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Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Duration
- 1 year (full-time); 2 years (part-time)
- Entry requirements
-
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 take into account your grades, your academic references, and the standing of the institution where you studied.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Y | Y | N | N |
Course overview
- Acquire research skills in both anthropology and ethnography
- Gain the necessary skills to move on to doctoral and research degree programmes
- Benefit from a course that is part of the North West Doctoral Training Centre (NWDTC)
Open days
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.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2021, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £10,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,000 -
MA (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £5,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,000
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 details of funding opportunities, visit our website .
The Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a First class Bachelor's degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.
For more information, see fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
- Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan (CSFP) General Scholarship
- School of Social Sciences - Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme - 2021 entry
- School of Social Sciences - Manchester Master's Bursary - 2021 - TO BE CONFIRMED
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- Debra Hau
- Facsimile
- +44 (0)161 275 2450
- pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/social-anthropology/
- School/Faculty
-
See: School Subjects
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 take into account your grades, your academic references, and the standing of the institution where you studied.
English language
- IELTS - overall score of 7, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5;
- TOEFL IBT 103 with 28 in writing and no further score below 25 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757.
- Pearson - overall 73 with 73 in writing and no further score below 66
- Other English tests are also considered. Please contact us for further information - pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
Scores are valid for 2 years.
Please note that CAS statements are issued only when all conditions of the offer have been satisfied, PDF copy of passport received and the offer accepted.
Applicants from certain countries may be exempt from having to provide an IELTS or TOEFL score. For further advice please email pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
Pre-Sessional English Courses
If you are eligible to do a pre-sessional English course (either 6 weeks or 10 weeks, depending on your English score), you will need to successfully complete the course at the required level before you are permitted to register on your academic course.
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
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.
Please note:
- To request a copy of the postgraduate prospectus, email pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk.
- International applicants who require a visa to study in the UK can obtain up-to-date information on the latest student visa advice and guidelines.
- If you are a current undergraduate student at The University of Manchester, you may be eligible to apply via the 'Fast-Track' scheme, email pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk for further information.
How your application is considered
All applicants must submit:
- an online application form;
- supporting statement;
- transcripts of degree;
- two references.
Overseas applicants will need to submit a satisfactory IELTS certificate (or equivalent) at the time of application. A minimum IELTS overall score of 6.0, with 6.0 in each component.
Applications will not be considered if documents are missing.
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
The MA Anthropological Research course is designed to prepare you to carry out doctoral level research in social anthropology. It provides training in a wide range of research methods and teaches you how to develop a substantive research project in a theoretically and methodologically informed way.
Although, primarily intended as preliminary to doctoral research, the course is also available as a stand-alone taught master's degree to improve your social research skills and gain an in-depth understanding of ethnographic methods and approaches.
You will work closely with an expert supervisor in social anthropology, with further guidance from a second supervisor. All students attend the following core course units:
- Issues in Ethnographic Research I and II;
- Postgraduate Research Seminar;
- Independent Theoretical and Ethnographic Analysis I; and
- Introduction to Quantitative Methods.
In consultation with your supervisor, you will also select three short, 5 credit units in qualitative or quantitative research methods. Computer training is also available.
You may then select two specialist course units, of which one must be within social anthropology (options vary from year to year) and one may be elsewhere in the University.
Teaching and learning
You must first check the schedule of the compulsory course units and then select your optional units to suit your requirements.
Updated timetable information will be available from mid-August and you will have the opportunity to discuss your unit choices during induction week with your Course Director.
Coursework and assessment
Under the guidance of your supervisors, you are required to complete eight course units and a 12,000-15,000 word dissertation which is, in effect, a doctoral fieldwork research proposal.
This is prepared over the summer period and presented in September. Most course units, including the postgraduate research seminar, are assessed by essays of up to 4,000 words. Some units also involve assessment of presentations and practical work.
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.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Theoretical & Ethnographic Analysis I | SOAN60771 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Independent Theoretical Ethnographic Analysis II | SOAN60792 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Issues in Ethnographic Research I | SOAN70641 | 15 | Mandatory |
| PG Research Seminar | SOAN70940 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Quantitative Methods | SOST70511 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Using Documents in Social Research | POLI60252 | 5 | Optional |
| Focus Groups | POLI60421 | 5 | Optional |
| Interviews | POLI70022 | 5 | Optional |
| Anthropology of Development and Humanitarianism | SOAN60112 | 15 | Optional |
| Doing Interviews | SOAN60202 | 5 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 23 course units | |||
| Display all course units | |||
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
Careers
Career opportunities
In keeping with the main purpose of the MA in Anthropological Research as a research-training masters, many graduates successfully proceed to PhD studies.
The course is also excellent for acquiring skills in social research methods, especially the ethnographic methods that are fast becoming popular in the business, voluntary and educational sectors as a way of finding out how people engage with their everyday worlds.
You will also have access to a wide range of careers support tailored to your career or further study.
For more information, see careers and employability .