About the Programme

Studying Medical Anthropology at University College London

The MSc in Medical Anthropology at UCL provides students with a unique opportunity to learn and gain valuable skills and training in one of the most innovative and cutting edge masters courses in the UK. We are committed to anthropological research and teaching at the intersections of clinical practice, primary care, global public health and science and technology.

With expertise in social, biological, medical anthropology and material culture, the department aims to incorporate and develop interdisciplinary and interdepartmental linkages in our programme while at the same time retaining the strength of core subject areas in the discipline of medical anthropology.

Combining cutting edge taught courses and guided independent research training in advanced medically and clinically-related applied anthropology and anthropological theory, the course uniquely attracts a wide cross-section of students. This includes social and biological anthropologists, physicians, health workers, doctors in training and pre-medical students, creating rich opportunities for cross-disciplinary dialogue and practice based learning in applying anthropological theory and methods to real world health challenges.

Funding Opportunities

There are a small number of merit-based Dame Mary Douglas Awards, ranging from £1000 to £4000 for applicants to our MSc programmes. These are limited to students who apply before May 15th, 2013.

The programme aims:

  • To provide a special programme for people who already have a general social science background but who wish to start focusing seriously on health-related anthropology
  • To prepare candidates who lack appropriate social science training to start a programme that leads to a PhD in the field of Medical Anthropology
  • To equip medical professionals who need to employ anthropological techniques in, or formulate an anthropological dimension to, their professional work
  • To provide a special programme for people who already have a general social science background but who wish to start focusing seriously on health-related anthropology
  • To act as a training programme for non-British students with medical or social science degrees who are interested in aspects of the discipline as distinctively developed within British Social Anthropology

Research Seminars and Activities

A weekly Medical Anthropology Research Seminar, open to all, runs through both terms, in which well-known researchers in the field of medical anthropology present their most recent findings. MSc students are required to attend and are expected to participate in the discussion.

In addition to one-off special events throughout the term, there are also Research Reading Groups in the department that offer students and staff an informal and productive alternative learning environment for generating new ideas and developing critical, engaged thinking.

Current relevant active RRG groups include Biosocialities, Citizenship and Health and Cosmology, Ontology, Religion and Culture.




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Header picture by UCL (acquired licence and true copy)