BA (Hons) Anthropology & Sociology

Stimulate your independent thinking and curiosity in a wide range of areas in anthropology and sociology.

• Anthropology and sociology deal with human behaviours in their social context. This degree gives you a comprehensive grounding in these converging subjects, so you'll develop an understanding of their shared traditions and differences in perspective.
• The dynamic nature of the degree means you’ll be able to bring an interdisciplinary angle to any problem, whether that’s arguing your perspective in an essay or coming up with novel solutions in your future career.
• The degree is divided evenly between anthropology and sociology, so you'll get a solid grounding in both subjects.
• You'll have the option of taking work placement modules in the second and third years of the degree.
• In your third year, you’ll be able to choose from a range of option modules, tailoring your learning in a way that suits your interests and aspirations. You might choose to explore topics like gender theory, environmental anthropology, or borders and migration.
• Our graduates have gone on to work for the UN, World Bank, NGOs, law companies and corporate social responsibility (CSR) consultancies.
• We've been rated top 10 in the UK for both anthropology and sociology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Martyn Wemyss.

We accept the following qualifications:

A-level: BBB
BTEC: DDM
International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall with Three HL subjects at 655
Access: Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject-specific modules
Scottish qualifications: BBBBC (Higher) or BBC (Advanced Higher)
European Baccalaureate: 75%
Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H2 H2

We don't assume you have any knowledge of anthropology, and welcome applications from anyone with arts, social studies or science backgrounds.

Alternative qualifications and experience

See our full list of undergraduate entry qualifications.

We welcome students with a range of educational experiences. If you believe you may not meet the standard qualification requirements we would still encourage you to apply because we consider all aspects of your application when making a decision.

We’ll pay particularly careful attention to your personal statement, which is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the subject you’ve applied for. Your referees are also welcome to include any relevant contextual comments around your academic achievements. We’ll look at all these things when making a decision on your application, as well as your qualifications and grades, and may still be able to offer you a place.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Anthropologists and sociologists often enter careers that centre on the challenges and demands that members of a society face. This could be jobs in:

• Social and community work
• Education and teaching
• The media
• The creative industries
• Business and management
• The public sector
• The voluntary and charitable sectors
• Criminal justice
• Government and policy

Students who achieve the best results during their undergraduate course may also get the chance to go on to postgraduate research.

Find out more about the types of jobs you can get with an anthropology degree and a sociology degree.

Skills

The BA Anthropology & Sociology degree will equip you with a range of specialist and transferable skills. As part of your studies, seminars and course work, you'll develop skills in:

• Understanding human behaviour
• Understanding concepts and theoretical approaches that are central to anthropology and sociology
• The ability to examine how social, public and civic policy can be influenced by sociological knowledge
• The ability to investigate, appraise and communicate empirical information
• Research and problem solving
• Communication (including public speaking, developing and presenting an argument, note taking, report writing)
• Awareness of social and cultural differences