BA HONOURS
ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropology is a broad study of humans: past, present
and future in term of biology, society, ‘culture’ and
language. Anthropologists ask questions such as: Did all
humans originate in Africa? When did we start to behave
and think like humans? Is it human nature to be warlike?
Why are there so many languages? Can praying heal
illness?
The discipline is divided into four broad fields that
emphasise
different
aspects
of
being
human:
Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Socio-cultural
Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology, and is rooted
in both the natural and social sciences. When combined,
these different fields offer a powerful tool for exploring
human similarities and differences across time and space.
We offer the general fields as well as special expertise in
Ethnography, Medical Anthropology, Urban Anthropology,
Archaeology, and Environmental Anthropology. The
department is distinguished by its research focus on South
African biological and social phenomena including
archaeological work on behavioural and cognitive
evolution, research on a variety of urban issues, and applied
work in international health, environmental issues, livelihoods
and poverty.
Objectives of BA Honours in
Anthropology

To equip graduate students in the field of
Anthropology with the skills needed for research and
academic interaction.
 To provide training in professional and collegial
conduct.
Duration of BA Honours
This is a fulltime course and students have to complete the
degree in one year, starting in February of each year. All
courses are semester modules, with exams taking place in
June and November. Contact meetings for modules take
place during the day.
Modules offered
Five modules must be completed, of which two are
compulsory. The rest are electives; note though that not all
elective modules are necessarily offered every year:
Compulsory modules
 Research Methodology
 Anthropological research report
Elective modules
 An ethnographic study of an area or a social
situation
 Capita selecta from recent theoretical debates in
Anthropology
 Medical Anthropology
 Environmental Anthropology
 Anthropology of the Body
 Cognitive Archaeology
 Paleoanthropology
 Field Research Methods for Archaeology and
Paleoanthropology
Lecturers
Dr Carina van Rooyen (cvanrooyen@uj.ac.za)
Leigh Southey (lsouthey@uj.ac.za)
Alice Oelofse (aovendale@uj.ac.za)
Prof Marlize Lombard (mlombard@uj.ac.za)
Hemali Joshi (hemalij@uj.ac.za)
Prof Thea de Wet (tdewet@uj.ac.za)
Bursaries
The Faculty of Humanities offers a Special Honours Merit
bursary for students enrolled the first time for a full-time
honours degree.1 To qualify, you should have achieved a
minimum average of 65% in Anthropology at third year
level. This bursary includes payment of your tuition fees, as
well as a generous stipend, of which the amount is
determined by the average you achieved in the third
year Anthropology courses. If you achieved 65-69% you
will receive R7 000, 70-74% R8 000, and for achieving over
75% you will receive a stipend of R8 500.
Students applying for a Special Honours Merit bursary are
required to also apply for a National Research Foundation
(NRF) bursary if they are eligible; the department will
provide application forms for both the Special Honours
Merit bursary and an NRF bursary to students accepted
into its Honours program for 2016. (For more information on
the NRF bursaries, visit their website at www.nrf.co.za or
www.uj.ac.za/research. The deadline for the NRF bursary
applications is typically in January of each year, with
results only announced after mid-February.)
Admission to BA Honours in Anthropology
A Baccalareus degree with Anthropology as a major subject,
wih a minimum average of 65% in Anthropology, is required.
Note that admission to the Honours program is not automatic
even if the applicant is in possession of an appropriate
preceding qualification, and meet the minimum entrance
requyirement.
To apply
a) Please complete the attached UJ application form.
b) Attach the following documentation to this
application:

Your full academic record

Your Curriculum Vitae

A letter of motivation

Two certified copies of your ID / passport.
The closing date for applications for study in 2016 is 31
October 2015. After considering the applications, the
department will notify applicants of the outcome by late
November.
Anthropology Honours coordinator
Leigh Southey
Tel. 011 559 2876
Fax 011 559 3329
E-mail: lsouthey@uj.ac.za
Students receiving Special Honours Merit bursaries are
required to work within the department for eight hours a
week. The duties and working hours will be organised in
early 2016, and is managed by the department.
Please note that should you receive the Special Honours
Merit bursary, and then cancel your studies during the
year, you are liable for the payback of the full bursary.
1
Terms and conditions apply: Subject to availability.
Make sure you can tick all these before you submit your
appliation
UJ application form
Academic record
Curriculum Vitae
Letter of Motivation
2 Certified copies of ID/passport