Programme Specification – MSc Social Anthropology (Research)
1. Awarding Body
LSE
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
This is an approved programme of the ESRC
1+3 competition scheme (UK/EU only).
MSc
Social Anthropology (Research)
1 year
Anthropology
N/A
L6U5
January 2008 / December 2010
10. The programme aims to:
 To provide students with training in generic social science quantitative and qualitative
research methods;
 To provide students with intensive research training in social anthropology;
 To provide students with the opportunity to develop a proposal for ethnographic field
research to be pursued upon completion of the course.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
At the end of the programme, students will be able to demonstrate the following:
 Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods;
 Knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and epistemological issues involved in
undertaking anthropological research;
 Knowledge of the regional and theoretical area of anthropology relevant to their proposed
field research;
 Competence in bibliographical and computing skills, communication skills, research
management skills, principles of research design and data collection/analysis;
 Critical and flexible judgement skills;
 Familiarity with survey methods, interviewing skills and the principles of participant
observation;
 Language skills relevant to field research;
 Knowledge of ethical and legal issues raised by proposed research.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies:
The outcomes listed above are achieved through:
1) taught coursework;
Statistics and Causal Analysis for Social Anthropologists
Ethnography in Relation to Other Research Methods
Fieldwork Methods Seminar (including Ethical guidelines for research)
One “core” course in Social Anthropology (e.g., Kinship, Religion)
2) specialised course of reading agreed with the student’s supervisors;
3) participation in weekly research seminars
4) where relevant, language training
5) writing a research proposal
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Assessment strategies:
Assessment is achieved through a combination of methods, including unseen written
examinations, seminar presentations, essays, and the examination of the research proposal by
two examiners (other than the students’ supervisors). To assist the writing of the research
proposal, students are asked to present two drafts, one in the seminar on fieldwork methods,
and one at a viva with their supervisors.
See information relating to careers.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the MSc Social Anthropology (Research) programme regulations.
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
Applicants are required to have obtained at least an upper-second class honours degree in
social anthropology from a UK university, or to have obtained a taught Masters degree at
Merit or higher in social anthropology from a UK university.
15. Indicators of quality
The most significant indicator of quality is the fact that the programme has ESRC recognition
as an approved course and outlet for the receipt of ESRC Research Studentships.
The Department has consistently been awarded very high scores in the Research
Assessment Exercise. In 2001 it was the only Anthropology department in the country to
obtain 5* based on 100% staff submission. In 2008 it obtained a higher proportion of 4*
(quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) than any other
Anthropology department (40%).
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
Teachers are assigned to courses through Departmental consultation, which takes into
account the specific area of expertise of each member of staff. The Head of Department, who
receives the School’s Teaching Quality surveys, monitors the overall standards with which
teaching is delivered.
General student feedback and consultation takes place via the Staff/Student Liaison
Committee, chaired once a term by the Doctoral Programme Director. In between meetings,
students are encouraged to approach the Doctoral Programme Director to raise any issues of
concern.
The work of each of our students is discussed once per term at a staff meeting. When there
is doubt about a given student’s work, the case is referred to the Graduate Student Progress
Committee. The committee is delegated to impose deadlines, bar further registration, etc, but
its primary aim is to give students the support they need to ensure a successful completion of
the course (e.g. by identifying needs for special training, or by changing support
arrangements).
The Chair of Examiners is responsible for all aspects of the examination process.
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School quality assurance processes include:
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regular staff appraisal and review;
improvements in teaching technique are effected by the Teaching and Learning
Centre (TLC) through observations, advice and further training;
induction programme and mentoring scheme for new members of staff;
Staff/student liaison committee;
centrally administered student satisfaction questionnaires by the Teaching Quality
Assurance and Review Office;
an improved system for ensuring that External Examiner’s
comments/recommendations are fed through to Departments and acted upon;
the School’s Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee (TLAC) which regulates
all aspects of teaching quality;
annual monitoring of courses and periodic reviews every 3-5 years. The outcomes of
the annual reviews are presented to TLAC;
the School’s Undergraduate Studies Sub Committee and Graduate Studies Sub
Committee which oversee all taught programmes and ensure that significant changes
to programmes and courses pass through a sequence of formal stages to ensure that
curricular changes are appropriate and compatible with other developments.
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