The MA in Anthropology is offered on a full-time basis running for 12 months or part-time basis running over 24 months.

A candidate for this MA programme must normally hold an honours Bachelor degree, Second Class Honours Grade I (or equivalent), in Anthropology, or a cognate subject in social/cultural sciences (Sociology, Criminology, Management, Development, Political Science, Languages, Social Sciences, Classics, Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, Study of Religions) or equivalent international qualification. 

Candidates who hold a Bachelor degree with a Second Class Honours Grade II may also be considered subject to review by the Board of Studies.

As part of the application process all applicants will be required to submit:

1. A supporting letter which should outline your intellectual biography and your reasons for pursuing postgraduate studies in Anthropology. 
   
2. A research proposal which should outline, as precisely as possible, a research topic on which you propose to write a dissertation. It should identify a question, issue or problem; develop hypotheses concerning the problem; show the theoretical framework within which the problem and hypotheses are formulated; and indicate the ethnographic fieldwork method(s) which you will apply. While the research proposal will be important in the evaluation of the applicant's ability, successful applicants will be free to modify and alter their research interests in accordance with the knowledge gained and new perspectives encountered in the course of their studies.
   
3. Prospective applicants may be required to present themselves for interview. The interviewing of overseas applicants may be conducted by skype.

Students take 90 credits as follows:

Part I consists of 60 credits and Part II consists of 30 credits. 

Part I (Full-time)
Students complete core modules to the value of 30 credits, and select 30 credits from the Elective Modules (students are strongly encouraged to attend one of the summer/winter schools and can take up to 10 credits from those on offer).

Core Modules:
AY6001 Anthropology: Paradigms and Theories (15 credits)
AY6002 Ethnography, Practice and Writing (15 credits)

Elective Modules:
Summer School/Winter School Elective modules:
AY6005 International Anthropology Winter School (10 credits)
AY6006 International Political Anthropology Summer School 1 (5 credits)
AY6007 International Political Anthropology Summer School 2 (10 credits)
AY6008 Economy and Society Summer School 1 (5 credits)
AY6009 Economy and Society Summer School 2 (10 credits)

Students select their remaining modules from the standard taught list of electives below:

Standard Electives:
Students select 20 credits from the following:
AY6004 Anthropology and Social Control (10 credits)
AY6025 Anthropology and Aesthetics of Performance: Ritual and Theatre  (10 credits)
CR6000 Governmentality: Disciplines, Institutions and Critiques (10 credits)
GV6010 Contemporary Global Politics (5 credits)
GV6127 Politics and Gender (5 credits)
LW6544 Criminology (10 credits)
MU6042 Ethnography of Music (10 credits)
MU6043 History and Theory of Ethnomusicology (10 credits)
RG6095 Religions and Memory (15 credits)
SC6602 Rethinking Borders: Global Challenges to Social Justice (15 credits)
SC6623 Globalisation and Culture (10 credits)
SC6627 Social Pathology, Civic Health, New Technology (10 credits)
SC6631 Sociology of Sustainable Development (10 credits)
SC6639 Feminist Epistemologies: Feminisms, Sexuality and Society (10 credits)

Part II
Students complete 30 credits as follows:
AY6003 Dissertation (30 credits)
or
AY6010 Fieldwork Placement (30 credits)

The Fieldwork Placement will take place in one of our partner universities and will be jointly supervised by a team of two supervisors, one based at UCC and one in the partner university. The supervisor in the partner university will oversee and facilitate the practical aspects of the fieldwork project. The fieldwork placement will be designed by the two supervisors in consultation with the student before they depart for fieldwork. Students will go on fieldwork placement for 1 to 2 months in Ireland or to non-European partner universities between the months of April and August. The placement will be monitored by a UCC academic mentor plus a local mentor if the fieldwork is undertaken at a non-European partner university. Students will be expected to report their experiences at agreed intervals. For a student to go on Fieldwork Placement pertinent conditions must be satisfied for the programme Director including but not limited to linguistic requirements, political stability, health concerns, travel and health insurance undertaken. Where unsure the Programme Director will consult with the Board of Studies or where conditions are unmet a student may make their case to the Board of Studies.

International students have the option to conduct a fieldwork placement in Ireland which will be coordinated by the MA Anthropology Board of Studies at UCC.

Part-time
Option 1: Students may take 45 credits in year one and 45 credits in year two;
OR
Option 2: 30 credits in year one (must comprise Core Modules AY6001 and AY6002) and 60 credits in year two. However, a minimum of 30 credits must be completed in year one to enter year two of the part-time degree programme.

Part I 
Year One 
Students complete core modules up to the value of 30 credits (Option 1 and Option 2), and select 15 credits (Option 1) from the Elective Modules (students are strongly encouraged to attend one of the summer/winter schools in either Year 1 or Year 2 and can take up to 10 credits from summer/winter schools in any given year)

Core Modules to the value of 30 credits:

AY6001 Anthropology: Paradigms and Theories (15 credits)
AY6002 Ethnography, Practice and Writing (15 credits)

Elective Modules:
Summer School/Winter School Elective modules:
AY6005 International Anthropology Winter School (10 credits)
AY6006 International Political Anthropology Summer School 1 (5 credits)
AY6007 International Political Anthropology Summer School 2 (10 credits)
AY6008 Economy and Society Summer School 1 (5 credits)
AY6009 Economy and Society Summer School 2 (10 credits)

