AN499      One Unit
Dissertation

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

The dissertation must demonstrate an adequate knowledge of relevant theoretical literature and the ethnography of one or more contexts. It should attempt to consolidate a theme introduced during the course, developing a sustained research focus on one specific issue in anthropology, using existing ethnographic literature as appropriate. This will normally be a library-based dissertation, but may be supplemented by minor original research elements in consultation with the academic adviser For the MSc Social Anthropology, the problem should be framed with reference to literature from within the discipline of anthropology (drawn from mainstream journals or ethnographic texts). For the MSc Anthropology and Development, the topic should span the fields of both Social Anthropology and Development Studies - it may cover, but need not be restricted to, the area of overlap, i.e. the anthropology of development as narrowly defined. 

1.5 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
3 hours of lectures in the Winter Term.
3 hours of workshops in the Spring Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn and Winter Term.

1.5 hours of lectures in the AT. 3 hours of lectures in the WT. 3 hours of workshops in the ST.

There will be a lecture on note taking and avoiding plagiarism in the AT. In addition to the two lectures in the WT and the dissertation workshop in the ST, students will discuss their projects and receive guidance during meetings with their mentors in AT, WT, and ST.

Dissertation proposal in Winter Term Week 11

In Winter Term students are expected to produce a dissertation proposal including the following sections: 

• a 250 - 300 word abstract
• a one page thesis outline
• a bibliography of key readings

Dissertation (100%, 10000 words) in August

The dissertation must not exceed 10,000 words including in-text citations, footnotes and appendices (but excluding bibliography). It should be submitted to the Department through Moodle in late August.

To ensure the integrity of our dissertation courses, students on Anthropology MSc programmes may be required to take part in an interview about the process of researching and writing their dissertation. The expectation is that approximately 10% of students will be required to attend an interview. The interviews will usually take place online between September and early November. Students who are selected for interview will need to make themselves available before their results can be confirmed.