library-based reseach. It is supported by a bi-weekly seminar on anthropological research and writing and is assessed by a single 10,000-word dissertation (including notes but excluding bibliography).

Pre Entry Reading

• Balzani, Marzia and Niko Besnier, An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology, Routledge, 2016
• Delaney, Carol, An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology, Blackwell, 2004
• Eriksen, Thomas H., Small Places, Large Issues: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology, Pluto Press, 2015
• Herzfeld, Michael, Anthropology, Theoretical Practice in Culture and Society, Blackwell, 2001
• Kuklick, Henrika, A New History of Anthropology, Blackwell, 2008
• Kuper, Adam, Anthropology and Anthropologists, Routledge, 1996
• Monaghan, John, and Peter Just, Social and Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2000
• Moore, Henrietta L. (ed.), Anthropological Theory Today, Polity Press, 1999.J La Fontaine, What is Social Anthropology
• Edward Arnold, 1985 - An introduction explaining the scope, methods and aims of social anthropology and clears up some popular misconceptions, as well as providing a practical guide to available courses and the kinds of jobs open to a qualified anthropologist
• M Carrithers, Why humans have cultures: explaining anthropology and social diversity, OUP, 1992
• A Cheater, Social Anthropology: an alternative introduction, Routledge 1989, 2nd edition
• E R Leach, Social Anthropology, Fontana Masterguides (1976) - A personalised introduction, giving one anthropologist's view of his subject and leading the reader through theory; humanity and animality; kinship; debt; power relationships; marriage and alliances thus formed; cosmology
• I M Lewis, Social Anthropology in Perspective, Penguin 1976, 2nd edition - Clear introduction to modern social anthropology as a comparative study of the beliefs and customs of alien societies as well as those more familiar native communities. The underlying theme is the social setting and cultural expression of identity.
• D Pocock, Understanding Social Anthropology, Teach Yourself Series, Hodder and Stoughton, 1975 - This book introduces anthropology by promoting an awareness of the assumed notions that each one of us has about social values, and encouraging a consciousness and questioning of such values through the use of anthropological approaches and data.
• J Hendry, An Introduction to Social Anthropology: other people's worlds, Macmillan 1999 - A good general introduction with useful explanation of jargon and clarification of many of the subject's main themes.

A degree from the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS will develop your understanding of the world, other peoples’ ways of life and how society is organised.

Skills gained include:

• methods of social anthropological investigation
• linguistic familiarity
• choosing to study a combined degree programme will increase the breadth of your knowledge, and will develop additional skills
• the ability to think laterally and employ critical reasoning
• analytical skills
• problem-solving skills
• the ability to formulate sound arguments
• ability to interpret and explain complex information clearly

Our alumni include everyone from dance therapists and film editors, to teachers, gender violence outreach workers, television and radio producers, international development workers, journalists, analysts, web developers, and more. Students with a SOAS degree in Anthropology are regularly employed by NGOs, charitable organisations, media companies, and voluntary sector organisations. Recent graduates have found jobs at Action on Hearing Loss, British Council, Deloitte, Hackney Migrant Centre, IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development), The New York Times, and the Social Mobility Foundation. Many of our graduates have their own successful start-ups.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of NGOs, charitable and voluntary sector organisations including:

• Deloitte
• The New York Times
• British Council
• Social Mobility Foundation
• IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
• Action on Hearing Loss
• Hackney Migrant Centre

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

• Gender Violence Outreach Worker
• Film Editor
• Dance Therapist
• Web Developer
• Food Bank Organiser
• Project Officer
• Journalist
• School and College Relations Officer
• Junior Analyst
• Radio Production Assistant

Find out more about Anthropology Graduate Destinations