MPhil/PhD in Anthropology and Sociology

Overview

In the first year, every MPhil student is appointed a three-person research committee comprising a principal supervisor, a second supervisor and the Research Tutor. MPhil students attend the weekly Research Training Seminar and the Research Methods course, and they take relevant language training. MPhil students may also be required to take additional regional, thematic or theory courses related to their chosen specialisation. Upon successful completion of a 20,000-word research report and fieldwork proposal, MPhil students are upgraded to PhD status and commence fieldwork. 

The fieldwork experience forms the basis of a 100,000-word dissertation which should demonstrate original thinking and make a significant contribution to the discipline. During the post-fieldwork period, PhD students attend the weekly post-fieldwork seminar and have the opportunity to present their work in progress. MPhil and PhD students are encouraged to attend the variety of seminars and workshops that take place across the School.

Required courses

Students undertaking a PhD have a few requirements in their first year. They are required to take the Research Methods in Anthropology (15Cr) 15PANH091 course and attend the research training seminar each week. They are expected to attend the Departmental Seminar Series events (advertised weekly). They are required to write a Research Report and Fieldwork Proposal. 

They are required to submit an Ethics form. They will meet their supervisors at regular intervals. Generally, this will be fortnightly for full time students, however it may be appropriate to meet more or less frequently at different stages. Some supervisors may ask doctoral students to take additional modules in the first year of their PhD.

• Research Methods in Anthropology (15Cr) 15PANH091

All students enrolled in their first year of an MPhil/PhD are required to take and pass the assessments for this course.

Statistical methods for research

MPhil students are strongly encouraged to complete a not-for-credit online module, Statistical Methods for Research - Social Sciences run by Epigeum.

Alternatively, MPhil students can enroll for Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Research, a module for students with no prior knowledge of quantitative methods used in social research, available at SOAS and offered by the Department of Politics and International Relations.

• Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Research

Research training seminar

The aim of this seminar is to help students prepare for their upgrade by thinking through what an anthropological research project should be about. The seminar has also the over-arching objective of supporting the students preparing their upgrade documents, fieldwork plan and ethics review. It consists of students’ presentations, workshop-style exercises and invited talks by members of staff as well as returning PhD students. In term 1, students will introduce their research topic and outline the objectives of their PhD research through collaborative work with their colleagues. 

In these presentations, students are expected to engage with the materials they are reading or viewing with the aim of an discussing the writing and presentation techniques involved. Questions to consider include: what makes good ethnography? What is an effective way of organising and conveying an argument? What are the boundaries of ethnography, and how have they changed, and continue to change? Student presentations in term 2 focus on questions of ethics and the practicalities of and the choices involved in fieldwork.

In addition to supporting the written work students do and the ideas they explore in their individual sessions with supervisors, the Research Training Seminars also aims to introduce and hone transferrable skills. These include the ability to compose and communicate both brief and more sustained seminar presentations, the skill to assess ethnographic writing and each other’s work in a productive manner; and the ability to contribute to discussions and the making of knowledge as a member of a group. 

The seminar provides a vital forum for students to recognise, discuss and evaluate competing theoretical positions and approaches and to consider different forms, techniques, and styles of ethnographic (re-)presentation and communication. All such aspects are aimed at contributing to the intellectual and organisational development of the upgrade report.

Other required courses

Some first-year research students may be required to register for specific courses and they must complete the coursework set by the teacher. This will have been indicated in their letter of acceptance to the research programme. If you fall into this category, your supervisor will remind you of your commitment and will follow your progress on the course, as will the Director of Doctoral Studies and with the Head of the Doctoral School.

Training needs analysis

All students complete an annual Training Needs Analysis by the end of October, via PhD Manager. The TNA is a conversation between a doctoral researcher and their lead supervisor at the beginning of each academic year, whereby both parties identify skill areas that need further development and make prioritised action plans from that year.

PhD Manager

Doctoral students use PhD Manager to record and request a wide variety of things, supervisors should be able to provide support if you are having any issues; however if they are unable to assist, then the Doctoral School should also be able to help.

