Archaeology and Social Anthropology, MA (Hons)

This programme explores the diversity of ancient and modern human social and material culture, with options for an undergraduate dissertation in Year 4 on either archaeology or social anthropology. Archaeology investigates the human past, from origins millions of years ago to recent times, using physical remains to analyse past societies, cultures, and lives. Social anthropology, by contrast, studies human behaviour in contemporary societies through participant observation, often involving extended periods living with and sharing experiences of the communities studied. It examines global variations in social, cultural, and political structures, highlighting the underlying common humanity that unites them, thereby providing a comprehensive study of past and present human behaviour.Practical training emphasises hands-on archaeological skills, including artefact identification and analysis using items from the Vere Gordon Childe collection. Students complete three weeks of fieldwork at the end of Year 1, with later opportunities for additional fieldwork, heritage management projects, public engagement, and lab-based analysis of remains. Those pursuing a social anthropology dissertation may conduct independent research during the summer between Years 3 and 4.