Program Overview

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Biosocial Anthropology, Health and Environment (ANTH0100)

Key Information

Faculty and Teaching Department

The module is part of the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences, with the Anthropology department being the teaching department.

Credit Value and Restrictions

• The credit value for this module is 15.
• This module is open to students on any Anthropology masters programme at UCL and is compulsory for students in MSc Medical Anthropology and the Biosocial pathway.

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

Module Content

This course critically examines and engages with approaches, topics, and themes related to Biosocial Medical Anthropology. It focuses on the effects of environmental and climatic conditions on health, the threat of epidemics, and embodied inequalities related to chronic illness, requiring cross-disciplinary approaches that forefront the interrelation between the biological and the social. The course introduces students to how anthropologists align approaches and insights from Medical/Social Anthropology, Evolutionary/Biological Anthropology, and Human Ecology. It also considers emerging fields of science and medical research, including epigenetics, neuroscience, and microbiome science, which recognize the biosocial nature of health and wellbeing.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have gained:

1. Knowledge and understanding of key cross-disciplinary approaches, concepts, and theories within the field of Biosocial Medical Anthropology.
2. An improved and increased ability to explain and communicate research, identify and solve problems, reason critically, analyse, and interpret.
3. An increased ability to demonstrate and exercise independent thinking.

Indicative Delivery Method

The module is delivered through one 2-hour seminar per week.

Additional Information

Formative assessment involves students completing and receiving feedback on a plan relating to how they will approach the summative essay question.

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term

The module is intended to be taught in Term 1, at the Postgraduate (FHEQ Level 7) level.

Teaching and Assessment

Mode of Study

The mode of study is in-person.

Methods of Assessment

• The assessment is 100% coursework.
• The mark scheme uses numeric marks.

Other Information

Number of Students and Module Leader

• The number of students on the module in the previous year was 21.
• The module leader is Dr. Aaron Parkhurst.