Program Overview

This innovative course combines a strong interdisciplinary foundation with a specialist anthropological lens in the study of international development. You’ll take core modules that seek to understand critical contemporary issues from an anthropological perspective – including poverty, inequality, gender, corruption and conflict – focusing specifically on the diversity of peoples and cultures, and how different social relationships, structures and beliefs around the world can shape lives and processes of social change. You’ll develop practical skills in key anthropological methods and you will have the opportunity to study material culture in the world-renowned Sainsburys Centre for Visual Arts.  

In addition to this anthropological focus, you’ll gain a broad grounding in the key issues, organisations and practices of development, fusing insights from anthropology with those from across the social sciences, including economics, environmental sciences, geography, media, and politics. You can develop your understanding of particular regions in the world, through area modules relating to sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Latin America, and you can pursue your emerging interests in other aspects and perspectives of development.

The result is an extremely flexible degree programme that you can tailor to suit your particular interests, and that allows you to combine an interdisciplinary foundation with your niche specialism.   

By studying with us, you’ll join our close-knit academic community, made up of experts from across multiple disciplines, all housed within the School of International Development. As such, you will not only learn from our world-renowned anthropologists within the school, but you can benefit from a truly vibrant, interdisciplinary environment.  

We are amongst the best in the world for researching, teaching, and practicing development. Come and study with us and help us to create a fairer world.