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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head>   <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-KW2XNGZ');</script>  <title >Social anthropology - Subjects - University of St Andrews</title >  <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "BreadcrumbList","itemListElement": [{"@type": "ListItem","position": 1,"name": "Subjects","item": "https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/"}, {"@type": "ListItem","position": 2,"name": "Social anthropology","item": "https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/social-anthropology/"}]}</script> <meta name="referrer" content="no-referrer" /> <meta name="channel-id" content="2"> <meta name="section-id" content="13562"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EDGE" /> <meta name="copyright" content="Copyright © University of St Andrews" /> <meta name="rating" content="general" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/styles/screen.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" /> <link href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/styles/print.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" />  <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png"> <link rel="manifest" href="/site.webmanifest"> <link rel="mask-icon" href="/safari-pinned-tab.svg" color="#00539b"> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#2b5797"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff"> <base href="//www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/social-anthropology/"> </head> <body>    <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-KW2XNGZ" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <nav class="sr-only" id="skip" aria-label="Accessibility links"><a href="#content-begin">Skip to content</a></nav>  <header id="header"> <div class="row"> <div id="logo-container"> <div id="header-logo"><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/" aria-label="University of St Andrews"><span>University of St Andrews</span></a></div> </div> <div id="header-search"> <button class="btn btn-link" id="header-search-trigger" name="btnG" aria-label="Toggle search" value=""><i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="sr-only">Toggle search</span></button> <form action="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/search" method="get" role="search" class="dpl-form"> <app-root></app-root> <input type="hidden" name="collection" value="uosa-meta-global"> <input type="hidden" name="profile" value="_default"> <input type="hidden" name="form" value="partial"> </form> </div> </div> </header> <nav id="category-header" aria-label="Category header"> <div class="container"> <div class="category-header__title"><a href="/subjects/">Subjects</a></div> </div> </nav> <nav class="navigation-bar"> <div class="container"> <div class="toggle-navigation primary-toggle"><button class="navigation-button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="primary-nav">Navigation <i class="chevron down"></i></button></div> <ul class="navigation-bar-nav primary-nav" id="primary-nav"><li><a href="/study/">Study at St Andrews</a></li><li><a href="/subjects/entry/">Entry requirements</a></li> </ul> </div> </nav> <div class="container breadcrumbs--wrapper"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-lg-12 content"> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb"> <ol class="breadcrumbs"> <li> <a href="/">University</a></li><li><a href="/subjects/">Subjects</a></li><li>Social anthropology</li> </ol> </nav> </div> </div> </div>  <main id="content-begin"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"> </div> </div> </div> <div id="d.en.74277" class="page-intro__wrapper"> <div class="page-intro page-intro--has-media"> <div class="page-intro__text"> <h1 class="page-intro__heading page-intro__heading--large">Social anthropology</h1> <p class="lead">Examine the diverse ways human beings establish and live social lives. From Western urban cities to indigenous cultures in the Amazon, you will learn to understand how humans live and think by looking at all aspects of their experience.</p> <p>St Andrews has particular strengths in the societies of:</p> <ul> <li>East and West Africa</li> <li>the Pacific</li> <li>South America</li> <li>the Caribbean</li> <li>Europe</li> <li>Central Asia.</li> </ul> </div><div class="page-intro__media"><figure class="page-intro__media-wrapper"><img class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="/assets/university/schools/department-of-social-anthropology/images/phd-supervision.jpg" alt="PhD supervisor with a student"></figure></div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"> </div> </div> </div> <div id="d.en.74279" class="section__anchor--sticky"> <div class=" padding-top padding-bottom"> <div class="container"> <section id='d.en.74282' class="heading-section row"> <div class="col-md-4"> <h2 class="heading-section__heading">Undergraduate</h2> </div> <div class="col-md-8"> <span id="d.en.82440"></span> <button class="accordion-group__toggle">Open all</button> <ul class="accordion-group accordion-group__toggle-container"> <li id="d.en.113728" class="accordion-item"> <div class="accordion-item__toggle"> <h3 class="accordion-item__toggle-title"> <button class="accordion-item__toggle-button" aria-controls="">Explore courses</button> </h3> </div> <div class="accordion-item__content" id="" aria-hidden="true"><div class="list-group"><a class="list-group-item" href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/social-anthropology/social-anthropology-ma"> <span class="item-label">Social Anthropology</span> <span class="badge">MA (Hons)</span> </a></div> <h4 class="list-group">Combined Studies MA (General)</h4> <div class="list-group"> <p>The School also provides four accessible modules to the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/combined-studies-ma/">Combined Studies MA</a> which runs in Semester 1 or Semester 2.</p> <p>The MA Combined Studies degree is designed specifically for those returning to education after a significant break. Delivered on a part-time basis in the evening, this course is ideal for those who may have other commitments which prevent them from undertaking full-time study.