MA Visual Anthropology

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

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As there is a high demand for our courses, we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements. We also take into consideration professional skills and experiences in relevant fields and competency and achievements in media production and/or art making.

Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.

Applications for 2024 entry:

Stage 1:   Application received by  8th December 2023 ; Application update by  22nd February 2024

Stage 2:   Application received by  3rd March 2024 ; Application update by  25th April 2024

Stage 3:   Application received by  5th May 2024 ; Application update by  8th June 2024

Stage 4:  Application received by  1st July 2024 ; Application update by  25th July 2024

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note:  All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.

Tuition fee deposits

If you are successful in receiving an offer, you will be required to pay a tuition fee deposit of £1,000 by the deadline stated in your offer letter to confirm your place. We ask for the deposit as competition for places is high and there is limited availability.  The deposit amount is then deducted from your tuition fees when you register on the course.

If you are unable to pay a deposit before the deadline for accepting the offer then you can decide to enter a ranked `wait-list'. This list will allow you to find time to pay for the deposit, although, depending on the competition for places it doesn't guarantee your offer can be reinstated for the year of application.

The MA in Visual Anthropology course is tailored to meet the needs of different levels of anthropological and film-making experience, whether you have little or no background in formal anthropology, film-production, visual methods and photography, or if you have substantial experience in one or more of these areas.

For nearly 30 years, the University's Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology has been widely recognised as the world's leading centre for visual anthropology. Our graduates have produced more than 400 ethnographic films seen around the world and it is now at the forefront of the emergent dialogue between art and anthropology, including sensory ethnography and sound, experimental and practice-based methods, photographic and digital media, museum and gallery installations.

Our MA and MPhil courses combine anthropology with training in film-making and editing, visual methods, photography sensory ethnography and sound. You are provided with professional equipment and supported by internationally renowned staff comprising the largest visual anthropology faculty in Europe.

The Granada Centre's teaching and research continues to set the standard of excellence in the social sciences as well as arts. This was formally recognised by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council), and by the AHRC, awarding the master's course the status of a professional preparation masters, something awarded to no other visual anthropology course in the UK.

As a course that teaches anthropology and practice-based film and media skills, you should be aware that the MA Visual Anthropology course is highly intensive and runs over 13 months rather than the standard 12 months.  

It extends beyond the conventional 12 months because of the additional time required for completing the audio-visual work. Editing the final film and media work takes place in September and final dissertation submission date is at the beginning of October. If you need to complete the course within a 12-month period, you can apply beforehand, so that appropriate arrangements can be put in place.  

Graduation Exhibition and Film Screenings are held mid-October and are organised by the students themselves. These are not a compulsory part of the course, but they have become a traditional rite of passage and opportunity to show work to the public, friends and family.  

Manchester is a creative, dynamic and cosmopolitan city noted for its music scene, media links and industrial past. Studying in Manchester means that you get to access all that a major city offers, yet the cost of living and accommodation are affordable. It is consistently shown to be one of the cheapest places in the UK for students to live.

The course combines conventional lectures and seminars with practical 'hands-on' instruction and workshops. Students work in teams and individually.

Your final piece of work is an individual production, however, throughout the year you will spend time working in teams in order to develop team-working and presentational skills. Work is presented to the class and receives feedback from fellow students as well as instructors.

In this way, you learn to analyse your own and others works and through each other's successes and failures, generating a strong range of intellectual, practical and aesthetic resources as well as a sense of camaraderie and cooperation.

During both semesters, you take:

• 1 x 30-credit unit; or
• 2 x 15 credit practical film or media courses; and
• 2 x 15-credit lecture or seminar-based units on more theoretical, methodological or substantive ethnographic topics;
• the latter are each assessed by means of a 4000-word essay;

The practical units are assessed by various combinations of a portfolio of project work and an accompanying written text.

The MA in Visual Anthropology provides you with the ability to combine the theoretical application of anthropology with practical training in film-making, editing, visual methods, photography, sensory ethnography and sound.

Our graduates have gone on to work in a wide range of professions including the media, film-making and journalism, education, social services, business and personnel management.

Some have gone on to work for the UN or have directed TV series such as Tribe, Horizon and BBC and C4 Documentaries.

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .