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Studies & Degrees in Social Anthropology

Social anthropology is the comparative study of human societies and cultures. The University of Manchester describes it as the study of human society and cultures through a comparative lens: how people live together, how societies are organised and how people give meaning to their lives. Typical topics are kinship and family, religion, migration, politics and law, health, gender, cultural heritage and development.

The method that sets the subject apart is ethnography. Anthropologists spend a long period with the people they study, often a year or longer according to Manchester, and take part in daily life instead of only observing it. This is called participant observation. Students learn to design this kind of research, to interview, to keep field notes and to write up what they find. Courses in theory, the history of the discipline and regional studies complete the programme.

Qualifications and levels

The subject is taught at university only, from bachelor's level to the doctorate.

  • Bachelor's degree: in Spain, a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits under Royal Decree 822/2021. The Grado en Antropología Social of the Universidad del País Vasco (EHU) follows this pattern: four years, 240 ECTS credits, taught in Spanish, Basque and English on the Gipuzkoa campus. In England, the BSocSc Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester takes three years, or four with a year abroad or a professional experience year.
  • Master's degree: Spanish master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. In the United Kingdom a taught master's usually takes one year: the MA Anthropological Research at Manchester lasts one year full-time and asks for a UK 2:1 degree or the overseas equivalent in social anthropology or a degree with a large anthropology component.
  • Doctorate: a PhD is built around the student's own ethnographic fieldwork. The University of Edinburgh describes its PhD Social Anthropology in exactly these terms.

Joint degrees are common. Edinburgh and Manchester both combine social anthropology with politics, sociology, philosophy or criminology. Specialised master's degrees also exist, for example the MSc Medical Anthropology at Edinburgh, which is aimed at anthropologists and trained health practitioners.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists seven active schools for social anthropology: two in Spain, two in the United Kingdom and one each in the United States, Germany and Ethiopia.

In Spain, the Universidad del País Vasco offers 55 places a year on its bachelor's degree. As a public university it charges €13.42 per credit for a first enrolment, and the entry mark for 2026-27 was the minimum pass mark. The Escola de l'IGOP of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona teaches a related programme, the Máster en Políticas Sociales y Acción Comunitaria: an official master's degree of 60 ECTS credits, taught in Spanish and Catalan, on social policy and community work.

In the United Kingdom, The University of Manchester and The University of Edinburgh both have large departments. At Edinburgh the subject was established in 1946, and the department combines ethnographic fieldwork with a focus on contemporary issues. Manchester's typical A-level offer for the bachelor's degree is ABB, and students can spend a year at a partner institution abroad.

The other listed schools are the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg in Germany, Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), a university devoted to the health sciences. The language of instruction depends on the country, so check each school's language requirements before applying.

Careers

Few graduates work under the job title "anthropologist". In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counts about 10,200 jobs for anthropologists and archaeologists in 2025 and projects 6 percent growth from 2025 to 2035. The largest employer group is management, scientific and technical consulting, with 28 percent of jobs, followed by social science research and the federal government. The Bureau states that the occupation typically requires at least a master's degree, although some people start with a bachelor's degree as field or research assistants.

Most graduates use their training in other roles. The Universidad del País Vasco lists these fields for its graduates:

  • mediation and advice on diversity, gender, migration and human rights
  • museums, cultural and ethnographic heritage, and local and community development
  • advice to the audiovisual, film and publishing industries
  • consultancy in human resources, health and social services
  • teaching and research

Manchester names social research, media, the cultural industries, the public sector and charities as destinations for its master's graduates, besides PhD study.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between social anthropology and sociology?

Both study society. Social anthropology relies on ethnography: long-term fieldwork in which the researcher takes part in the daily life of a group and compares societies with each other. Several universities, including Edinburgh and Manchester, offer joint degrees in both subjects.

How long does a degree in social anthropology take?

In Spain a bachelor's degree takes four years and has 240 ECTS credits. At The University of Manchester the bachelor's degree takes three or four years, and a taught master's takes one year.

Do I need a master's degree to work as an anthropologist?

For research posts, usually yes. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that anthropologists typically need at least a master's degree, and some positions require a PhD. Graduates with a bachelor's degree often work in mediation, cultural management, consultancy or social research.

Can I study social anthropology in Spain in Spanish?

Yes. The bachelor's degree at the Universidad del País Vasco is taught in Spanish, Basque and English. Ask the school which subjects are available in each language.