</p> </div> <h4>Joint degree options</h4> <p>You can take the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/social-anthropology/social-anthropology-ma">Social Anthropology MA</a> programme with another subject as part of a joint degree. Find out more about taking a <a href="/study/undergraduate/degree-routes/honours/joint/">joint Honours degree</a>.</p> <h4>Supported pathways</h4> <p>These courses provide supported entry into degree-level study for applicants who do not meet the minimum entry grades, but meet contextual criteria.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/gateway-to-arts">Gateway to Arts</a> (pathway to MA Hons)</li> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/fe-he-arts">FE-HE Pathway to Arts</a> (pathway to MA Hons)</li> </ul> <h4>International Foundation programmes</h4> <p><a href="/subjects/ifp/">International Foundation programmes</a> enable international students from a wide range of countries to develop the necessary skills to meet the demands of an undergraduate degree programme across subjects and disciplines at the University of St Andrews.</p></div> </li> </ul> </div> </section>  <section id='d.en.74288' class="heading-section row"> <div class="col-md-4"> <h2 class="heading-section__heading">Postgraduate taught</h2> </div> <div class="col-md-8"> <span id="d.en.102995"></span> <button class="accordion-group__toggle">Open all</button> <ul class="accordion-group accordion-group__toggle-container"> <li id="d.en.129467" class="accordion-item"> <div class="accordion-item__toggle"> <h3 class="accordion-item__toggle-title"> <button class="accordion-item__toggle-button" aria-controls="">Explore courses</button> </h3> </div> <div class="accordion-item__content" id="" aria-hidden="true"><div class="list-group"><a class="list-group-item" href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/social-anthropology/anthropology-art-perception-mres"> <span class="item-label">Anthropology, Art and Perception</span> <span class="badge">MRes</span> </a> <a class="list-group-item" href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/social-anthropology/social-anthropology-mres"> <span class="item-label">Social Anthropology</span> <span class="badge">MRes</span> </a></div></div> </li> </ul> </div> </section>  <section id='d.en.74285' class="heading-section row"> <div class="col-md-4"> <h2 class="heading-section__heading">Postgraduate research</h2> </div> <div class="col-md-8"> <div id="d.en.74287" class="content-section"> <p>The Department of Social Anthropology offers PhD and MSt (Res) research programmes. Alongside deep local knowledge in the Americas, Africa, Eurasia and the Pacific, the Department conducts research in areas such as:</p> <ul> <li>energy and climate change</li> <li>history and temporality</li> <li>health and disease</li> <li>art and ethics.</li> </ul> <p>To apply, you should first identify and contact a potential supervisor you would like to work with in your intended research area. Find out how to <a href="/social-anthropology/prospective/pgr/">contact a research supervisor</a>.   </p> </div></div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"> </div> </div> </div> <div id="d.en.74291" class="section__anchor--sticky"> <div class=" sta-grey-light padding-top padding-bottom"> <div class="container"> <figure id="d.en.74280" class="blockquote blockquote--pull"> <blockquote> <p>“I chose Social Anthropology as a part of my degree as it is the study of what it is to be human. What makes the anthropological study at St Andrews special are the staff. It is a fantastic experience to study with them. Their research (to list a few) includes literary, linguistic, or feminist anthropologies.”</p> </blockquote> <figcaption class="blockquote__author"> <div><strong>Dani</strong> <br>- Kolobrzeg, Poland</div> </figcaption> </figure></div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"> </div> </div> </div> <div id="d.en.79081" class="section__anchor--sticky"> <div class=" padding-top padding-bottom"> <div class="container"> <section id='d.en.74293' class="heading-section row"> <div class="col-md-4"> <h2 class="heading-section__heading">Awards</h2> </div> <div class="col-md-8"> <div id="d.en.74295" class="content-section"> <blockquote> <h3><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2022/sep/24/best-uk-universities-for-anthropology-archaeology-league-table">First in Scotland and fourth in the UK for anthropology and archaeology</a></h3> <p>Guardian University Guide 2023</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <h3><a href="https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/anthropology">First in Scotland for anthropology</a></h3> <p>Complete University Guide 2023</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <h3><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/research/showcase/excellence/ref-2021/results/">92% of research activity rated 3* or 4*</a></h3> <p><span>Most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)</span></p> </blockquote> </div></div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"></div></div></div><div id="d.en.74296" class="section__anchor--sticky"><div class="featured-media__wrapper"><div class="featured-media container"><div class="featured-media__media"><figure class="featured-media__media-wrapper"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9 youtube-embed"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/05TUMach8sE" allowfullscreen="" title=" (Video)" class="embed-responsive-item"></iframe> </div> </figure></div></div></div></div><div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-xs-12"></div></div></div><div id="d.en.74281" class="section__anchor--sticky"><div class="featured-media__wrapper"><div class="featured-media featured-media--left"><div class="featured-media__text"><h2 class="featured-media__heading"><a href="/social-anthropology/">Department of Social Anthropology</a></h2><p>The Department of Social Anthropology champions innovative ethnographic and historical scholarship. 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