During your first term you will follow a course on the investigation of biological evolution and cognition and a course on quantitative methods (including statistics and research design). In your second term you will take a course on the evolution of human behaviour, including biological, cognitive, psychological and comparative perspectives, as well as the mind and culture course, which examines how human conceptual structures inform and constrain cultural expression.
The degree constitutes a programme of study in its own right, as well as serving as a research training degree for those wishing to go on to doctoral research.
The School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography takes the view that full-time degrees require full-time study (i.e. equivalent to typical employment, around 40 hours per week, throughout the year). MSc students should expect to spend six to eight hours per week in term time in formal teaching contexts (seminar groups, tutorials, classes), which can be supplemented with attendance of the many research and visiting speaker seminars on offer; the remainder of their time (ie around 30 hours per week) should be spent on independent study and preparation of submitted work. The periods outside term time are considered to be opportunities for further independent study, consolidating and supplementing the knowledge gained during the preceding term and preparing work for examination, as well as for an appropriate break from study.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography.
Assessment
You will be assessed by coursework and three one week timed essays.
The MSc concludes with a 15,000-word research dissertation to be completed over the summer months, which is submitted and examined at the end of August.
Graduate destinations
Many graduates enter teaching and research, though this often requires a doctorate. There is some recruitment to public bodies, the larger private companies, development agencies, NGOs etc.
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