Anthropology with a Year Abroad BSc
London, Bloomsbury
This is the programme information for 2026 entry
What is it to be human? Delve into the evolutionary, environmental, social, cultural and material aspects of this vast topic on this broad-based anthropology degree. You’ll gain the skills and analytical perspectives to explore and respond to the challenges of today, from conflict, poverty and climate change to racial discrimination and gender bias. Spend your third year studying abroad at one of UCL’s partner universities. Ideal preparation for human-focused careers in the civil service, NGOs, market research, advertising, the arts, journalism, consultancy and business.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
Programme starts
September 2026Application deadline
14 Jan 2026UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAB
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4, plus any Science (Single Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics) required at grade B or 6 (Combined Science at grades 6, 6).
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- BBB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics both at grade C or 4, plus any Science (Single Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics) required at grade C or 4 (Combined Science at grades 4, 4).
- Points
- 36
- Subjects
- A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 32 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction.
D3,D3,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects
A,A,B at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher)
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 2
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
Anthropology is the study of humans, their societies, cultures, and biological evolution across time and space. It seeks to understand the complexity of human experience by exploring the diverse ways people live, think, and interact with their environments across the globe.
As an Anthropology BSc student, you will study a broad base of anthropological disciplines spanning our evolution as a species, as well as our relationship with the material and digital worlds. You will be introduced to key theories and research methodologies, alongside practical learning through direct engagement with objects, photographs and hominin and primate specimens from the UCL Ethnography and Biological Anthropology Collections.
The course is enriched by teaching that draws on the department’s cutting-edge research, which spans a fascinating variety of contemporary topics that range from the cultural impacts of new digital media and the enduring influence of coloniality, to social and environmental sustainability and interactions on NASA space missions.
In Year 3, you will spend the year abroad, studying with one of our partner institutions and enhancing your knowledge by connecting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, engaging with new traditions, developing your interpersonal skills, and preparing yourself for an increasingly interconnected world.
What this course will give you
Theoretical understanding: Explore various dimensions of humanity, by engaging with key principles and underlying concepts associated with evolutionary and environmental anthropology, social anthropology, material culture and medical anthropology.
Diverse learning experiences and versatile skills: Take part in diverse learning activities, including group discussions and individual research projects. This provides an opportunity to develop a range of key transferrable skills such as critical reasoning, research, and analytical capabilities, as well as collaboration and communication skills that will prepare you for a future in the field of anthropology or a variety of diverse career paths.
Hands-on experience: Engage in practical learning. As a student, you will be able to participate in a three-day ethnographic field trip, have the opportunity to handle and analyse objects and biological specimens, and can engage in additional fieldwork as part of your final-year research project, should you choose to do so.
Develop writing skills: Develop your written communications skills by engaging in academic writing and coursework. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to the Anthropolitan, our in-house magazine, where students can collaborate to explore and present their ideas relating to anthropology in all its diversity.
Year abroad: Broaden your knowledge of diverse cultures and gain important global perspectives that will help to deepen your understanding of anthropology.
High-ranked education: Study at one of the world’s top-rated institutions, with UCL ranked 4th globally for Anthropology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology with a Year Abroad.
Modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
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Year 1
In Year 1, you'll study five compulsory modules, three of which are worth 30 credits, and two of which are worth 15 credits for a combined total of 120 credits. Across these modules, students will study the following topics:
- Evolutionary and environmental anthropology, which explores human evolution and contemporary human-environment interactions.
- Social anthropology, which explores social and cultural differences and their determinants in local and global contexts.
- Material culture, which studies human, social and environmental relationships through the construction of the material world.
Year 1 will also include training in qualitative and quantitative research methods and a three-day ethnographic field trip.
Year 2
In Year 2, Anthropology students will develop a critical understanding of key anthropological methods and research skills, including the ability to evaluate and apply appropriate methodologies and theoretical models to diverse research contexts. They will also explore ethics, positionality, and reflexivity in research, while gaining insights into the broader applications of anthropological knowledge in professional contexts, supported by optional modules that allow for specialisation and personal interest.
Year 2 includes compulsory modules in:
- Anthropological Research Methods (30 credits)
- Being Human (15 credits)
You can also select five optional modules.