Students select their remaining modules from the standard taught list of electives below:
Standard Electives:
AY6004 Anthropology and Social Control (10)
AY6025 Anthropology and Aesthetics of Performance: Ritual and Theatre  (10 credits)
CR6000 Governmentality: Disciplines, Institutions and Critiques (10 credits)
GV6010 Contemporary Global Politics (5 credits)
GV6127 Politics and Gender (5 credits)
LW6544 Criminology (10 credits)
MU6042 Ethnography of Music (10 credits)
MU6043 History and Theory of Ethnomusicology (10 credits)
RG6095 Religions and Memory (15 credits)
SC6602 Rethinking Borders: Global Challenges to Social Justice (15 credits)
SC6623 Globalisation and Culture (10 credits)
SC6627 Social Pathology, Civic Health, New Technology (10 credits)
SC6631 Sociology of Sustainable Development (10 credits)
SC6639 Feminist Epistemologies: Feminisms, Sexuality and Society (10 credits)

Year Two
Students complete 15 credits (from the module not already taken in Year One) (Option 1) or 30 credits (Option 2) for Part I of which 10 credits may be from Summer/Winter School Elective modules:
Elective Modules:
Summer School/Winter School Elective modules:
AY6005 International Anthropology Winter School (10 credits)
AY6006 International Political Anthropology Summer School 1 (5 credits)
AY6007 International Political Anthropology Summer School 2 (10 credits)
AY6008 Economy and Society Summer School 1 (5 credits)
AY6009 Economy and Society Summer School 2 (10 credits)

Students select their remaining modules from the standard taught list of electives below:
Standard Electives:
AY6004 Anthropology and Social Control (10)
AY6025 Anthropology and Aesthetics of Performance: Ritual and Theatre  (10 credits)
CR6000 Governmentality: Disciplines, Institutions and Critiques (10 credits)
GV6010 Contemporary Global Politics (5 credits)
GV6127 Politics and Gender (5 credits)
LW6544 Criminology (10 credits)
MU6042 Ethnography of Music (10 credits)
MU6043 History and Theory of Ethnomusicology (10 credits)
RG6095 Religions and Memory (15 credits)
SC6602 Rethinking Borders: Global Challenges to Social Justice (15 credits)
SC6623 Globalisation and Culture (10 credits)
SC6627 Social Pathology, Civic Health, New Technology (10 credits)
SC6631 Sociology of Sustainable Development (10 credits)
SC6639 Feminist Epistemologies: Feminisms, Sexuality and Society (10 credits)

Part II 
Students (both Option 1 and Option 2) complete 30 credits as follows:
AY6003 Dissertation
OR
AY6010 Fieldwork Placement (30 credits)

The Fieldwork Placement will take place in one of our partner universities and will be jointly supervised by a team of two supervisors, one based at UCC and one in the partner university. The supervisor in the partner university will oversee and facilitate the practical aspects of the fieldwork project. The fieldwork placement will be designed by the two supervisors in consultation with the student before they depart for fieldwork. Students will go on fieldwork placement for 1 to 2 months in Ireland or to non-European partner universities between the months of April and August. The placement will be monitored by a UCC academic mentor plus a local mentor if the fieldwork is undertaken at a non-European partner university. Students will be expected to report their experiences at agreed intervals. For a student to go on Fieldwork Placement pertinent conditions must be satisfied for the programme Director including but not limited to linguistic requirements, political stability, health concerns, travel and health insurance undertaken. Where unsure the Programme Director will consult with the Board of Studies or where conditions are unmet a student may make their case to the Board of Studies.

International students have the option to conduct a fieldwork placement in Ireland which will be coordinated by the MA Anthropology Board of Studies at UCC.  

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Postgraduate Diploma in Anthropology exit award:
Students who successfully complete and pass taught modules to the value of 60 credits in Part I and opt not to complete Part II may exit the programme and be conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in Anthropology. A student who subsequently applies to undertake the Master's programme must do so within 5 years of successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Anthropology subject to the programme being on offer.

Postgraduate Certificate in Anthropology exit award:
Students who successfully complete and pass taught modules to the value of at least 30 credits in Part I may exit the programme and be conferred with a Postgraduate Certificate in Anthropology student who subsequently applies to complete the Master's programme must do so within 5 years of successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Anthropology subject to the programme being on offer.

Programme Learning Outcomes for MA in Anthropology (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of classical and contemporary anthropological theories
• Show understanding of classical and current anthropological debates
• Engage in the critical reflection on contemporary theoretical discourses
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of research skills in foundational anthropological theories and contemporary anthropological paradigms
• Demonstrate knowledge on the empirical and ethical challenges of fieldwork
• Design an individual or collaborative anthropological fieldwork research project
• Identify ethical issues in the research project and show how they are to be resolved.
• Communicate advanced knowledge and understanding of a contemporary anthropological topic relating to ethnographic writing and practice
• Engage with the practical empirical challenges of fieldwork ethnographic practice and writing such as taking field notes, conducting interviews, digital ethnographies
• Demonstrate effectiveness in researching, formulating and communicating this knowledge, understanding and critical awareness in the form of a Dissertation or Fieldwork based research project and report.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Anthropology  (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of classical and contemporary anthropological theories
• Show understanding of classical and current anthropological debates
• Engage in the critical reflection on contemporary theoretical discourses
• Demonstrate knowledge on the empirical and ethical challenges of fieldwork
• Design an individual or collaborative anthropological fieldwork research project
• Essay submission on a topic of research realised within the core modules.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Certificate in Anthropology  (NFQ Level 9, Minor Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of classical and contemporary anthropological theories
• Show understanding of classical and current anthropological debates
• Engage in the critical reflection on contemporary theoretical discourses
• Communicate advanced knowledge and understanding of a contemporary anthropological topic relating to ethnographic writing and practice.