UCL Anthropology

M.Sc. in Anthropology, Environment and Development
1 year full time (Oct - Sept) or 2 years part time

Tutor: Dr Caroline Garaway

** Recognised as a research training Masters programme by the ESRC for funding purposes - further information on this funding is available here **

This programme combines biological and social anthropological approaches to examine the ecology of resource use in developing societies and to evaluate the environmental implications and outcomes of these activities in terms of human subsistence and welfare. For more on general Masters degree requirements click here.

Aim	This MSc provides a graduate training and qualification integrating natural and social science approaches to environment and development as a foundation for higher research and professional work. It focuses on the implications of changing environment for production systems and human welfare, on sustainable use of natural resources in developing countries, and on environmental and welfare impacts of changing patterns of resource use with development. The programme integrates biological and social anthropological aspects of environment and development by using: theory and state of knowledge review case studies in depth assessment of research methodology in relation to specific issues and topics dissertation based on original data collection or analysis training in dissemination of results, presentation of seminars and reports
Course Content & Structure	The above is achieved through both specialist and more general taught courses, research seminars & discussion groups and a supervised dissertation conducted from April—September. Core Course (compulsory) Resource Use and Impacts Specialist taught courses (students take two out of the following three) The Ecology of Human Groups Population and Development Special options (e.g. in medical anthropology, gender and development, conservation) Methods & professional development courses (compulsory) Postgraduate Research Methods Personal & Professional Development programme Dissertation Research Seminars
Mode of Assessment	Assessment of taught courses accounts for 50% of the final mark whilst the dissertation accounts for the remaining 50%. Taught courses are assessed through a mixture of assessed essays, and seen and unseen examinations. For details, see information under each course.
Recommended Readings	There is no textbook for this course but the following is a brief list of relatively general works that cover some of the issues. Homewood K (ed) (2004) Rural Resources and local livelihoods in Africa. James Curry Goldsmith, B. (1998) Tropical Rainforests: a wider perspective. Chapman Hall Leach, M. & Mearns, (eds.) (1996), The lie of the land: challenging received wisdom in African Environmental Change and Policy. James Currey/IAI Richards, P. (1985) Indigenous agricultural revolution Hutchinson Ellis F & Mortimore M (2000) Roots in the African Dusts: sustaining the sub-Saharan drylands. Cambridge; New York : Cambridge University Press