The Anthropology MA is designed to provide students with a strong grounding in the principles and methods of Anthropology. It offers the opportunity to study innovative modules taught by leading experts in key anthropological fields, including Conflict and Borders, Religion, Cognition and Culture, Anthropology of Europe, Material Culture and Art, Migration and Diasporas, Anthropology of Ireland, Human-Animal relations and the cross-cultural study of Emotions. Anthropology at Queen’s also has a distinguished history in Ethnomusicology, the cross-cultural study of music.
The MA teaching is research-led and draws on our staff’s theoretical work in these areas, as well as regional expertise, including research in India, Pakistan, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Japan, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Romania, Finland, the UK, and the island of Ireland. Anthropology at QUB is ranked 2nd in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2021).
Our MA in Anthropology explores current debates in the study of cultures and societies and offers specialised knowledge and advanced skills for a range of competitive careers or further study at PhD level. Studying anthropology at postgraduate level combines an in-depth understanding of human diversity and critical social theory, with hands-on training in carrying out grounded ethnographic research.
Studying Anthropology at Queen’s gives you the opportunity to design and carry out field research anywhere in the world. Under the guidance of experienced supervisors, students develop original projects among diverse groups of people across the globe. Doing ethnographic fieldwork will give you real-world skills that are uniquely valued among employers and offer you unforgettable cultural and social experiences. At the same time, Belfast and the island of Ireland, more broadly, offer unique sites to conduct research locally on most topics of anthropological interest, including conflict transformation and peacebuilding, religion, borders, arts and creativity, identity, ethnicity and nationalism, material culture, and policy-engaged anthropology.
Studying anthropology is a great way to get involved in contemporary issues and gain a wide range of critical and applied skills highly relevant in a globally interconnected world. MA students in our programme learn how to discover and understand human societies and cultures, and to work in collaboration with people in their places and communities.
This programme provides students with the opportunity to work in the centre for anthropological study and research in Northern Ireland. Our staff and programmes have long-standing connections with a number of local and international organisations, NGOs, and community groups. Anthropology postgraduate life centres around the weekly Anthropology Postgraduate Seminar, and regular Anthropology Research Seminars, as well as regular events in the Institute for Cognition and Culture, the Institute of Irish Studies, and The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.
In the Guardian University Guide 2021, Anthropology was ranked 2nd in the UK, including:
4th in the UK for: Course satisfaction
2nd in the UK on: Teaching Satisfaction
1st in the UK for: Satisfaction with feedback
2nd in the UK for: Spend per student
Anthropology highlights
Global Opportunities
Studying Anthropology at Queen’s gives you the opportunity to design and carry out field research locally or anywhere else in the world. Under the guidance of experienced supervisors, students develop original projects among diverse groups of people across the globe.
Career Development
Studying anthropology is a great way to get involved in contemporary issues, and gain a wide range of critical and applied skills highly relevant in a globally interconnected world. In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, Anthropology was ranked 3rd in the UK for Graduate Prospects.
Industry Links
Our staff and programmes have long-standing connections with a range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations, cross-border and community groups, arts, music and museum professionals as well as politicians and policy-makers.
We value our student achievements and offer opportunities for placements and internships in our dissertation module which invites students to participate in work activities at home or overseas. Some of our students have completed successful placements through the Science Shop https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/ScienceShop/
Internationally Renowned Experts
Anthropology at QUB has offered a seminal programme in Ethnomusicology since the 1970s, when the subject was introduced by the late Professor John Blacking.
Students will also benefit from the work carried out in the Institute of Cognition and Culture (ICC) which is one of the world's first centres for research in cognition and culture. This is a burgeoning interdisciplinary field in which scholars seek to explain patterns of cultural stability and variation utilizing theories and methods of the cognitive and evolutionary sciences.
Anthropology is ranked 2nd in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2021) and 1st in relation to research intensity (Research Excellence Framework 2014). With 97.8% for overall satisfaction!
These results demonstrate the exceptional quality of the work done by Anthropology staff and related researchers in our School, many of whom enjoy international reputations.
World Class Facilities
Our new state of the art McClay Library has extensive book and journal holdings, and also subscribes to many of the principal online resources for anthropological study, including AnthroSource, Anthropological Index Online, JSTOR, Project Muse and many others. MA researchers also have access to other local libraries, like the historic Linen Hall Library, archives, such as the newly enhanced Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), and a number of collections and museums, such as the Ulster Museum and the Ulster Museum of Folk and Transport. Anthropology at Queen’s also has its own Performance room with several instruments from across the world, as well as ped labs in the Institute of Cognition and Culture.
