Department of Anthropology and Sociology

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Start date
Duration
1 year
Attendance mode
Full-time or part-time
Location
On Campus
Fees

Home: £12,710
International: £26,330

Course code
PGTF0248
Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with a 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher in a social science or humanities subject. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

See international entry requirements and English language requirements.

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The SOAS MA in Medical Anthropology and Mental Health facilitates understanding of health from diverse perspectives and investigates the complexity of human suffering, as well as varied forms of healing and treatment. 

The programme offers training in anthropological approaches to the major health and mental health challenges of our time. Drawing on ethnographic research, clinical knowledge, lived experience and cross-cultural comparison, it explores health as embedded in historical and social forces such as climate change, coloniality, displacement, and intersecting inequalities including race and gender.

The programme equips graduates with conceptual tools for anthropological analysis and methodological skills in ethnographic research. Students are also introduced to insights from disciplines adjacent to anthropology, including psychology, transcultural psychiatry, psychoanalysis, biomedicine, and Science and Technology Studies (STS). Students’ anthropological skills will be honed through closely supervised original research projects in areas of individual interest, written up as a dissertation. 

Students learn about the implications of ongoing cultural and technological shifts and the ethical stakes of diverse healing philosophies and practices in order to engage with current affairs and global conditions pertaining to mental health, inequality, conflict, and justice. They also have the opportunity to use short work placements as part of their study programme to gain practical experience or to reflect anthropologically on their existing work roles.

The MA welcomes students with an intellectual interest in anthropological approaches to health and mental health and is open to applicants from social sciences and other backgrounds, including clinicians, practitioners, pre-med students and trainees across medical and clinical fields, healthcare management, humanitarian/refugee organisations, policymaking and grassroots advocacy in health/mental health. 

We specifically accommodate students of medicine and medical sciences who are interested in combining their training with an MA degree in anthropology. The programme also fosters the independent critical thinking and qualitative research skills needed to pursue postgraduate research through MRes or PhD programmes in Medical Anthropology and qualitative health sciences.

The SOAS Department of Anthropology is fostering recognition of the value of anthropology for medical and mental health policy and practice through the recently established Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA). This is an international hub for cutting-edge anthropological research, education and public engagement in the field of mental health in partnership with NHS, public health and a variety of non-government organisations. 

MA Students join CAMHRA’s vibrant community and will benefit from the research-led teaching, guest lecturing, events and placements. The MA is taught by a diverse group of anthropologists currently leading collaborative research with NHS, voluntary/private sector, and international clinical and public health partners. Our global research projects bring perspectives and debates from different societies, cultures and healing systems.

Why study MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health at SOAS?

  • We are ranked 6th in the UK and 19th in the world for Anthropology (QS World University Rankings 2024)
  • 3rd in the UK for Employer Reputation (QS World University Rankings 2024)
  • 6th in the UK for Academic Reputation (QS World University Rankings 2024)
  • 4th in the UK (2023 Times/Sunday Times League Table)

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The programme consists of 180 credits, made up of taught modules of 15 or 30 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits. There are five compulsory modules (75 units): two (30 units) provide a foundation in anthropological theory and method; three (45 units) focus on medical anthropology and mental health. 

Students also take optional modules (45 units). All students must complete a Dissertation (10,000 words) of 60 credits.

Dissertation

Core to the MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health is the 10,000-word dissertation, based on original research on a topic of the student's own choosing and developed in discussion with a supervisor. Where appropriate, students are encouraged to develop research projects that address issues related to their professional or personal experience in healthcare.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. 

However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Core

Compulsory

Guided options

Between 15 and 45 credits guided options

Open options

Students can take a maximum of 30 credits from the School-wide open options list, including languages.

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The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials and/or seminars, which include group exercises and student presentations. Outside of the classroom, students explore topics of the module through group activities, independent study, and personal exchanges with teachers and fellow students. 

Students can expect an average of 2-hours of classroom time per week for each module (a one-hour lecture and a 1-hour seminar). In some cases, modules are taught by several teachers within the department to provide students with an array of perspectives on the subject. All modules involve the active participation of students in the discussion of ideas, viewpoints and readings.

Assessment

Students will be assessed through a combination of essays, reflective pieces, practical exercises (eg methodological experiments), presentations in writing and other media (including photography, film, creative writing), and a longer dissertation.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study such as reading and research, preparing coursework, revising for examinations and so on. Also included is class time, for example lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects may have more class time than others – a typical example of this are language acquisition modules.

At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar every week.

Learn a language as part of this programme

Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East and diasporas, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

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Title Deadline date
CAMHRA Master’s Scholarships

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The MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health equips our graduates with basic skills in anthropological analysis and ethnographic research that are also usable in a variety of healthcare and other settings. Our graduates are prepared for a wide range of employment. 

They have pursued careers in healthcare, academia, communications, policy, finance, tech, and education in government, corporate, humanitarian, and non-profit sectors. Our graduates have been hired by employers such as:

  • The NHS
  • Allen & Overy
  • BBC
  • British Council
  • Deloitte
  • Hackney Migrant Centre
  • IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
  • IOM- UN Migration
  • Media 52
  • New York Times
  • Social Mobility Foundation
  • The Week
  • UNICEF
  • United Nations Development Programme
  • World Bank Group

Find out about our Careers Service.

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