Program Overview

Anthropology and History, MA

Introduction

Anthropology and History at Aberdeen is a perfect subject match, combining a thorough grounding in what it means to ‘be human’ with a fascinating journey through human activity in the past. The University of Aberdeen is steeped in 500 years of national and international history and has a strong local heritage and tradition. Combined with strong northern identity, Aberdeen is the perfect place to give you a great breadth of skills likely to appeal to employers in all sectors.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MA
• Duration: 48 months
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Start Month: September
• UCAS Code: LV61
• Pathway Programme Available: Undergraduate Foundation Programme

What You'll Study

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Academic Writing for Social Sciences (AW1006)
  • Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
  • Introduction to Anthropology: Peoples of the World (AT1003)
  • Introduction to Anthropology: Questions of Diversity (AT1502)
  • Making History (HI1027)
• Optional Courses: Select a further 30 credit points from Level 1 courses in History or Art History, and 60 credit points from courses of choice.

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Key Debates in Anthropology (AT2010)
  • Reimagining Colonialism (AT2515)
• Optional Courses: Select a further 60 credit points from available Level 2 courses in History.

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Anthropological Theory (AT3027)
  • Thinking History (HI356J)
• Optional Courses: One Term 2 level 3 Anthropology course from the Anthropology Annexe, and 30 credit points from level 3 courses in History, or one of the following approved courses.

Year 4

• Optional Courses: ONE Special Subject in History (options below) PLUS one of two options (Anthropology or History Dissertation), and one of the following options.

Special Subjects in History

• Special Sub: Enlightenment Compared: Ireland, Scotland, Central Europe (HI4003)
• Special Sub.: Britain and Revolutionary Russia 1917 - 1924 (HI4012)
• Special Sub: the Child as Subject in the British World (HI401F)
• Spec Sub: Court Society in Late Medieval Europe (C. 1300 – C. 1500) (HI401G)
• Special Sub:european Constitutional Monarchies in the Long 19thcentury (HI4023)
• Special Subject: History of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict (HI4025)
• Special Subject: Myths of the North (HI4026)

Assessment Methods

• Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course.
• Practical assessments of the skills and competencies learned on the course.
• Written examinations at the end of each course.

Why Study Anthropology and History?

• Aberdeen is one of the fastest-growing Anthropology departments in the UK.
• Study at a nationally and internationally renowned university for Anthropology.
• Our core staff specialize in regions as diverse as Canada, the Central Asian Republics, Iceland and Scandinavia, Siberia, Scotland and the UK, South America, Tibet and the Himalayas.
• We offer innovative ideas and a fresh vision of the subject, with an emphasis throughout on work at the cutting-edge of the discipline and research.

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• SQA Highers: Standard: AABB, Minimum: BBB, Adjusted: BB.
• A LEVELS: Standard: BBB, Minimum: BBC, Adjusted: CCC.
• International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0.
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21.
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59.
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169.

Fees and Funding

• Tuition Fees: £9,535 (England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland), £20,800 (EU / International students).
• Scholarships and Funding: Aberdeen Global Scholarship, UK Scholarship.

Careers

• Social and Historical Research
• International Development
• Consultant or Academic Researcher
• Museum and Gallery Curator

Useful Fact about this Degree

• Aberdeen is ranked 3rd in the UK for Anthropology and Archaeology (Guardian University Guide 2025) and in the Global Top 100 for Anthropology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).