Anthropology for Global Development Practice
(MA) Anthropology for Global Development Practice
Entry for 2027
FHEQ level
This course is set at Level 7 (Masters) in the national Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.
Course Aims
The MA in the Anthropology of Development and Social Transformation is designed for students wishing to understand the nature of and connections between economic, political and cultural processes of transformation ('development') in the post-colonial world from an anthropological perspective. Students learn how anthropologists theorise social and economic change; the history and ethical implications of anthropologists' practical engagement with development interventions; and a range of research methods. With its focus on the anthropology of development and applied anthropology, the course will be of particular interest to those with experience in, or considering a career in, the development field.
Course learning outcomes
Demonstrate critical understanding of key theoretical approaches in social anthropology and development studies, and their relevance to contemporary global challenges and social transformation.
Apply anthropological concepts, methods, and ways of thinking to analyse and address complex problems in development policy and practice across a diverse range of global contexts.
Critically evaluate global challenges using ethnographic evidence and anthropological perspectives, attending especially to questions of power, inequality, and lived experience.
Design and conduct an independent research project, selecting and applying appropriate methods to investigate a development-related issue, and demonstrating awareness of their ethical and practical implications.
Communicate anthropological insights clearly, persuasively, and professionally to specialist and non-specialist audiences in written, oral, and/or visual forms.
Exhibit reflexive awareness of positionality, power, and ethics in anthropological research and practice, and articulate how these shape knowledge production.
Engage critically with a range of global contexts to analyse the design, implementation, and impacts of development interventions.
Full-time course composition
| Year | Term | Status | Module | Credits | FHEQ level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Autumn Semester | Core | Development in Theory and Practice (807AF) | 30 | 7 |
| Core | Thinking Like an Anthropologist (820L6) | 30 | 7 | ||
| Spring Semester | Core | Global Research Skills (012L2) | 15 | 7 | |
| Summer Teaching | Core | Dissertation (Anthropology) (841L6) | 45 | 7 |
Part-time course composition
| Year | Term | Status | Module | Credits | FHEQ level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Autumn Semester | Core | Development in Theory and Practice (807AF) | 30 | 7 |
| Year | Term | Status | Module | Credits | FHEQ level |
| 2 | Autumn Semester | Core | Thinking Like an Anthropologist (820L6) | 30 | 7 |
| Spring Semester | Core | Global Research Skills (012L2) | 15 | 7 | |
| Summer Teaching | Core | Dissertation (Anthropology) (841L6) | 45 | 7 |
Please note that the University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver courses and modules in accordance with the descriptions set out here. However, the University keeps its courses and modules under review with the aim of enhancing quality. Some changes may therefore be made to the form or content of courses or modules shown as part of the normal process of curriculum management.
The University reserves the right to make changes to the contents or methods of delivery of, or to discontinue, merge or combine modules, if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University. If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the University reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the University withdraws or discontinues a module, it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative module.