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Studies & Degrees in Social and Cultural Anthropology

Social and cultural anthropology is the comparative study of human societies and cultures: how people organise family and kinship, work and exchange, power, belief and identity, and why these arrangements differ from one place to another. The Universidad de Granada describes the aim of its degree as giving students the training needed to study and understand the variety of human societies and cultures, their causes and their meanings.

The method that sets the discipline apart is ethnography. Anthropologists spend long periods with the people they study, observe daily life, take part in it and interview those involved. Students therefore learn both theory and research practice: qualitative and quantitative methods, field techniques and the writing of ethnographic reports.

What students learn

The study plan of the Grado en Antropología Social y Cultural at the Universidad de Granada gives a good picture of the content. The first year introduces anthropology alongside sociology, psychology, contemporary history and political economy. Later years cover the classic fields and current topics:

  • Economic, political and ecological anthropology
  • Kinship, gender, and beliefs, rituals and religions
  • Cognitive and symbolic anthropology
  • Research methods, ethnography and data analysis
  • Anthropology of health, of migration, of heritage and of Latin America
  • Optional subjects such as urban, visual and development anthropology

Qualifications and levels

In Spain, official university studies follow the national structure: a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits, and the doctorate.

  • Bachelor's degree. The Grado en Antropología Social y Cultural of the Universidad de Granada has 240 ECTS credits over four years, of which 60 are optional credits. It is taught on campus, in Spanish, at the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras on the Cartuja campus, and its page gives a figure of 60 places.
  • Distance learning. The Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), a public distance university that is not part of the school list on this page, also offers a Grado en Antropología Social y Cultural. Its plan puts specific emphasis on three applied fields: development, migration, and indigenous movements and peoples.
  • Master's degree and doctorate. Graduates specialise through a master's degree, in anthropology itself or in a related applied field. The Escola de l'IGOP of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, for example, teaches a Máster en Políticas Sociales y Acción Comunitaria. A research career requires a doctorate.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists four schools under this subject, all in Spain: in Granada, in Elche and in the Barcelona area. Teaching is in Spanish; the Universidad de Granada gives Castilian Spanish as the language of its degree. Programmes change, so check on each school's own site which anthropology degrees or courses it offers this year and at which level.

International students apply for a grado through the university's general admission procedure. At the Universidad de Granada this is handled by its access and admission service, and there are several access routes depending on previous studies.

Careers

The Universidad de Granada states that its graduates can move into varied professional profiles in public administrations, companies and national and international non-governmental organisations. It groups them as follows:

  • Intercultural relations and the management of cultural diversity, including mediation and advice
  • Territorial development and international cooperation
  • Promotion, conservation and management of ethnological and cultural heritage, for instance in museums
  • Teaching, research and the dissemination of knowledge

Official employment figures for anthropologists as a separate occupation are scarce. For reference, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics counts about 10,200 jobs for anthropologists and archeologists in the United States in 2025 and projects growth of 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. It adds that these professionals typically need at least a master's degree. Many graduates work under other job titles, in social research, cooperation, cultural management or education.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a degree in social and cultural anthropology take in Spain?

Four years. The grado has 240 ECTS credits, and a master's degree adds 60 to 120 ECTS credits.

What is the difference between anthropology and sociology?

Both study society. Anthropology is defined by its comparative view across cultures and by ethnographic fieldwork, and the two subjects share courses in the first year of the Granada degree.

Is the degree taught in English?

The degree at the Universidad de Granada is taught in Spanish. Ask each school about its language of instruction and the level of Spanish it expects.

Can I study anthropology at a distance?

Yes. In Spain the UNED offers a Grado en Antropología Social y Cultural as a distance degree.