Research report and fieldwork proposal

In your first year, as part of your degree, you will write a Research Report and Fieldwork Proposal of 20,000 words on a topic you have chosen and agreed with your supervisor. This is due at the beginning of term 3 of your first year and any late submissions must be supported by your supervisor and approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies. 

All students are expected to submit this report and be examined in a viva voce by the end of term 3. Late submissions may require delays in examinations and a delay to the upgrade from MPhil to PhD status. No student is granted permission to leave for fieldwork until they have been examined and a decision has been made about upgrading.

Dissertation

In your second year, you are normally expected to do twelve months of fieldwork based on your Fieldwork Proposal. Requests for longer periods of fieldwork must be approved by the Head of the Doctoral School and supported by your supervisor. On return from the field you will be expected to begin work on your PhD dissertation of 100,000 words. This dissertation must adhere to the University of London Regulations for Anthropology Degrees.

Part-time students

If you are a part-time, then, like all first-year research students, you must meet your supervisor at the beginning of the academic year to agree your training needs and define the appropriate mode for supervisory contact. It is normally advised that you take the Ethnographic Research Methods course in your first year; and you are expected to attend the Research Training Seminars in your second year. During the term, supervision will take the form of a mix of face-to-face meetings and email contact; face to face supervision tends to occur during the Christmas, Easter or summer break.

The majority of departmental seminars, and many subject-based seminars, are held throughout the week and in the evenings. Access to the library and computing facilities is possible during normal opening hours. Formal teaching and an increasing amount of subject-based research material is available via electronic resources available through the Library internet connection (including a growing number of specialist search engines by subject/region).

Seminars

The variety of seminars you might like to attend at SOAS, and across London, is enormous, and you will need to be selective. The Anthropology Departmental Seminar meets on Wednesday afternoon and is a crucial element of the shared intellectual life of staff and postgraduate students. All first year students are expected to attend. Invited speakers will present work in progress, much of which should be at the cutting edge of anthropological research. There is also a regular PhD Post-Fieldwork Seminar given by students returning from fieldwork. While this seminar is primarily aimed at post-fieldwork students (and all post-fieldwork students in residence are expected to attend regularly), MPhil students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in discussion.

SOAS hosts a variety of public lectures, conferences and seminars which are prominently advertised on the SOAS events page. SOAS staff usually belong to an academic department and a Regional Centre (some also belong to Special Purpose Centres). If you have a regional interest, then make a point early in the year of locating the relevant Regional Centre where you will find an information board displaying forthcoming meetings. Some Regional Centres also publish a Newsletter.

Outside SOAS you might want to explore the facilities of the University of London. The LSE, University College and Goldsmiths College have substantial anthropology departments and also run weekly seminars. Some of you might have specialist interests which make it worthwhile seeking out London University colleges concerned with higher studies in medicine, law, education etc. The possibilities are too extensive and varied to itemize here; if you have particular interests then ask a member of staff who shares your enthusiasms.

You might also consider taking out a Junior Fellowship of the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) which will include a journal subscription to Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute and Anthropology Today. Membership also includes access to the RAI library located in the British Museum, which also hosts seminars and film screenings.

Second and third year (and beyond)

The second year of the PhD involves fieldwork, and the third year involves writing up (100, 000 words). In the third year, it is expected that you will meet with your supervisor around once a month. As a post-fieldwork student, you will also be expected to give two seminar presentations in the post-fieldwork seminar in the third year of your course of study. This is an opportunity to get feedback on your work from other members of the department as well as from your fellow doctoral students. 

The aim of the third year is to help you complete the work or produce the large part of a first draft of the dissertation. Many students then seek a fourth year of study, or Continuation. All changes in status must be supported by your supervisor and approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies and the Doctoral School. For students to proceed to continuation status, they must submit to their supervisors for their approval a large part of a first draft of the thesis, equivalent to no less than 60,000 words, itself organised in separate chapters of solid ethnographic description and of good potential for making an original contribution to the discipline.

During the writing-up period, your supervisor may encourage you to attend conferences and present papers outside of SOAS. In the last year of writing the dissertation, you should also start considering postdoctoral work and applying for fellowships and to job advertisements. Normally, your supervisor will guide you in preparing your applications, but it is your responsibility to identify opportunities and meet application deadlines.

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.