Program Overview

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Anthropology, Art and Perception (MRes) 2025 entry

Overview

Draw on the theories and methods that extend across the disciplinary boundaries between audio-visual art and anthropology.

Application Deadline

Thursday 7 August 2025

Starts

September 2025

Duration

One year full time

School

School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies

Fees

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Why Study This Course?

• The course benefits from small class sizes and an interdisciplinary approach.
• The course includes a project-based module that allows you to experiment with audio-visual and other creative anthropological research methods.
• Students have the option to write a library-based dissertation or a dissertation with a practical component.

Programme Themes

• The senses and perception in anthropology
• The role of community and cooperation in practice-based research
• Experimental methodologies, audio and audio-visual practices
• Representation
• A practical sensory project
• Commonalities between anthropological fieldwork and contemporary arts practice

Teaching

• Delivered through formal lectures combined with seminar-style teaching, one-off practical workshops, preparing and mounting an exhibition of project-based work, and small group lectures.

Resources

• Access to a museum collection of ethnographic material and a common room that includes a general anthropological library.

Dissertation

• A 15,000-word dissertation or a 7,500-word dissertation with a practical element with weekly support from an assigned individual supervisor.

Assessment

• Coursework only, no exams.

Modules

• Each module typically comprises of 22 contact hours for lectures and seminars, plus additional practical time.

Compulsory Modules

• Anthropology, Art and Perception 1: centres on the role of the sensory in visual and material culture covering haptic, visual, sonic and gustatory themes in anthropology, and addresses the role of aesthetics from ethnographic and anthropological perspectives.
• Anthropology, Art and Perception 2: explores anthropology's potential for contributing to and critiquing image production in film, art and photography, and develops new sensory approaches to observation and engagement.

Dissertation

• Students can choose to complete a 15,000-word research dissertation or a 7,500-word dissertation with a practical and or multi-modal element. Student dissertations will be supervised by a member of teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process.

What It Will Lead To

Careers

• Graduates in social anthropology from St Andrews will gain key practical skills in analysing social and cultural dynamics and how they shape relations, attitudes and experiences.
• They will learn how to communicate cross-culturally and to examine problems reflexively and holistically, revealing and questioning taken-for-granted assumptions.

Further Study

• Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere.
• The department of Social Anthropology supports PhD supervision across a diverse range of theoretical interests and topics.

Why St Andrews?

• The Scottish Training in Anthropological Research (STAR) consortium brings together social anthropologists from the universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to support innovation in research and teaching.

Entry Requirements

• A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree. No previous anthropological experience is required.
• English language proficiency.

Application Requirements

• CV
• Personal statement
• Sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
• Two original signed academic references
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates

Fees and Funding

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Scholarships and Funding

• GREAT Scholarship
• St Andrews Sanctuary Scholarship
• St Leonard's funding opportunities
• Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)

Alumni

• When you graduate you become a member of the University's worldwide alumni community.
• Benefit from access to alumni clubs, the Saint Connect networking and mentoring platform, and careers support.