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BA Social Anthropology and African Studies

Start date
September
Duration
3 Years
UCAS code
LT65
Course Type
Undergraduate, Joint Honours combined
Fees

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK)
£24,470 (International)
More detail.

Our undergraduate BA Social Anthropology and African Studies degree at the University of Birmingham will enable you to understand and analyse the contemporary world in all its variety. Explore alternative perspectives on today’s major topics and learn to question established norms and assumptions.

The range of African societies today and in the past are enormous: from egalitarian communities to elaborately hierarchical empires. There are extremes of wealth and poverty; ancient oral cultures exist side by side with old traditions of literacy and state-of-the-art electronic media; successful local exploitation of Africa’s massive pools of biodiversity contrasts with the famines we are all too familiar from the news. The staff who teach our undergraduate Anthropology and African Studies degree have lived and taught in countries beyond Western Europe, and have a range of language skills acquired through intensive ethnographic fieldwork.

In Social Anthropology, you will learn how to search for, select from and evaluate sources of information, weigh up arguments, and present your findings effectively. As an anthropologist however, you will also become sensitive to the assumptions and beliefs that underlie behaviour in a range of social and cultural contexts.

After a thorough grounding of modules in the first year of your degree, we offer a wide range of optional modules to study in subsequent years.  In the final year, you develop a dissertation on an anthropological topic based on your interests, in consultation with a supervisor with relevant expertise.

International undergraduate scholarships available in the College of Arts and Law

We are proud to offer 10 scholarships to international students in the form of £3,000 tuition fee awards for year one entry only.

Learn more about our scholarships and apply

Over the last three years I have studied topics such as witchcraft and kinship in my first year, LGBT activism in my second year and the meaning of money and commodities in my third year. I even conducted my own anthropological research project on the social pressures that influence student fashion trends. By studying undergraduate anthropology at the University of Birmingham I have questioned all of my assumptions about what it means to be human.

Hannah

Why study this course?

BA Social Anthropology and African Studies is for you if you want to...

  • Immerse yourself in a unique perspective - The Department of African Studies and Anthropology is the only one of its kind available at both undergraduate and postgraduate level allowing you to explore the disciplines in entirely new and exciting ways.
  • Access exceptional learning resources – You will have access to a range of learning resources including environmental and material culture teaching collections at the University of Birmingham; the Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology Museum; the Eton Myers Collection and the Danford Collection of African art and artefacts
  • Be taught by the very best – You will study alongside some of the finest minds at university. Times Higher Education ranked the Department of African Studies and Anthropology 2nd in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise, whilst our Department of Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology was ranked in the Top 10.
  • Experience a vibrant student community - Enjoy access to a student experience team who co-ordinate performances, talks, trips, podcasts, quizzes and celebrations. In recent years, for example, our first years have enjoyed a Sudanese food evening and second and third years have gone on trips to the Liverpool Slavery Museum, the V&A in London, and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. 

Modules

Please note: You will take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Joint Honours flexibility

Every degree programme at the University is divided into 120 credits of study for each year of the programme. In the first year of a Joint Honours programme, you will study 60 credits in each subject as you learn the core elements of the disciplines. We recognise that students on Joint Honours programmes might come to favour one subject slightly more than another. To account for this, we have added more flexibility into the second and final years of our programmes. In the second year, you can stick with the 60-60 split between the two subjects or shift to a 80-40 credit weighting, effectively a major/ minor combination. You can either go back to 60-60 in the final year, maintain the same 80-40 split or reverse the major and the minor and go to a 40-80 weighting.

First year

Compulsory modules

  • Studying Societies: Social Anthropology (10 credits)
  • Around the World with Anthropology (10 credits)
  • Thinking Anthropologically (20 credits)
  • Anthropology of Africa (20 credits)

Optional modules

  • 60 credits of optional modules. You will choose 20 credits from either Writing Worlds: Ethnography as Craft (20 credits) or Urban Encounters: Anthropology in Birmingham (20 credits)

Detailed descriptions of first year modules

Second year

Compulsory modules

  • Theory and Ethnography (20 credits)
  • Research in Practice (20 credits)

Optional modules

  • 80 credits of optional modules, including, if you wish, a Future Skills or Professional Skills module

Detailed descriptions of second year modules

Year Abroad

You can apply to study abroad for a year in an approved university around the world. If you achieve a grade of 2.1 or above in your first year, you will be eligible to apply for a Year Abroad in your second year. If your application is successful, you will go abroad in your third year and return to us for your final year.

More about a Year Abroad

Final year

Compulsory Modules

  • Dissertation (40 Credits)

Optional modules

  • 80 credits of optional modules including, if you wish, a Professional Skills module if not undertaken the previous year

Detailed descriptions of final year modules

Fees

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Fees for 2025/26 are as follows:

  • UK: £9,535
  • International: £24,470

Eligibility for fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

For further information on tuition fees, living costs and available financial support, please see our pages on undergraduate fees and funding.

Tuition fees when studying abroad

For those spending a whole academic year abroad (where available):

  • Students who are classed as UK for fees purposes are required to pay 15% of their normal annual tuition fee
  • Students who are classed as International for fee purposes are required to pay 50% of their normal annual tuition fee

For those studying abroad for just one semester (where available), normal annual tuition fees apply.

Note - Study abroad opportunities vary between courses; please see the course description for details of study abroad options offered.

How To Apply

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
BBB
General Studies:
Accepted.

IB Diploma:
5,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall.

BTEC qualifications:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM.
  • BTEC Diploma: DD plus B at A-level.
  • BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus BB at A-level.

T Levels:
Merit overall with B in the Core Component; all subjects considered.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

Students in the Danford Room 

Contact hours

All Birmingham degrees are set within a credit framework designed to measure your academic achievements. We expect all students to accumulate 120 credits in each full year of study which is equivalent to 40 hours of learning a week. Learning is considered to include contact learning (lectures and seminars), private study, revision and assessment.

For this programme, those 40 hours are estimated to be broken down and split into lectures, seminars and other guided teaching opportunities and then independent study. This is a general rule across the entire academic year and may change week by week.

  • Year 1: 15% Lectures, seminars or similar and 85% Independent study
  • Year 2: 10% Lectures, seminars or similar and 90% Independent study 
  • Year 3: 10% Lectures, seminars or similar and 90% Independent study

 

Assessment Methods

Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways to help you transition to a new style of learning. At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed. Assessments methods will vary with each module and could include:

  • Coursework, such as essays, book reviews or projects
  • Group and individual presentations

There are no formal exams in the Department of African Studies and Anthropology; Joint Honours students may have timed or take-home examinations in their other department.

Feedback - you will receive feedback on each assessment within thee weeks, so you can learn from each assignment.

As an Social Anthropology and African Studies student you will have an excellent opportunity to develop skills that are attractive to employers, including: 

  • Strong communication skills
  • The ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information
  • Leadership and teamwork
  • Handling complex information
  • The ability to form concise and articulate arguments
  • Managing your time and prioritising your workload 

These are key skills that will enable you to pursue either further study in African Studies or Anthropology disciplines or move into employment in a wide range of other careers.  

Our African Studies and Social Anthropology graduates have gone on to careers such as:  

  • Adjudicator
  • Graduate Research Executive
  • Pensions Administrator
  • Teacher
  • Graduate Intern
  • Compliance Executive
  • IT Project Management Trainee
  • Production Runner
  • Parliamentary Researcher
  • Business Adviser
  • Caseworker
  • Event Manager
  • Postgraduate study  

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.  You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences.  As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.  

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.