Programme Specification: MSc Law, Anthropology and Society
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Awarding Body
Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body,
e.g. ESRC; BPS etc
Name of final award
Programme Title
Duration of the course
Based in the Department/Institute:
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Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements (See Subject Benchmark
Statements)
UCAS Code
First written/last amended
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The programme aims to:
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LSE
N/A
MSc
Law, Anthropology and Society
Full-time 12 months
Anthropology in collaboration with the Law
Department
Anthropology
ML36
2003 / October 2007
to provide a foundation in those elements of anthropological and social theory essential to
an understanding of law in society;
to provide students who have a background in law, or anthropology/the social sciences,
with a comprehensive understanding of how the two areas of study intersect;
to give students a training in the research methods appropriate to the analysis of a topic
chosen within the scope of the degree, and prepare them for PhD research training ;
to give students a knowledge of specific areas in the study of law and society, which may
include: the theory and history of anthropology, areas in social anthropology (religion,
gender and kinship, political and legal anthropology, exchange and the transformation of
economic institutions); and areas in law (jurisprudence, alternative dispute resolution,
regulating new medical technologies, legal history, criminal law, criminology and criminal
justice; comparative law; human rights).
Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
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a critical understanding of a foundation in the central theoretical debates and
ethnographic techniques relevant to an analysis of law in society,
further training in the area of law or in anthropological analysis and technique of particular
concern to the student
for students with a first degree in law, an understanding of anthropological/sociological
analysis and a capacity to use anthropological/sociological concepts in discussion and
analysis, both orally and in written form
for students with a first degree in the social sciences or anthropology, a training in
selected aspects of modern law, both orally and in written form
an ability to plan, undertake and present scholarly work that demonstrates an
understanding of legal and anthropological/social theory; and independently to write and
research a dissertation on an approved subject.
See information relating to careers
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Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and
demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies:
 students take a core course on Law in Society, and courses to the value of two further full
units;
 content imparted in lectures and seminars provides them with a critical understanding of
major legal and anthropological/social theoretical issues;
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the supervised crafting of an individual programme of two further courses in law or
anthropology (or exceptionally another social science), selected according to the
academic background and research interest of the student, enables training in a further
two areas of law or anthropology/the social sciences;
the intensive 2-hour research seminar, held over all three terms, enables critical
discussion of major theoretical perspectives and concepts in law and anthropology/the
social sciences, and the application of these.
Assessment strategies:
 The writing of three unseen examination papers in the Summer Term enables
assessment of students’ mastery of concepts in law and the social sciences;
 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 law and anthropology/the social sciences.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the MSc Law, Anthropology and Society programme regulations
Additional information
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Criteria for admission to the programme
The programme is intended for graduates with a good first degree in law or for graduates in
anthropology and related disciplines who seek training in selected aspects of law and legal theory
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Indicators of quality
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Student assessment returns show the Anthropology Department and the Law Department
are normally above average in relation to overall figures in the School.
Successful completion of internal (LSE) and external (QAA) audits of teaching quality.
Research quality: Highest percentage of 4* rated submissions in the 2008 RAE and
success in obtaining competitive research grants
Members of both departments have published important texts in the areas which we
teach.
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE graduates.
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Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and
learning
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Student feedback during seminars and small group teaching throughout the year;
Student assessment surveys for specific courses;
External examiners’ reports;
Participation in activities of LSE’s Teaching and Learning Centre;
Mentoring/review/promotion process includes an assessment of teaching;
The Teaching and Learning Centre is available to monitor and observe teaching and
offers constructive advice on how to improve the standard of teaching and quality;
The Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of
teaching quality;
Departmental TLAC review once every five years;
The Graduate Studies Sub-Committee which oversees all graduate programmes and
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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.
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