Overview

Course overview

  • Study a master’s in Anthropological Research at a university ranked top 10 in the UK and top 25 worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2025).
  • Join a department that was born to break the mould. Founded by the trailblazing anthropologists interested in social change, conflict and urbanisation in colonial and post-colonial Africa, we have championed a socially engaged, accessible, and high-quality study of anthropology from day one.
  • Pioneer your own research project with support from our expert staff, who are conducting global studies from Everest to the Arctic.
  • Develop your research skills with a master’s course that is part of the North West Doctoral Training Centre, one of the largest doctoral training centres that has awarded over 450 PhD studentships.
  • Learn from our first-rate facilities and resources, such as the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology.
  • Graduate from one of the UK’s most targeted universities by top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).
  • Seamlessly transition from master's to PhD study through a fully-funded 1+3 pathway with our prestigious ESRC North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP).

Open days

The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to find out more about our facilities and courses.

On this day, you will find out more about the School, our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

See open days and visits for more information.

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Social Sciences
Contact name
School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
Telephone
+44 (0) 161 306 5500
Email
Website
https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/social-anthropology/
School/Faculty overview

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

Minimum UK 2:1 (or overseas equivalent) in social anthropology or in a degree where social anthropology formed a major component.

When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.

English language

Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

  • IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
  • TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70

Priority will be given to applicants who have provided evidence of meeting these scores when making offers.

Further information on accepted language requirements can be found here .

Pre-Sessional English Courses

We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you will be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.

To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:

6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.

10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill

If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries

If you are a national of a   majority English-speaking country   (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students, the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our  country-specific information page   for guidance on the academic and English language qualifications which may be accepted from your country.

Fees and funding

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MA (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £18,400
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £31,500

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

For information on available scholarships please visit: Master’s Fees and Funding

Application and selection

How to apply

Advice to applicants

Please note, due to the high volume of applications we receive, an early application is advised.

If you meet our entry requirements but we are unable to make you an offer, you may be placed on a waiting list.

Candidates on a waiting list will receive an offer only if places become available.

Research proposals

If you wish to do a PhD after your course, you are usually expected to have an idea of the topic or project they are thinking of doing at PhD level. An outline allows us to judge whether the appropriate supervision is likely to be available and to assign supervisors who are interested in seeing the project through.

The structure of the course is based on the principle that students have a specific interest or set of interests that they wish to develop.You are welcome to contact individual members of staff who you think might be potential supervisors or you can contact the director of the course for advice. In any case, it is useful to have a written outline of your intended research.

If you intend to take the course as a stand-alone degree, it is not necessary to have a research proposal, but it is useful for us to have an indication of your general areas of interest in social anthropology.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description

In a world with ever-rising tensions, fostering greater understanding between humans is now more important than ever. Our Anthropological Research master’s course will empower you to examine the differences and similarities between cultures through your own independent research project, so you can better understand what makes us human.

We’ve designed this course to build on your existing knowledge of and passion for anthropology. That means you can either study this course as a standalone taught master’s, or as a route towards a PhD in Social Anthropology.

Please note that although the MAAR is a taught MA it operates similarly to a PhD programme. This means that MAAR students take classes with first year PhD students. MAAR students should also have a fairly clear idea of their dissertation topics by the time they arrive, although this can change during the programme. The cohort is normally very small, around two to three students.

You will put the theory into practice from day one, gaining expertise in ethnographic research methods to improve your existing social research skills. Via mandatory course units, you’ll also develop skills in critical inquiry, research design, creative thinking and problem-solving, giving you a strong foundation to later undertake your own research project.

You can also to tailor your course to fit your interests, and optional course units may include:

  • Anthropology of Development and Humanitarianism;
  • Migrants, Borders and Im/mobilities;
  • Urban Anthropology in Britain;
  • Anthropology of Health and Wellbeing;
  • Extra-Terrestrial Anthropology;
  • Food and Eating: The Cultural Body;
  • Anthropology of Vision, Senses and Memory.

By studying at one of the largest anthropology departments in the UK, there’s no shortage of topics you could cover.

Throughout your studies you will benefit from personalised support and guidance, particularly for your independent research project. You will graduate with the skills and experience required for a successful career in a variety of sectors.

