Archaeology and Social Anthropology MA (Hons)

Archaeology and Social Anthropology is the study of past and present human behaviour. This programme examines the diversity of human social and material culture both ancient and modern. Your undergraduate dissertation at the end of this programme can be in either subject. Social anthropology is the study of human conduct and thought. Societies around the world vary enormously socially, culturally and politically. The study of these variations, and the common humanity that underlies them, is at the heart of social anthropology. Archaeology is the study of the entirety of our human past from the origins of humans several million years ago up to recent times within living memory. Archaeologists study surviving material or physical remains to reconstruct the lives, societies and cultures of past peoples. In contrast, social anthropology is the study of human behaviour in living societies. Understanding a living society and its members involves participant observation, spending many months or even years living with, and sharing the experiences of, the people being studied. We emphasise the importance of training in practical archaeological skills. You can gain hands-on experience of artefact identification and analysis in practical sessions using artefacts from our own Vere Gordon Childe collection. Our students will also complete three weeks of archaeological fieldwork at the end of Year 1 and have the option to undertake further fieldwork. You will also take part in projects in heritage management and public engagement, and the lab-based analysis of archaeological remains, in later years of study. If you choose to write your dissertation in Social Anthropology, you will also have the opportunity to conduct your own research for this in the summer break between Year 3 and Year 4.