Visual, Material and Museum Anthropology

First year

The first year of the MPhil is structured around teaching for four papers. Papers one and two are assessed by a 5,000-word essay. Paper three is assessed by a portfolio of methods exercises and a research proposal. Paper four is examined by a conventional three-hour unseen examination paper in June. The examination of these papers in the first year constitutes the ‘qualifying’ examination for continuation to the second year.

This paper focuses on topics such as visual culture (including photography, the internet, art and aesthetics); music and performance; museum ethics and relationships with 'source communities'; landscape and the built environment; dress and body modification; religion and ritual; material culture, mass production and trade; debates concerning tradition, modernity and authenticity; transnational cultural flows and the wider issues of cross-cultural investigation.

Candidates select one option paper from those taught each year for students in the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME). Titles of options available will be made known at the beginning of each academic year.

This paper consists of two parts. Paper 3a is an outline proposal for the MSc dissertation research of no more than 2,500 words. Paper 3b is a methods portfolio consisting of reports (including notes) on trials of three visual and material anthropological methods and/or ethnographic museological methods relevant to the research proposed in paper 3a. The word limit is 2,500 words.

This paper focuses on anthropology’s distinctive contribution to understanding social and cultural form and process, and the role of human creativity within them, with particular reference to artefacts of material and visual culture, and to the collection, display, production, circulation and consumption of such artefacts.

Second year

You will spend the summer conducting preliminary research and then over the second year of the degree write a 30,000-word dissertation. Fieldwork is not expected as a basis for the MPhil thesis, but it can be conducted, and you will be encouraged to make use of the extensive visual and material cultural resources available in the department and the museum in selecting and researching dissertation and thesis topics.

During the second year you will also write an additional examined essay and take another option paper, again selected from any of the options offered within the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography.

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography.

Many graduates enter teaching and research, though this often requires a doctorate. There is some recruitment to public bodies, the larger private companies, museums and galleries, development agencies, NGOs etc.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. In certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.

Other courses you may wish to consider

If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.

All graduate courses offered by the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography

Anthropology DPhil

Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology MSc

Medical Anthropology MPhil

Medical Anthropology MSc

Migration Studies MSc

Migration Studies DPhil

Social Anthropology MPhil

Social Anthropology MSc

Visual, Material and Museum Anthropology MPhil

Visual, Material and Museum Anthropology MSc

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Entry requirements