Programme Specification: MSc Social Anthropology
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
Social Anthropology
12 months full-time; 24 months part-time
Anthropology Department
N/A
L6U5
2003 / Dec 2010
10. The programme aims:
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to provide an understanding of social anthropology as the comparative study of
human societies and cultures;
to give students - particularly those from other academic traditions or with
undergraduate training in cognate disciplines - a comprehensive overview of the
discipline, thus preparing them for PhD research training in anthropology;
to impart an appreciation of the importance of ethnography as the basis for
generating anthropological theory;
to provide a knowledge of the theory and history of anthropology (mostly in the
British, French and North American traditions), and an advanced understanding of
specific themes in social anthropology: religion, gender and kinship, political and legal
anthropology, and exchange and the transformation of economic institutions.
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 and ability to use major theoretical perspectives and concepts
in anthropology, both orally and in written form;
an awareness of the diverse issues arising in different regional contexts, and an ability to
analyse these anthropologically;
a realisation that knowledge is contested, and that anthropology constantly generates 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:
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Students take a core course in anthropological theory and courses to the value of two
other full units;
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Content imparted in weekly lectures enables students to develop a critical
understanding of major theoretical issues;
Weekly seminars enable critical discussion of these issues, opportunities to apply
anthropological knowledge to ethnographic settings, and awareness of the contested
nature of anthropological knowledge;
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Informal presentations to peers during seminars enable individual students to develop
a closer appreciation of specific topics;
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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.
Assessment strategies:
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The writing of three unseen examination papers in the Summer Term enables
assessment of students’ mastery of major theoretical perspectives in anthropology;
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The 10,000 word dissertation enables assessment of students’ independent planning,
researching and writing of scholarly work, and of their ability to analyse specific
regional issues anthropologically.
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13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the MSc Social Anthropology programme regulations
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
Usual standard offer:
GCE A level: grades A A B
International Baccalaureate: Diploma with 37 points including 6 6 6 at higher level
Other qualifications are considered and applications from mature students are welcomed.
15. Indicators of quality
a. Student assessment returns show the Department is above average in relation to
overall figures in the School.
b. Successful completion of internal (LSE) and external (QAA) audits of teaching quality,
and regular course and programme review.
c. 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.
d. Members of the department have published important texts in the areas which we
teach.
e. 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
a. Student feedback during small group tutorials throughout the year.
b. Student assessment surveys for specific courses.
c. External examiners’ reports.
Participation in activities of LSE’s Teaching and Learning Centre.
MSc Staff/student consultative forum (1 per term)
Mentoring/review/promotion process includes an assessment of teaching.
The Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of
teaching quality;
h. Departmental TLAC review once every five years.
i. 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.
j.
d.
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g.