Programme Specification: MSc Anthropology and Development
1. Awarding Body
2. Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC;
BPS etc
3. Name of final award
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements
8. Application Code
9. First written/last amended
LSE
N/A
MSc
Anthropology and Development
12 months full-time
Anthropology Department with assistance
from the Department of International
Development
N/A
Y2UB
2003 / Dec 2010
10. The programme aims:
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to give students a comprehensive overview of anthropology and development, thus
preparing them for employment or PhD research training;
to provide a knowledge of the theory and history of anthropology and of core
theoretical issues in development studies, as well as providing advanced knowledge
of specific themes in both these disciplinary areas, and highlighting how the two
areas of study intersect;
to provide an understanding of social anthropology as the comparative study of
human societies, with particular focus on the social, economic and political
processes, problems and policies specific to developing countries and poor
communities;
to make students aware of the links between the social/cultural, political, economic
and administrative variables that determine the relationship between states, markets
and society, and between global, national and local-level structures in the
development process.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
On successful completion of the programme, students will have developed:
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a critical understanding of theoretical perspectives and concepts in anthropology and
development studies, both orally and in written form;
an awareness of the diverse issues arising in different regional contexts, and an ability
to analyse these anthropologically and using theoretical approaches in development
studies;
a realisation that knowledge is contested, and that anthropology and development
studies constantly generate new priorities and theories;
an ability to plan, research and write scholarly work that demonstrates an understanding
of anthropological methods and theory; and independently to write and research a
dissertation on an approved subject.
See information relating to careers.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated
Teaching strategies:
 Students take a core course in Anthropology (Theory and Ethnography) and in
Development Studies (Development: Theory, History, Policy). They chose further
course/s to the value of one unit;
 Content imparted in weekly lectures enables students to develop a critical
understanding of major theoretical issues;
 Weekly seminars for each course enable critical discussion of these issues,
opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to ethnographic settings, and awareness
of the contested nature of knowledge in anthropology and development studies;
 Informal presentations to peers during seminars enable individual students to develop a
closer appreciation of specific topics;
 Hour-long supervisions in groups of two, with discussion of individual essays, enables
students to develop their critical and writing skills, and to prepare for the exams and the
dissertation.
Learning strategies:
 The writing of three unseen examination papers in the Summer Term enables
assessment of students’ mastery of concepts in anthropology and development studies;
 The 10,000 word dissertation enables assessment of students’ independent planning,
researching and writing of scholarly work, and of their ability to analyse issues using
theoretical approaches in anthropology and development studies.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the MSc Anthropology and Development programme regulations
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
A first degree, in a cognate subject, at 2.1 level or above, and a strong interest in
anthropology and development. Students whose first degree is not English will need to
provide evidence of competence in English.
15. Indicators of quality
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Student assessment returns show the Anthropology Department and the Department of
International Development are above average in relation to overall figures in the School;
Successful completion of internal (LSE) and external (QAA) audits of teaching quality,
and regular course and programme review;
Research quality: In the 2008 RAE (Research Assessment Exercise), our Department
scored the highest percentage of the maximum 4* grades among all anthropology
departments in the UK, and we have been successful in obtaining competitive research
grants;
Authorship of key texts: members of the Anthropology Department and of International
Development have published important texts in the areas which we teach;
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE graduates.
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and
learning
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Student feedback during small group tutorials throughout the year;
Student assessment surveys for specific courses (1 per course per term);
External examiners’ reports;
MSc Staff/student consultative forum (1 per term);
Participation in activities of LSE’s Teaching and Learning Centre;
Mentoring/review/promotion process includes an assessment of teaching;
Departmental TLAC review once every five years;
The Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of
teaching quality;
The Graduate Studies Sub-Committee which oversees all graduate programmes and
ensures that significant changes to programmes and courses pass through a sequence
of formal stages, so that curricular changes are appropriate and compatible with other
developments.