MRes in Social Anthropology 11 months Postgraduate Programme By University of Cambridge |TopUniversities
Subject Ranking

# 3QS Subject Rankings

Programme Duration

11 monthsProgramme duration

Tuitionfee

54,369 GBPTuition Fee/year

Application Deadline

01 May, 2024Application Deadline

Programme overview

Main Subject

Anthropology

Degree

MRes

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

This ESRC recognised course provides intensive research training in social anthropology, social science research methods more generally, and the opportunity to complete a research dissertation under academic guidance.  It is ordinarily expected that MRes students will progress directly to registration for the PhD course and fieldwork, subject to excellent results in their MRes. However, the MRes can also serve as a free-standing project if a student wishes to pursue advanced study and to acquire additional research skills without proceeding to the PhD programme.
It is expected that applicants for the Social Anthropology MRes will have a first-class Honours degree or strong High Pass in a Master's degree in Social Anthropology.
The MRes in Social Anthropology is intended for students who already have full training at Undergraduate and/or Master's level in the methods and perspectives of Social/Cultural Anthropology.
The course is a one-year period of rigorous training in research issues and methods that leads to the production of an independently-researched 15,000 word dissertation and a substantial fieldwork proposal.  The taught portion of the MRes programme is the same as the nine-month PhD pre-fieldwork training programme: students take the same courses in ethnographic methods and social theory, and receive the same close interaction with their supervisor, a senior member of department staff. There is also training in quantitative social science methods.
The course offers critical discussion of students' research projects and provides training in:
  • how fieldwork contributes to social scientific knowledge;
  • how to isolate the theoretical questions that inform particular pieces of ethnography; and
  • how to identify the kinds of empirical evidence necessary to address those questions.
Students work with a main Supervisor and a Faculty Advisor, who acts as a source of supplementary advice. Students will normally continue with this Supervisor if they continue to their PhD.
Additional information for those continuing to the PhD
Students continuing to the PhD will then normally undertake 12–18 months of ethnographic fieldwork subject to the successful completion of a 7,000–word fieldwork proposal and fieldwork clearance interview with the PhD committee.  Students would usually leave for field research at the start of their first term of the PhD (October/November).
On return to Cambridge, students devote the remainder of their research time to writing their PhD thesis in close consultation with their Supervisor.
Upon return from the field, writing-up students are also expected to attend the following seminars during term-time:
  • The PhD Writing-Up Seminar
  • The Senior Research Seminar
  • Anthropology Beyond the Academy
  • Anthropological Lives

Programme overview

Main Subject

Anthropology

Degree

MRes

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

This ESRC recognised course provides intensive research training in social anthropology, social science research methods more generally, and the opportunity to complete a research dissertation under academic guidance.  It is ordinarily expected that MRes students will progress directly to registration for the PhD course and fieldwork, subject to excellent results in their MRes. However, the MRes can also serve as a free-standing project if a student wishes to pursue advanced study and to acquire additional research skills without proceeding to the PhD programme.
It is expected that applicants for the Social Anthropology MRes will have a first-class Honours degree or strong High Pass in a Master's degree in Social Anthropology.
The MRes in Social Anthropology is intended for students who already have full training at Undergraduate and/or Master's level in the methods and perspectives of Social/Cultural Anthropology.
The course is a one-year period of rigorous training in research issues and methods that leads to the production of an independently-researched 15,000 word dissertation and a substantial fieldwork proposal.  The taught portion of the MRes programme is the same as the nine-month PhD pre-fieldwork training programme: students take the same courses in ethnographic methods and social theory, and receive the same close interaction with their supervisor, a senior member of department staff. There is also training in quantitative social science methods.
The course offers critical discussion of students' research projects and provides training in:
  • how fieldwork contributes to social scientific knowledge;
  • how to isolate the theoretical questions that inform particular pieces of ethnography; and
  • how to identify the kinds of empirical evidence necessary to address those questions.
Students work with a main Supervisor and a Faculty Advisor, who acts as a source of supplementary advice. Students will normally continue with this Supervisor if they continue to their PhD.
Additional information for those continuing to the PhD
Students continuing to the PhD will then normally undertake 12–18 months of ethnographic fieldwork subject to the successful completion of a 7,000–word fieldwork proposal and fieldwork clearance interview with the PhD committee.  Students would usually leave for field research at the start of their first term of the PhD (October/November).
On return to Cambridge, students devote the remainder of their research time to writing their PhD thesis in close consultation with their Supervisor.
Upon return from the field, writing-up students are also expected to attend the following seminars during term-time:
  • The PhD Writing-Up Seminar
  • The Senior Research Seminar
  • Anthropology Beyond the Academy
  • Anthropological Lives

Admission Requirements

7.5+
110+

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK First class Honours Degree.


If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country.


A First-class Honours Degree or strong High Pass in a Master's degree in Social Anthropology is normally required. Applicants who do not hold such a qualification may wish to consider applying for the Department's MPhil in Social Anthropology.

01 May 2024
11 Months
Oct

  • Candidates are required to submit references or letter(s) of recommendation for acceptance

Tuition fees

Domestic
39,549 GBP
International
54,369 GBP

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