Program Overview

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Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of human diversity around the world. In studying anthropology, you will learn how different societies live together and think about such topics as family, religion, art, politics and economics and gain skills increasingly in demand in a globalized and automated world.

Course Structure

The BA in Anthropology is constructed around four innovative, engaged themes:

1. What Makes Us Human?
2. Conflict, Peacebuilding and Identity
3. Arts, Creativity and Music
4. Morality, Religion and Cognition

Modules

Year 1

• Us And them: Why do we have ingroups and outgroups?
• A World on the Move:Historical and Anthropological Approaches to Globalization
• Being Human: Culture and Society
• Being Creative: Music Media and the Arts
• 'Understanding Northern Ireland: History, Politics and Anthropology'

Year 2

• Key Debates in Anthropology
• Skills in the Field: Ethnographic methods
• Northern Ireland: Past, Present and Future
• Anthropology of Media
• Hanging out on Street Corners: Creative, Public and applied Anthropology
• Apocalypse: Cultures, communities, and the end of the world
• Human Morality

Year 3

• Anthropology Dissertation
• Music, Power and Conflict
• Anthropology and Roma
• Remembering the Future: Violent Pasts, Loss and the Politics of Hope
• The Politics of Performance: From Negotiation to Display
• In Gods We Trust: The New Anthropology of Religion

Entry Requirements

• ABB
• A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to grade A at A-Level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.
• H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3
• Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70%.
• 33 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level
• QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD
• RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 GLH at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD
• A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree

Tuition Fees

• Northern Ireland (NI): £4,855
• Republic of Ireland (ROI): £4,855
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB): £9,535
• EU Other: £22,400
• International: £22,400

Careers

Studying for an Anthropology degree at Queen‘s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are increasingly valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions.

Research Areas

• Ethnomusicology and performance
• Conflict and borders
• Religion
• Cognition and culture
• Migration and diasporas
• Irish studies
• Material culture and art
• Human-animal relations
• The cross-cultural study of emotions

International Opportunities

As part of their dissertation study in years 2 and 3, students have carried out ethnographic field research around the world, including on orphanages in Kenya, AIDS in southern Africa, education in Ghana, dance in India, NGOs in Guatemala, music in China, marriage in Japan, backpacking in Europe, and whale-watching in Hawaii.

Facilities

Anthropology at Queen's provides students access to world class facilities including; The Ethnomusicology Performance Room which includes a variety of musical instruments from around the world, a collection that has grown since the 1970s when Ethnomusicology was first established as an International Centre at Queen’s by the late Prof John Blacking. These instruments, together with the sprung performance room floor, facilitate music and dance ensembles, enabling our unit to remain one of the leading departments in Ethnomusicology.

Internationally Renowned Experts

Anthropology at Queen’s is international renowned in the following areas: Ethnomusicology and performance; Conflict and borders; Religion; Cognition and culture; Migration and diasporas; Irish studies; Material culture and art; Human-animal relations and The cross-cultural study of emotions.

Further Study Opportunities

Further study is also an option (eg MA Anthropology, MA Conflict Transformation and Social Justice); see the School website for details.

Career Development

In the Complete University Guide 2025, Anthropology was ranked 19th in the UK by subject.

Student Experience

In the Complete University Guide 2023, Anthropology was ranked 5th in the UK for student satisfaction.

Student Testimonials

• ‘’Recently the dissertation experience has been really useful in my job search. Because it involves different research methods and demonstrates good written and verbal communication skills, it's great for the CV and even better for coming up with examples for competency questions in interviews. It's also brilliant for networking because it provides easy conversation and an awareness of social issues etc.” - Lucy Proudlock
• "The fieldwork and dissertation have been central to my experience as an Anthropology student. While I am sure it will stand me in good stead in my future search for employment, its central value was as a practice which revealed what Anthropology is really about; through fieldwork, the abstract and theoretical concepts which we had absorbed in two years previous study became immediate and concrete; the subject came alive. Observing and analysing patterns of human action and thought, and later attempting to relay any inferred information (in the form of a dissertation) was a stimulating and challenging process, which seemed to me to be of value in and of itself." - Samuel Ward
• ‘’Doing an anthropology dissertation is great for allowing you to use your own creativity and actually apply your knowledge rather than simply learning from others. It is a fantastic way of building confidence for any future career as it gives you the opportunity to expand on something independently and looks great on the CV!’' - Genevieve Bigger

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award

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 Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at:

Additional Course Costs

Students are required to take the Anthropology dissertation module. This will involve undertaking fieldwork in the summer vacation period between years 2 and 3. The cost will vary depending on the location of the fieldwork, ranging from £100-£500. The School will provide financial support up to a maximum of £300.

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.