Digital Anthropology MSc

UCL (University College London)

Digital anthropology studies the development, use and consequences of digital technologies for humans, social relations and society, including social media, artificial intelligence and the relationship between our online and offline lives. This one-year (or two-year if part-time) Digital Anthropology MSc encourages practical explorations of the digital world to develop the next generation of understanding about the impact, consequences, aesthetics and politics of digital technologies and infrastructures. You will graduate an expert in using anthropological research, analysis and theory to assess the consequences of digital technologies on society, including data, algorithms and smartphones. The Digital Anthropology MSc is the first master's level programme of its kind in the world and will teach you the ethnographic research and analytical skills essential to understanding digital cultures and their impact on different human cultures and societies. You will study core anthropological theories including the study of society and social relations, technology, materiality and immateriality, and their relevance to understanding digital technologies, platforms and practices, including social media, data and algorithms, digital infrastructures, smartphones and online politics. You will join a world-leading research community and benefit from research-embedded teaching in social media and everyday life, including the work of the TikTok Ethnography Collective, studies of data and algorithms and our research on the impact of smartphones on societies all around the world. You will specialise in the elements of digital anthropology that interest you most, choosing from a range of optional modules to enhance your learning experience, and graduate equipped with the latest knowledge and insights in digital anthropology. You will develop skills highly sought after by employers, including digital and offline ethnography, social data analysis and interpretation and the communication of complex ideas. These will also prepare you for PhD level study should you wish to pursue it. You will study at the top university in London, and 4th in the world, for Anthropology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025). You will study in a warm and welcoming department that is also one of the largest and most comprehensive anthropology departments in the UK, and which continually works to expand and reshape the discipline. This Digital Anthropology MSc is best suited to students looking to gain a qualification and training in anthropological approaches to digital culture as a foundation for professional practice or doctoral research, or for graduates from other fields or careers looking to supplement their existing knowledge and experience. The degree is well-suited to working professionals who wish to study part-time over two years.