Anthropology and Sociology

A majority of our Anthropology and Sociology PhD graduates atSOAS University of London have embarked on an academic career, taking up lectureships in universities in the UK as well as abroad, or pursuing further their interests through post-doctoral fellowships and other research-based posts.

Anthropology and Sociology PhD graduates from SOAS University of London have gone on to a range of occupations in the fields of social and market research, development organisations at home and overseas, international and national government and policy, heritage and museum services, journalism and in advisory services of many kinds.

Key facts

In the first year, every MPhil student is appointed a three-person research committee comprising a principal supervisor, a second supervisor and the Research Tutor. MPhil students attend the weekly Research Training Seminar and the Research Methods course, and they take relevant language training. MPhil students may also be required to take additional regional, thematic or theory courses related to their chosen specialisation. Upon successful completion of a 20,000-word research report and fieldwork proposal, MPhil students are upgraded to PhD status and commence fieldwork.

The fieldwork experience forms the basis of a 100,000-word dissertation which should demonstrate original thinking and make a significant contribution to the discipline. During the post-fieldwork period, PhD students attend the weekly post-fieldwork seminar and have the opportunity to present their work in progress. MPhil and PhD students are encouraged to attend the variety of seminars and workshops that take place across the School.

Courses included:

• The variety of seminars you might like to attend at SOAS, and across London, is enormous, and you will need to be selective. TheAnthropology DepartmentalSeminar meets on Wednesday afternoon and is a crucial element of the shared intellectual life of staff and postgraduate students.

• Fortnightly tutorialswith your supervisors are the norm if you are full time, although there will be times when you will see your supervisor more frequently and others when you might need three weeks between appointments. You will also be required to attend and do thecoursework for the Research Methods in Anthropology class in term 1and theResearch Training Seminar in both terms.

• In consultation with your supervisor, you may also decide to take alanguage courseand you will be expected to follow classes and do the related coursework.