Year 3
In Year 3, you will spend the year abroad at one of our partner institutions in, for example, Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Chicago, Melbourne, Oslo, Paris or Tokyo.
Year 4
In Year 4, you will return to UCL and select five optional modules (15 credits each) and complete an independent research project for your dissertation (45 credits).
Anthropology students will design and execute an independent research project, culminating in a dissertation that demonstrates their ability to apply advanced research skills, with the option to incorporate fieldwork. Alongside this, they will choose from a diverse range of optional modules, allowing them to deepen their expertise in specialised topics, tailoring their studies to personal and professional interests.
Optional modules
Optional modules
Your learning
Our teaching comprises lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical classes. Small group tutorials and collaborative group work are an important element of many modules.
Your first year will include a three-day ethnographic field trip. Expenses are covered for travel, accommodation and meals.
The Year-4 Individual Studies in Anthropology module can involve fieldwork to gather primary data for dissertation research projects.
Typical contact hours vary between 9-12 hours per week, depending on the year of study and module choice, and include tutorials, seminars, lectures, laboratory or studio-based classes, workshops and supervision sessions. A further 25-30 hours per week is typically expected to be spent on independent study – for example, engaging with key topics and required readings.
Assessment
Assessment varies by module and combines written coursework, examinations, presentations, journals, laboratory notebooks, multimedia assignments, quizzes and a dissertation research project. Examinations are normally unseen.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.
Visit us
Online - Open day
Virtual Open Event: Anthropology BSc information session and Q&A
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Join our online open event to explore the Anthropology BSc at UCL: Hear from our Course Leader and Head of Department; Gain insights into the programme’s structure and content; Discover what it’s like to study at UCL Anthropology; Ask questions and get the answers you need.
The foundation of your career
UCL Anthropology graduates work in a diverse range of fields including:
- Media
- PR, Advertising and Marketing
- Social or Market Research
- Accountancy and financial services
- IT
- Technology and communications
- Performance and creative arts
- Publishing, Journalism and Translation
- Policy and Government
- Charities, NGO’s and International Development
- Libraries, Museums and Heritage
- Teaching
Many also pursue further academic study. (Graduate Outcomes Surveys carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), 2017-2022).
Find out more about what you can do with a degree in anthropology from our recent graduates on our careers web page.
Employability
UCL Anthropology students graduate with valuable skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods, interpretation and analysis, cultural awareness and interpersonal communication and time and project management.
The broad range of methodological skills and analytical perspectives offered by the UCL Anthropology programme gives our graduates an unusually wide range of career possibilities, many of them directly related to the discipline's cross-cultural focus and to our blending of the social and biological sciences.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2025/26) | £9,535 |
| Tuition fees (2025/26) | £36,500 |
Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
Students who wish to conduct field work as part of their dissertation project are responsible for covering any additional costs which may include visa, travel, accommodation, vaccination and/or subsistence costs. These costs can vary greatly depending on the location and length of field work. For example, field work within the UK may require travel which vary in cost from under £5 to £300+ per trip. For overseas fieldwork, air fare depends on the route and distance which can range from £30 to £3000+.
Students who wish to take part in field courses may have additional costs to cover depending on the field course. For example, for students taking part in the ANTH0032 Atapuerca and Human Evolution in Europe field module, overseas travel, accommodation and food costs are typically covered, but students will need to need to cover any additional costs such as visas. For students attending the Turkana Basin Semester Field School, there are additional fees of approx. £5000 (based on 2024 costs) plus return airfare to Nairobi, visa, vaccinations and some field equipment.
The costs of a visa can range between £65 to £350 depending on destination. Students are advised to research costs before committing to field work and field courses.
Please note that study abroad during your programme at UCL is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website.
For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
Your application
Our typical student’s interests are not limited to the cultures, societies, biology or behaviour of people in the past. The department is proud of its humanitarian ethos and welcomes those interested in the present and future. This can be a desire to work with urban or indigenous communities dismantling colonial or institutional forms of structural violence to exploring human philosophies through the objects, technologies and ideologies that we produce and consume.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
The department has a long-standing policy of encouraging applications from those with non-standard qualifications and a diverse range of backgrounds. Such candidates may be asked to provide supplementary evidence of their suitability for the programme by, for example, submitting an essay. All applications are considered on their own merits and offers may be tailored to your specific circumstances if we believe you demonstrate potential.
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