This course is eligible for the 1+3 studentship offered by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), offering a unique, fully-funded route into postgraduate research. If your application is successful, you’ll be able to seamlessly transition from master's-level study to a PhD. Find out more on our 1+3 ESRC NWSSDTP webpage.

Special features

A prestigious department

Manchester is one of the world’s best institutions for the study and practice of social anthropology. Our staff conduct research all over the world – from Everest to the Arctic and from Rio de Janeiro to Manchester – and teach from their specialist knowledge.

Real-world impact

We put theory into practice. Our students and academics are making a difference on the global stage across multiple sectors. For example, our research provided crucial insight at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to British Nuclear Fuels on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, and to anti-racist organisations and artists in Latin America.

Award-winning careers support

Our Careers Service is award-winning, providing bespoke support and guidance for you from day one. You will even have access to our services for up to two years after you graduate.

Teaching and learning

This course is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:

  • lectures;
  • workshops;
  • student-led presentations and debate;
  • group work;
  • individual research.

Coursework and assessment

Most course units are assessed by 3,000-4,000-word essays, or by essay and presentation.

Part-time students

Part-time students complete the full-time course over two years. There are no evening or weekend course units available on the part-time course.

Course unit details

A master’s degree is formed of 180 credits.

120 of these credits are made up by a mix of mandatory and optional course units, worth 15 credits each. You will need to select between four and eight of these course units, with 60 credits taken each semester. The availability of individual optional course units may be subject to change. Information that is sent to you in August about registration onto the course will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.

Core units include:

  • Independent Theoretical & Ethnographic Analysis I;
  • Issues in Ethnographic Research I;
  • Issues in Ethnographic Research II;
  • PG Research Seminar;
  • Qualitative Research Methods;
  • Introduction to Quantitative Methods.

The remaining 60 credits are awarded through a compulsory research component in the form of a 12,000-word dissertation. Your dissertation must be within the area of one of the course units you have chosen.

Your dissertation research is supported by weekly research methodology lectures designed to improve your academic and legal research and writing skills.

Other exit awards

Students who do not fulfil the criteria for passing the taught element of the course at the masters' level of 50% will not be permitted to progress to the dissertation element of the course and will leave the course with the highest award that the credits that have been passed will allow.

Part-time students

Part-time students take four out of the five compulsory course units in the first year, and then take the other one in year two. The remaining 60 credits of optional course units are selected and taken accordingly over the two years.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
SOAN60771 15 Mandatory
SOAN70641 15 Mandatory
SOAN70652 15 Mandatory
SOAN70940 15 Mandatory
SOAN72000 60 Mandatory
SOCS60230 15 Mandatory
SOST70511 15 Mandatory
SOAN60112 15 Optional
SOAN60252 15 Optional
SOAN60382 15 Optional
SOAN60412 15 Optional
SOAN60792 15 Optional
SOAN60881 15 Optional
SOAN61021 15 Optional
SOAN70591 15 Optional
SOAN70691 15 Optional
SOAN70811 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 17 course units

What our students say

Discover why our students chose our MA in Anthropological Research and what they loved about their time at Manchester – take a look at our student spotlights .

Facilities

Social Anthropology, and the School of Social Sciences of which it is part, are based in a modern building with 24/7 access.

There is shared workspace available for research students within social anthropology, including networked computers and printing facilities. There are also work areas elsewhere in the building and in the University which are available.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

The University of Manchester is one of the most targeted universities by the UK’s top graduate employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).

Many of our graduates go on to further postgraduate study at Manchester or another leading institution.

Our MA Anthropological Research course gives you the specialist skills required for a range of careers, such as in:

  • the media and cultural industries;
  • the Civil Service and public sector;
  • the business and charity sector;
  • international humanitarian institutions like the UN.

You’ll also acquire vital skills relevant to many different sectors and roles, such as research design, effective communication and teamwork. Our highly-skilled graduates go on to succeed in areas such as:

  • think tanks and pressure groups;
  • social research;
  • business and management;
  • data analysis;
  • academia and teaching.

Another popular option is to continue specialising for a career in research and universities through a PhD in Social Anthropology or a similar subject.

The University has its own dedicated, award-winning Careers Service where you can benefit from tailored careers support, practice interviews, CV and application support, job listings for Manchester students, and much more. Better yet, you’ll have access to our Careers Service both during your course and for two years after you graduate, so we know you’re on the right path.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.