Social Anthropology PhD
Awards: PhD
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Social Anthropology
Our Social Anthropology group forms an international centre of excellence for postgraduate training, recognised as one of the premier research departments in the UK.
Edinburgh’s Social Anthropology department is among the largest in the UK, and our research interests are correspondingly diverse.
Our research is global in scope and includes core themes in:
- health and wellbeing
- religion and society
- migration and refugee studies
- science and technology
- the anthropology of kinship
- peace and conflict studies
- anthropology and the arts
- media anthropology
- cultural heritage
- international development
- human-animal relations
- the anthropology of design
Our work generally combines a traditional anthropological emphasis on ethnographic fieldwork with a focus on contemporary issues.
We welcome interdisciplinary research and are home to the Edinburgh Centre for Medical Anthropology (EdCMA), and numerous collaborations with the Edinburgh College of Art, including the Atelier Network.
We also work closely with the Centre for African Studies (CAS), particularly with research on international development.
MScR option
We’ve updated our portfolio of programmes. Individual MSc by Research programmes have been replaced with MSc by Research Social & Political Science.
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.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PhD | 3 Years | Full-time | Programme structure 2020/21 | |
PhD | 6 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2020/21 |
The PhD programme combines work on your thesis project, usually based on long-term fieldwork, with systematic training in anthropological and social research skills.
Research training is also available in the form of our MSc by Research.
The Graduate School provides a suite of ESRC-recognised research training courses for social science students across the University.
We are developing an exciting package of flexible web-based training courses in line with the increased emphasis on ongoing training throughout the course of doctoral studies.
A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, and a UK masters degree with an overall mark of 65% or its international equivalent.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
English language tests
For 2021 entry we will accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS: total 7.0 (at least 6.0 in each module)
- TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 20 in each module). We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 169 in each module)
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components
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 or Trinity ISE, 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:
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.
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PhD | 3 Years | Full-time | Tuition fees | |
PhD | 6 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
Featured funding
For specialised guidance on submitting a competitive scholarship application, we strongly recommend you contact the * Postgraduate Advisor for your Subject Area. You should advise which scholarships you intend to apply for and send your draft research proposal. The Postgraduate Advisor will then contact you with guidance.
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Awards
- Research scholarships for international students
- Principal's Career Development PhD Scholarships
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.
*(Revised 19 November 2020 with changes to links and advice for funding.)
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 1560/3064
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Advisor, Professor Alexander Edmonds
- Contact: alex.edmonds@ed.ac.uk
- Graduate School of Social & Political Science
- Chrystal Macmillan Building
- 15A George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LD
- Programme: Social Anthropology
- School: Social & Political Science
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
- Prospectus: Social & Political Science (PDF)
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
PhD Social Anthropology - 3 Years (Full-time)
PhD Social Anthropology - 6 Years (Part-time)
Programme start date | Application deadline |
---|---|
13 September 2021 | 5 July 2021 |
We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.
You must submit two references with your application.
We encourage PhD applicants in particular to contact potential supervisors before applying to discuss their research proposal so we can ensure there is adequate supervision.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 1560/3064
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Advisor, Professor Alexander Edmonds
- Contact: alex.edmonds@ed.ac.uk
- Graduate School of Social & Political Science
- Chrystal Macmillan Building
- 15A George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LD
- Programme: Social Anthropology
- School: Social & Political Science
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
- Prospectus: Social & Political Science (PDF)