Study everything from religion and politics, to gender, creativity, conflict, inequality, and the anthropology of business. You gain in-depth knowledge of today’s global cultures and challenges, and valuable skills that will help you to find your place in a changing world and make you more employable. If you're a creative and critical thinker, fascinated by every aspect of human life then our BA Social Anthropology is for you.
The University of Kent boasts one of the UK's largest groups of Anthropology lecturers. Each specialises in at least one geographical region and a number of fascinating research topics. This means that you gain an unusually diverse range of module choices, covering the usual core topics such as the study of politics and religion, but also more specialist or practical modules that help you to prepare for life after graduation.
Social Anthropology was established at the University of Kent in 1965 and is one of the longest-running programmes in the United Kingdom. Kent plays an important role in pioneering new and innovative approaches to contemporary anthropology and our exciting range of expertise reaches across all regions of the globe. It is through drawing directly on this wealth of experience that we deliver a dynamic Social Anthropology programme.
You learn to understand and address the challenges of our time and are given skills to contribute to society in a wide range of exciting careers after you graduate.
You acquire these skills by taking a combination of compulsory core modules and a number of optional modules that you choose from a wide range.
In the first year, you take core modules that give you a broad background in the subject. The core modules in the second and final year of the programme cover the anthropology of politics, religion and economics, and introduce you to some advanced topics in social theory. These core modules also give you an understanding of the distinctive research method of Social Anthropology: ethnographic research.
In each year you have the opportunity to pursue your own interests by choosing from a wide range of optional modules. These teach you more about specialist areas and develop corresponding skills. Some modules cover thematic issues, such as the anthropology of law or the anthropology of business. Others focus on particular regions of the world, such as China, Europe, South East Asia and Amazonia. You take at least two regional modules during the programme.
Studying Social Anthropology abroad for a year as part of your degree programme allows you to take your cultural expertise to the next level. You either study in English (Social Anthropology with a Year Abroad) or in the local language (Social Anthropology with French / German / Spanish / Italian). In recent years, our students have spent a year at our partner universities in countries including Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, as well as France, Spain and Italy.
You don't need to make your mind up about studying abroad before you enrol at Kent, but certain conditions apply. See Social Anthropology with French / German / Spanish / Italian.
If you have specific ideas about how you would like your career to develop, you may be able to expand your degree into a four-year programme by adding a work placement between the second and final years.
You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent, but certain conditions apply. See Social Anthropology with a Year in Professional Practice.
Students studying BA Social Anthropology at the University of Kent enjoy world-class study resources including:
The University of Kent has an active Anthropology Society run by the students, which you are encouraged to join, as well as a wealth of other student clubs and associations to enjoy.
The School of Anthropology and Conservation puts on many events that you are welcome to attend. We host two public lectures a year, the Stirling Lecture and the DICE Lecture, which bring current ideas in anthropology and conservation to a wider audience. We are delighted that these events attract leading anthropological figures from around the world; in 2017 we hosted paleoanthropologist Professor Lee Berger, one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people.
Each term, there are also seminars and workshops discussing current research in anthropology, conservation and human ecology.
I studied in Japan. It was probably one of the best years of my life.
Hannah Fitchett - Social Anthropology with a Year in Japan
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
Please note that meeting this typical offer/minimum requirement does not guarantee an offer being made.Please also see our general entry requirements.
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
BBB
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.
Distinction, Distinction, Merit in an academic based subject. Other subjects such as Hospitality, Catering, Art & Design, Music, Photography and Dance will be considered on a case-by-case basis
34 points overall or 15 points at HL
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
However, please note that international fee-paying students cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
For more advice about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Duration: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
Like all degree programmes at Kent, the Social Anthropology programmes are based on a combination of core, optional and wild courses or 'modules'.
Core modules build your background knowledge of the subject and provide you with training in its basic skills. After introductory courses in the first year, your core modules in the second and final year of the programme cover the anthropology of politics, religion and economics, while introducing you to some advanced topics in social theory. Your core modules also give you an understanding of the distinctive research method of Social Anthropology: ethnographic research.
Optional modules provide an opportunity to learn more about specialist areas and develop corresponding skills. These modules are usually taught by a researcher who is actively contributing to knowledge in the field. In Social Anthropology you study two kinds of optional modules. Some modules cover thematic issues, such as the anthropology of law or the anthropology of business. Others focus on particular regions of the world, such as China, Turkey and the Middle East, Europe, South East Asia and Amazonia. You take at least two of these regional modules during your programme.
Elective modules (also known as 'wild') are drawn from across the university and give you an opportunity to develop your own interests in subjects beyond your own degree programme.
The list below is indicative of the core and optional modules offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year.
The 2020/21 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Full-time tuition fees for Home and EU undergraduates are £9,250.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
One day trips that are compulsory to a module are financially funded by the School. Optional or longer trips may require support funding from attendees.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
In the Government's recent Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment of teaching at UK universities, Kent was awarded a Gold rating. Based on the evidence available, the TEF panel judged that the University of Kent delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the highest quality found in the UK.
Our teaching is research-led as all our staff are active in their fields. Social Anthropology staff have been awarded national teaching awards, reflecting the quality of the undergraduate programmes. Social Anthropology at Kent uses a stimulating mix of teaching methods, including lectures, small seminar groups, field trips and practical sessions. For project work, you are assigned to a supervisor with whom you meet regularly.
Assessment varies according to module and to some extent you are able to choose your modules in order to maximise your preferred form of assessment. Some modules include a mix of an exam and coursework, many are 100% coursework based. We try to make coursework assessments varied in order to make the most of each student's unique strengths: some are essay based, others may involve project work or presentations.
A number of our modules include opportunities for learning and experiences outside of the classroom through field trips in the UK and abroad. Potential excursions are:
These may change from year to year and may incur additional costs. See the funding tab for more information.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
The programme aims to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You develop intellectual skills in:
You gain the following subject-specific:
You gain the following transferable skills:
Anthropology at Kent scored 90% overall and was ranked 13th in The Complete University Guide 2021.
In The Guardian University Guide 2020, over 91% of final-year Anthropology students were satisfied with the quality of teaching on their course.
Of Anthropology graduates who responded to the most recent national survey of graduate destinations, 100% were in work or further study within six months (DLHE, 2017).
Studying social anthropology gives you an exciting range of career opportunities. We work with you to help direct your module choices to the career paths you are considering. Through your studies you learn how to work independently, analyse complex data and present your work with clarity and flair.
Our recent graduates have gone into areas such as:
The School offers an employability programme aimed at helping you develop the skills you'll need to look for a job. This includes workshops, mentoring and an online blog featuring tips, advice from employers, job adverts, internship information and volunteering opportunities.
The University’s friendly Careers and Employability Service offers advice on how to:
Through your studies you learn how to work independently, analyse complex data and present your work with clarity and flair. Alongside such specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers look for, including the ability to:
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
This course page is for the 2020/21 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.
T: +44 (0)1227 768896
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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