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Department of Anthropology
Students examining a skeleton

Masters by Research

Programme Structure

We offer two Masters by Ressearch degrees in Anthropology. The MA in Sociocultural Anthropology by Research and the MSc in Biological Anthropology by Research are one year full-time courses of supervised research. You can also register to study for these qualifications part-time. In this case the length of your course will be at least twice the length for full-time study.

Research students work closely with a supervisory team to undertake a substantial piece of research which must be written up in the form of a thesis. In addition, research students are required to undertake research training, provided by both the university and the department.

For the MSc in Evolutionary/Biological Anthropology read the Masters by Research prospectus for suggested projects for this coming year and research interests of potential supervisors.

Course Requirements

To be accepted for a research degree you must show that you have appropriate training to work independently (with academic guidance from your supervisor) at this level. This will normally involve both an undergraduate degree at upper second or first class level and supportive references. The department will also need to be satisfied that your proposed research is viable and that we are able to provide appropriate supervision and resources.

Previous Masters Theses

  • Sustaining Energy-Saving Behaviour: A Case Study of an Employee Energy Conservation Campaign
  • Investigating the Effects of Adverse Environmental Conditions During Early-life Upon the Future Reproductive Schedules of British Men and Women.
  • Principles of Evolutionary Medicine in Programmes against Malaria
  • The Construction of Local Identity in the Heritage Industry
  • A Physiological and Social Enquiry into the Swaddling of Infants with Regard to Sleep
  • Living in the Shadow of Fragmented Identity: A Case Study of Chinese Overseas Homosexual Students in the UK Universities
  • An Examination of the UK Fracking Debate and the Tactics and Methodologies Used in Influencing Government Policy
  • “I Forgot the Talking Horse!”: A Transmission Chain Study of the Effects of Minimally Counterintuitive Elements on Faithful Transmission of Fairy Tales
  • Re-assessing the Meat Acquisition Strategies of Plio-Pleistocene Hominins: An Actualistic Study.
  • Advocating for Children and Adolescents Living with HIV in Harare, Zimbabwe