Student Experience
Doing ethnographic fieldwork will give you real-world skills that are uniquely valued among employers and offer you unforgettable cultural and social experiences.
In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, Anthropology was ranked 5th in the UK for Student Experience.
Queen’s ranked 18 in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023).
Queen’s is also in the top 75 universities in Europe for Teaching Excellent (Times Higher Education, 2019).
Career Development
Queen’s postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes, alongside sterling integration with business experts, helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally. Queen’s is ranked in the top 170 in the world for graduate prospects (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022).
World Class Facilities
Queen’s has a state-of-the art newly refurbished Graduate School. QUB was ranked 3rd out of 199 universities worldwide and 2nd out of 44 UK universities for our Graduate School.
Queen’s was ranked 1st out of 108 universities worldwide for our Students’ Union (International Student Barometre 2022).
Student Testimonials
I am incredibly grateful for the support I received from staff and fellow students during my MA. Being part of a supportive community of researchers made the experience very rewarding. The MA programme gave me the space in which to explore my interest in anthropological research, and ultimately decide that continuing on to a PhD was right for me.
Kayla Rush
My experiences at Queen’s both in class and at conferences have been applicable to my career path in academia. Upon returning from Belfast, I began working as an assistant lecturer at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where I taught classes on ethnomusicology and folklore. I am currently a PhD student at the Freie Universität in Berlin.”
Leilani Hermiasih
If you wish to take the programme on a part time basis you will be required to complete 3 taught modules each year (one in first semester and two in second semester or vice versa). It is advised you should complete the core modules in your first year. Please note, all modules run at the same time for full time and part time students. Please contact the programme convenor for further information.
Core Modules (Autumn)
This programme is designed to offer students a foundation in the field of anthropology, including transferable skills connected to methodological outlooks (interviews, participant observation, digital and visual anthropology) and to theoretical issues within the discipline. The programme also addresses contemporary themes (climate change, social movements, visual media, conflict and social groups). A key component of the programme is students’ ability to design and conduct their own, original project, under the supervision of a member of staff and an expert in the field, which involves an extended period of fieldwork over the summer months. Alongside the methodological and theoretical courses provided, this programme offers a comprehensive introduction to the discipline and a hands-on experience of conducting ethnographic fieldwork.
Students are required to take FOUR CORE modules (THREE in semester 1 and ONE in semester 2 PLUS the MA Dissertation). Students are required to take TWO Optional Modules, of which at least ONE should be from the Anthropology options. MA students complete a 12,000-15,000-word dissertation, under the guided supervision of an expert member of staff. Full-time students design their research in the spring semester with the help of their supervisor, conduct fieldwork in the early summer, and write up and complete the dissertation over the summer months. Students also participate in the weekly Anthropology Postgraduate Seminar were MA/PhD students present their on-going research and in addition attend the weekly Anthropology Research Seminar where established academics discuss their work. Students also have the option to audit an undergraduate module and participate in various music ensembles.
HAPP Dr Evi Chatzipanagiotidou is a political anthropologist researching conflict and peace, displacement, migration and diasporas, and the politics of memory and loss. She has conducted ethnographic research in Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, and the UK.
Email: e.chatzipanagiotidou@qub.ac.uk
HAPP Dr Ioannis Tsioulakis is an ethnomusicologist with a focus on popular music industries. He researches the impact of ‘The Greek Crisis’ on musicians, as well as the role of cosmopolitanism in subcultural creative practices. He is currently conducting collaborative research on performing artists in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Email: i.tsioulakis@qub.ac.uk
HAPP Dr John Knight has undertaken extensive field research in rural Japan on a range of topics, including migration, forestry, farming, and tourism, on which he has published widely. His main area of research is human-animal relations, including sportive hunting, wildlife pests, and the use of animals in tourism.
Email: j.knight@qub.ac.uk
HAPP Dr Raluca Roman is a social anthropologist specialising in the study of religion (specifically Christianity), humanitarianism and ethnicity. She is particularly interested in the relationship between Christianity, morality and social engagement, as well as the inter-linking of religious belonging, religious practice and social action. She has conducted fieldwork in Finland and Romania, focusing on the process of religious mobilisation and religious activism among the Roma.
Email: raluca.roman@qub.ac.uk
HAPP Stephen R. Millar is Lecturer in Anthropology and Ethnomusicology. His research and teaching focuses on music, conflict, and cultures of
resistance, with an emphasis on Britain and Ireland. He is particularly interested in the social impact of music-making and his work uses music as a platform to examine some of the most pressing concerns of our times, including militant nationalism, social inclusion, and the legacy of colonialism. Email: s.millar@qub.ac.uk
HAPP Professor Dominic Bryan’s work focuses on power and public space. He is interested in how identity is expressed through rituals and symbols and how these activities bond social groups and create conflict. His work looks specifically at peace and conflict in Northern Ireland.
