Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
About the programme
Cultural anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University teaches students how to study social relationships across space and time by thorough ethnographic fieldwork.
At Leiden Univerisity you can tailor your MSc Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology with a specialisation that reflects your area of interest. Our different specialisations cater for students with or without proficiency in audio-visual methods and range from policy-oriented research to individualised research projects. This structure allows us to accommodate students with diverse undergraduate backgrounds, objectives and expectations.
When choosing your specialisation consider the following:
Global Ethnography
The master's specialisation in Global Ethnography provides students with the opportunity to do their own three-months field research, create their own research networks and build on the experience of our specialised researchers, gaining excellent social scientific skills.
Sociology of Policy in Practice
The master's specialsiation in Sociology of Policy in Practice focuses on policy-oriented research either abroad or in the Netherlands. It offers students a mix of social scientific skills and the opportunity to work on an own personal three-month research project in the field of policy at an organisation or company.
Visual Ethnography
The master's specialisation in Visual Ethnography emphasizes a strongly hands-on, empirical approach by conducting two-month ethnographic research. This requires students to play an active role in mastering the audiovisual toolbox.
Field Research & Training
Our Field Research & Training opportunities provide students with the unique opportunity to carry out independent research under the guidance of experienced researchers. They provide additional training in ethnographic research techniques, in which you gain insights in some of the most frequently used tools and techniques (e.g. interview, survey, network analysis and mapping or photo and video elicitation) that may help you with your project.
Currently, we offer field schools in Ghana, in the Philippines and in the Netherlands, and they can be combined with the specialisation of your choice.
Objectives
The objective of the master's in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology is to equip ambitious students with the essential knowledge and skills to study the everyday practice of individuals, groups, and communities worldwide. And you will be able to situate these within the complex global challenges of diversity, sustainability, and digitalisation.
The development of in-depth knowledge and the ability to think critically and analytically are key goals of this master's programme.
Educational methods
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Self-study
- Fieldwork
Assessment methods
- Assignments and essays
- Oral presentations
- Peer feedback and assessment
- Thesis and/or multimedia project
Current academic year
For an overview of courses, you can visit our e-Prospectus. Please note that this outline applies to the current academic year, which means that the curriculum for next year may slightly differ.