Anthropology

About the Department

LSE has one of the most famous anthropology departments in the world. In addition, we are genuinely passionate about teaching and we strive to maintain a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the. Our emphasis on student satisfaction is reflected in our performance in rankings, such as the Guardian League Table 2016, in which we are ranked first for student satisfaction for Anthropology in the UK.

We certainly have a glorious past: many of the most important figures in anthropology's history (Malinowski, Firth, Leach, Gell, Bloch, and many others) have worked and/or studied at LSE. We also have a glorious present: in the most recent evaluation of UK academic research, we were ranked first in anthropology for the quality of our publications.

We carry out ethnographic research in diverse settings: in urban America, in rural China, in the Peruvian Amazon, etc. Our department is well-known for the rigour of its research in settings such as these, and also for the pivotal contributions it has made – and continues to make – to core anthropological debates about politics, economics, religion, kinship, and other foundational topics in the human sciences. You can hear from some of the current members of staff and students by watching our video  Anthropology at LSE.

MRes/PhD Anthropology

Visiting Research Students

The MRes/PhD programme is central to the life of the Department, and we support students with their field research and professional development. The student body for this programme is diverse, with students from a range of different national, cultural and academic backgrounds.

The programme is built around long-term participant observation fieldwork. The first year focuses on fieldwork preparation and training in research methodologies. Most of our students carry out fieldwork for approximately 18 months. After fieldwork, doctoral candidates begin writing their PhD dissertations under the close guidance of their supervisors.

Doctoral students conduct fieldwork – related to a broad range of contemporary themes in social anthropology – throughout the world. We invite applications for research, particularly on topics which are linked to the interests and expertise of our members of staff. The research interests of our staff span nearly all the major theoretical spheres of modern social anthropology.

Taught programmes

• MSc Anthropology and Development
• MSc Anthropology and Development Management
• MSc China in Comparative Perspective
• MSc Law, Anthropology and Society (with the Department of Law)
• MSc Social Anthropology (Learning and Cognition)
• MSc Social Anthropology (Religion in the Contemporary World)
• MSc Social Anthropology