Email: d.bryan@qub.ac.uk
Teaching Times
Teaching times will be a combination of both morning and afternoon with the opportunity for occasional weekend training sessions.
Learning and Teaching
The MA is taught through a combination of small-group seminars, lectures, and supervision. Assessment and Feedback: through a combination of essays, learning journals, blog-posts, placements, projects, presentations and a fieldwork-based dissertation.
Knowledge and Understanding
• Advanced understanding of theory and method as applied to anthropological study.
• Advanced knowledge of ethnographic accounts of various conflict-affected contexts studied in a comparative perspective.
• The ability to engage critically with historical and contemporary anthropological debates.
Subject Specific Skills
• The ability to explore social and cultural issues with reference to ethnographic case studies
• Familiarity with-and between- the ideas and approaches adopted by various anthropologists
• The ability to identify relevant information and utilise anthropological sources effectively
Transferable Skills
• Enhanced skills in group work (through seminars), in note taking, in presentation and in written argument;
• Library research skills;
• Critical reading;
• Research Design, interviewing skills, surveying skills;
• Advanced writing and oral presentation skills.
Assessment
Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:
Through a combination of essays, learning journals, blog-posts, placements, projects, presentations and a fieldwork-based dissertation.
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
The module looks at the themes of ethnography and evolution in anthropology. Students choose to specialise in ethnography or evolution. Teaching of the ethnography takes the form of students reading a number of ethnographies and discussing and analysing these texts in class. Teaching of evolution draws on literature in the field of cognition and culture and focuses on the application of the logic of evolution by natural selection to the human mind and behaviour to help us better understand cross-culturally recurrent patterns in thought and behaviour.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students will:
- be familiar with advanced understandings of anthropological perspectives
- be skilled at analysing ethnographic writing
- have gained experience in debating intricate questions in a critical fashion at an advanced level
- have learnt about the evolutionary perspective in anthropology and its applications
- be prepared for the main specialist areas available in Anthropological Studies at MA level
Skills
Skills in literacy, the organisation of arguments, critical reflection, effective oral and written presentation, independent research and writing of research essay.
Discussions about research design, methods and ethics, based on readings and student presentations (including PhD student presentations)
Two sessions with the career service (one in each semester) about career possibilities and strategies
An individual piece of supervised research, on a topic mutually agreed with a supervisor. Students will prepare a research proposal and write a dissertation of between 12,000-15,000 words.
Learning Outcomes
To expose students to the practicalities and theoretical underpinnings of anthropological research; to develop bibliographic search skills; to develop research skills; to develop skills in report writing.
To develop presentation skills, discussion skills, skills in convening and giving-feed-back. To learn how to write a CV and prepare for a job interview.
This module focuses on the key qualitative and quantitative techniques used by anthropologists in their field research, including participant observation, interviewing, the use of archives and written information, the production of genealogies, the collection and analysis of numerical data, etc. Students will learn about the place of these methods in the history of the discipline, and about the key debates surrounding the relationship between the anthropologist and his or her informants in the field; through a series of practicals, the students will learn how to use these qualitative and quantitative methods themselves. Two of these exercises will be formally assessed.
Learning Outcomes
The module has two objectives: to teach students how to use the main methods of anthropological field research and to make them aware of the place such methods occupy in the discipline and its history.
Skills
Skills in literacy, the organisation of arguments, effective presentation of written work.
The module will study a core set of influential analytical perspectives through readings that demonstrate both continuities and shifts in anthropological enquiry. Topics covered include: anthropological and local perspectives; philosophical approaches in anthropology; new insights from studies of the self, narrative and the emotions; visual anthropology and ethnographic knowledge as part of the debate of ‘ways of seeing’; perspectives on environmentalism, materiality, affectivity, memory and subjectivity; cosmopolitanism as a political and moral condition.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students will:
- be familiar with advanced understandings of anthropological perspectives
- become acquainted with recent writings in a variety of anthropological topics
- gain experience in debating intricate questions in a critical fashion at an advanced level
- have produced a critical essay involving critical understanding of texts and the development of an original argument
- be prepared for the main specialist areas available in Anthropological Studies at MA level
Skills
Skills in literacy, the organisation of arguments, critical reflection, effective oral and written presentation, independent research and writing of research essay.
