Overview and entry requirements

The MRes Social Anthropology offers students training in social science research methods, with a strong focus on ethnographic methods. It aims to provide students with the skills they need to conduct research at a doctoral level, or to work as social science researchers. In addition to the acquisition of strong methodological skills, students are able to benefit from SOAS' renowned offering of African and Asian languages, as well as its expertise in the humanities, including philosophy, linguistics, literature, and history.

Combine Social Anthropology and Intensive Language

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who wish to combine knowledge of social anthropology with expertise in a regional language. It prepares students to apply their anthropological knowledge in a specific region by achieving proficiency in a language.

Intensive language pathways: Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Persian, South East Asian Languages (Burmese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese), Swahili, Turkish.

Why study Social Anthropology and Intensive Language at SOAS

• SOAS is ranked 5th in the UK in the 2021 QS World University Rankings for Anthropology, and 16th in the world
• 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
• join our thriving community of alumni and academics who have an impact on the world outside of academia
• 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.

The MRes Social Anthropology may be taken either as a free standing MRes or as the first part of a PhD (for example, as a 1 + 3 research training programme). In the latter case, the MRes therefore serves as a shortcut into the PhD. It is designed to train students in research skills, including language training, to the level prescribed by the ESRC’s research training guidelines.

Most students would be expected to progress to PhD registration at the end of the degree.

The MRes is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Aims and outcomes

The MRes is designed to train students in research skills to the level prescribed by the ESRC’s research training guidelines. It is intended for students with a good first degree (minimum of a 2.1) in social anthropology and/or a taught Masters degree in social anthropology. Most students would be expected to progress to PhD registration at the end of the degree. By the end of the program students will:

• have achieved practical competence in a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods and tools
• have the ability to understand key issues of method and theory, and to understand the epistemological issues involved in using different methods

In addition to key issues of research design, students will be introduced to a range of specific research methods and tools including:

• interviewing, collection and analysis of oral sources, analysis and use of documents, participatory research methods, issues of triangulation research validity and reliability, writing and analysing field notes, and ethnographic writing
• social statistics techniques relevant for fieldwork and ethnographic data analysis (including chi-square tests, the T-test, F-test, and the rank correlation test)

Discipline specific training in anthropology includes:

• ethnographic methods and participant observation
• ethical and legal issues in anthropological research
• the logistics of long-term fieldwork
• familiarisation with appropriate regional and theoretical literatures
• writing-up (in the field and producing ethnography) and communicating research results
• Language training.

See Department of Anthropology and Sociology

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

May be combined with:

MRes Social Anthropology can be combined with the following Intensive Language pathways: 

• Arabic
• Japanese 
• Korean
• Persian
• South East Asian Languages: Burmese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese
• Swahili
• Turkish 

Structure

Students must take 315 credits in total, comprised of 225 taught credits (45 of which are taught abroad as part of a Summer School) and a 90-credit dissertation as outlined below. 

In their first year, students on this two-year Intensive Language programme take 60 credits of intensive language instruction and 60 credits in the discipline. During the summer, they participate in a Summer School abroad. In the second year, they take another 30 language credits as well as 30 credits in the discipline; they also complete their dissertation in the discipline. 

Part-time

The structure of the programme can be adjusted for those who wish to take the programme part-time over a period of four years and/or for those who have a previous background in Anthropology. For more information email anthsoc@soas.ac.uk

The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics offer information on the Intensive Language part of the programme.

Programme

Year 1 (two years full time)

Discipline Component

Compulsory Modules

AND

Guided Module(s) from the Anthropology and Sociology list below, to the value of 15 credits.

Language Component

Students take 60 credits in the selected language.

Summer Abroad

Students participate in a Summer School abroad for the selected language, to the value of 45 credits.

Year 2 (two years full time)

Language Component

Students take 30 credits in the selected language.

AND

Discipline Component

Guided Module(s) from the Anthropology and Sociology list below, to the value of 30 credits.

OR

Guided Module(s) from the Anthropology and Sociology list below, OR modules from the Postgraduate Open Options List, to the value of 30 credits.

AND

All students are required to attend the Epigeum - Statistical Methods for Social Sciences. This will not count towards your 180 credits.

Dissertation

All students are required to take the compulsory dissertation module worth 90 credits.

List of modules (subject to availability)

Anthropology and Sociology

Programme Specification

• MRes social Anthropology and Intensive Language Programme Specification (pdf; 548kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

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, 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 and bringing diverse life experiences to bear on their studies, all MA students in the Department of Anthropology can take courses together, making it a rich environment for intellectual exchange. Students also benefit from campus-wide programmes, clubs, study groups, and performances.

Contact hours

During the academic year, modules are delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials and/or seminars. Students can expect an average of two hours of classroom time per week for each module. Outside of the classroom, students explore topics of the module through independent study and through personal exchanges with teachers and fellow students. In some cases, modules are taught by several teachers within the department to provide students with an array of perpsectives on the subject. All modules involve the active participation of students in the discussion of ideas, viewpoints and readings.

Dissertation

The MRes Social Anthropology culminates in a 15,000-word dissertation, based on original research on a topic of the student's own choosing and developed in discussion with a supervisor.

Year abroad

All students participate in a Summer School abroad for the selected language.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Tuition fees

Fees for 2021/22 entrants, per academic year (Band 3 tuition fee)

Fees go up each year, therefore, your tuition fee in your second and subsequent years of study will be higher.

Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the postgraduate tuition fees page.

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section

Employment

Students of the MRes Social Anthropology develop a wide range of transferable skills such as research, analysis, oral and written communication skills. 

Many MRes students go on to do successful PhD research , either within our department or at other leading universities. Others apply their knowledge of research methods in employment in international institutions, NGOs, government, and business, both within the UK and overseas.

Recent SOAS career choices have included commerce and banking, government service, the police and prison service, social services and health service administration.

Find out more about our graduate destinations

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