Social Anthropology MRes

Compulsory modules

• The Anthropology of Connections: Interdisciplinarity as Methodology: examines the relevance of other disciplines for social anthropology by working with methodologies and concepts drawn from history, social science, philosophy, language and the arts.
• Research Methods in Social Anthropology: examines the methodology of anthropological research through close attention to the relationship between method and fieldwork experience.

Core social science training modules are listed below. These are required for recognition of the MRes by the ESRC as a doctoral pathway. They are optional without ESRC recognition.

• Being a Social Scientist: Skills, Processes and Outcomes
• Philosophy and Methodology of the Social Sciences
• Qualitative Methods in Social Research
• Quantitative Research in Social Science

Non-ESRC funded students may substitute up to 30 credits from 3000 or 4000-level Social Anthropology modules, with the approval of the course coordinator.

Optional modules

• Students choose two optional modules, taking one in each semester. For the latest optional module information, see the module catalogue. Optional modules are subject to change each year, and some may only allow limited numbers of students (see the University’s position on curriculum development).
• Being a Social Scientist: Skills, Processes and Outcomes: focuses on how to design and produce a research dissertation and addresses issues of professional development (e.g. ethics, careers, grant writing).
• Philosophy and Methodology of the Social Sciences: introduces students to the basic theoretical approaches in the social sciences, covering the methodological and epistemological issues involved in conducting social scientific research.
• Qualitative Methods in Social Research: offers both a theoretical and practical introduction to the collection, analysis and writing of qualitative social science research.
• Quantitative Research in Social Science: an introduction to the fundamental concepts of quantitative analysis.
• Anthropology, Art and Perception 1 or Anthropology, Art and Perception 2
• Anthropology of the Pacific 1 or Anthropology of the Pacific 2
• Amerindian History and Ethnography or Special Subject (Amerindian Studies)

Dissertation

Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MRes, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGCert or PGDip instead of an MRes.