This module aims to introduce key approaches to research design, while also introducing some of the contemporary debates in research in the social sciences and humanities. It will also provide students with an introduction to some of the key practical research skills they will find of use when designing and conducting their academic research. These skills are also those which students will find necessary as they continue their academic and research career.
Students will have a high degree of choice across workshops, enabling them to tailor the module content to their pathway of student and personal research goals. The workshops will address five key areas: Fundamentals of Research; Debates; Philosophy of Science/Epistemology; Qualitative Methods; and Quantitative Methods.
The broad aims of the module are to:
• Introduce students to the diversity of research approaches and debates;
• Heighten awareness of methodological issues facing researchers in the social sciences and humanities;
• Develop an awareness of interdisciplinarity and its potentials and challenges in research;
• Encourage students to develop their research skills through the selective use of this reading guide and their own search for appropriate literature on research design topics that are of interest to them.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will have:
• obtained a clear understanding of some central issues and methodological debates that are basic to social science and humanities research;
• been introduced to interdisciplinarity in research, and developed an understanding of how it relates to their own work;
• communicated this understanding in an analytically rigorous manner through assessed written work;
• demonstrated the kind of methodological awareness that will allow them to pursue their own research or coursework in an analytically rigorous and self-critical manner.
• been equipped with the intellectual capacity to defend a particular approach to their own research;
• started to make preparations for a research dissertation.
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
This module will explore the development of anthropological approaches to conflict, examining what social and cultural anthropologists have added to our knowledge of conflict. It will particularly examine issues of group identity and cohesion in relations to conflict. Examining theories of ethnicity and nationalism it will examine power and hegemony of the state. In relation to this there will be a focus upon aspects of remembering and social memory, on the use of rituals and symbols and of the way acts of violence are legitimised or delegitimised. The course will look at examples from Irish case studies but work on a comparative basis.
Learning Outcomes
This module will introduce students to the history and the key theoretical debates within the field of ethnomusicology. On completion of this module students will have:
* to develop a broad understanding of theories of group conflict
* to develop a broad understanding of mechanisms of group cohesion and conflict
* to explore the use of the concepts of identity, ethnicity, culture, community, border, symbol, ritual and tradition.
* to apply theories of identity politics to understanding nationalism and ethnicity
* to examine the legitimacy of violence and critically explore the notion of ‘terrorism’.
* To examine lessons from the Irish/British context and compare.
* to increase competency in research and the writing of academic papers
Skills
The course is designed to develop both subject-specific and transferable skills. These include:
* Advanced skills in understanding, evaluating and expressing anthropological arguments, especially concerning the relationship between theory and ethnography;
* Enhanced skills in group work (through seminars), in note taking, in presentation and in written argument;
* Library research skills;
* Critical reading;
* Advanced writing and oral presentation skills.
This module aims to provide an overview of the field of ethnomusicology, outlining the major theoretical orientations and issues being debated within contemporary ethnomusicology. It begins with an introduction to some of the main scholars involved in shaping the discipline as it is currently constituted, and then proceeds by looking at how these ideas have shifted in the modern world. Throughout the semester students participate in an ensemble of non-western music in order to gain a reflexive understanding of the ways in which ethnomusicological knowledge can be obtained through personal musical experience.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students will have:
• An understanding of how the discipline was shaped and how it is currently developing;
• An overview of contemporary theoretical debates and issues, and of the scholars propelling them;
• An appreciation of how ethnomusicological understandings are generated and disseminated;
• Basic knowledge of at least one non-western musical system.
Skills
• Library research skills;
• Critical reading;
• Communication skills in both written and verbal spheres;
• Practical performance skills in at least one non-western musical tradition.
Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree (with minimum of 55%) in a relevant subject, including Anthropology, Sociology and Cultural Studies or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.
Other subjects, such as Music, Geography, Psychology, Irish Studies, History and Languages may also be considered, depending on the nature of the completed undergraduate programme. Applicants who hold a 2.2 Honours degree below 55%
in one of the disciplines specified above (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University), who can demonstrate relevant professional experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants may be required to submit a piece of written work in support of their application.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 16th August 2024 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
Graduates have pursued careers in a wide range of fields, such as research (academic and non-academic), teaching, music therapy, consultancy, development and charity work, museum and heritage posts, journalism and radio broadcasting. Among those who have pursued academic careers, not all have done so within anthropology - several have taken posts in related disciplines. Others have found positions within governmental and non-governmental organisations abroad. Our graduates have found employment with a very wide range of employers, including the Council for International Educational Exchange, Handelsbanken Bank, the Institute for Conflict Research, US News and World Report and the Bangladesh Civil Service. http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.