Medical Anthropology MSc

The MSc in Medical Anthropology is offered as a one-year full-time programme. Teaching combines:

• lectures
• seminars
• tutorials
• essays
• assessed coursework

The programme works in close collaboration with the Global Public Health Unit and other subjects in the School of Social and Political Science.

You will complete two compulsory courses and four optional courses. You are also encouraged to take the Development Research Methods course.

After the taught courses, you will work towards your independently researched dissertation.

Dissertation

From May to August, you will complete either a placement-based dissertation or standard research dissertation.

The dissertation represents a chance to get to grips with a topic of the student's own choosing, supervised by an appropriate member of academic staff.

Previous dissertation topics include:

• Health as Society: Functions and Efficacy of Balinese Healing
• Emergence of Post-Traumatic Subjectivity. An Anthropological Critique of Medicalisation of Political Violence in Sri Lanka
• 'Creating National Health and Corporate Wealth'. Genzyme, Gaucher Disease and the Challenges of Enzyme Replacement Therapy within the British National Health Service

Placement-based dissertation

The aim of the placement-based dissertation is to provide students with the opportunity to work on their dissertation within the context of a workplace of their choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placements generally consist of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts which includes NGOs, charities, social enterprises, think-tanks and government bodies. Placements can either be in person, hybrid or undertaken remotely. Students are also able to source their own placements subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and are by competitive application during Semester 1.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option via our dedicated information pages:

• SPS Placement-based dissertation

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

You will gain the conceptual and methodological skills to understand contemporary health practices in a wider context of social, political, and economic problems, and be able to work in academic and applied health research.

The programme also acts as a conversion MSc for those without training in anthropology who wish to progress to a research career.

In addition, you will develop a range of highly transferable skills, such as communication and project management, which can be applied to roles in any field.

Our graduates

Graduates of the programme:

• went on to work for international organizations and for health think tanks
• won admission to some of the world's most prestigious Medical Schools (including Harvard and Yale)
• continued to study for a PhD in Social Anthropology

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding