First semester

In the first semester you focus on anthropological theory and prepare the fieldwork research that you will conduct.

Therefore you start with the course Key Debates in Anthropology (8 ECTS). This course offers an overview of recent debates in the discipline of anthropology and helps to anchor your research project in a contemporary and theoretically engaged field of knowledge and understanding.

Besides Key Debates you take the course Designing Fieldwork (12 ECTS). In this course you get prepared for your individual fieldwork research: you look systematically into elements of research design including research question, theoretical framework, methodology, ethics and positionality, and practical and safety issues.

In January you make a start with your research project: Ethnographic Fieldwork (15 ECTS). Fieldwork is a main component within the Master's programme and is shaped by your interests and prior knowledge.

Second semester

The second semester you devote all your time and energy to your research project. During your Ethnographic Fieldwork (15 ECTS) you immerse yourself in your subject, collect material and gain insights in order to answer to your research question.

Upon returning from ‘the field’, you will start writing your thesis. While writing, you learn to interpret the research results and present experiences in abstract terms. The main challenge is to combine anthropological theory with fieldwork data in a way that is both elegant and effective in presenting your findings. You will be supported in planning and writing your thesis by the course Writing Ethnography (6 ECTs) while also receiving individual guidance from your supervisor.

Workload

The Master's Cultural and Social Anthropology is a full-time programme. A large part of the programme focuses on self-study, preparing and conducting your fieldwork project and writing your thesis.