Social and Cultural Anthropology examines how people live, make meaning, and organize their social, political, and ecological worlds. The discipline combines close observation, critical reflection, and interpretive analysis to understand cultural practices and the ways human behavior is shaped by and shapes social environments. Comparative and collaborative work across societies is central, informing both methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives.
This consecutive MA foregrounds ethical and political reflexivity and values theoretical contributions from the Global South alongside other scholarly traditions. Students learn to analyse power relations at scales from intimate interaction to large political structures, to participate constructively in academic and public debates, and to work respectfully across cultural contexts. The programme emphasizes socially relevant, scientifically sound, and ethically responsible research conducted in dialogue with diverse communities and collaborators.
You will be supported to develop an independent master’s thesis in various formats: a fieldwork-based project, an audiovisual media project, or a literature- or archive-based study. Faculty members provide close supervision to help you carry out research in any cultural setting. Graduates gain analytical, intercultural, and communicative skills that prepare them for engaged scholarship, policy work, public-facing roles, and other careers where nuanced understanding of social and cultural dynamics is essential.
Key facts and options
This MA offers a tightly supervised sequence of modules (1–6) combining lectures, tutorials and seminars that examine the cultural foundations of social life and contemporary theory. Core teaching covers research methods and a wide range of thematic fields, including Political and Psychological Anthropology, Media and Visual Anthropology, Migration Studies, Environmental Anthropology, the Anthropology of Religion, and studies of Terrorism and the Global War on Terror. You will also engage with Decolonial Theories, Conflict Studies, Trauma and Mediation, with a particular emphasis on engaged, applied and multimodal ethnographic practice.
The programme supports regional specialisations—Sub‑Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, European and German societies—while foregrounding decolonial thought, applied anthropology and robust methodological training. Seminars move between conceptual debates and practical institutional approaches to teaching, learning and collaborative research. Students gain direct access to national and international scholars and practitioners, building networks useful for both academic and non‑academic careers.
From the second semester onward the programme increasingly prioritises supervised research: by semester two you begin careful project development, and semesters three and four focus on producing an independent research output. You choose a research pathway (fieldwork, audiovisual formats, ethnographic film, internship/practical training, or archive work), receive ongoing supervision, and complete an MA thesis followed by an oral examination (viva) to earn the degree. Graduates emerge with theoretical depth, practical research skills (including multimodal outputs), regional expertise and experience in applied and collaborative projects.
Key modules
Learning outcomes
Degree requirements (concise)
You should hold a relevant undergraduate degree and be comfortable working in the programme language. Successful applicants normally have completed a Bachelor's that provides solid training in social anthropology or ethnology, or a degree in a related discipline that includes a substantial social-anthropological component. You will also need to demonstrate advanced language skills and meet the programme’s minimum grade threshold.
If your previous degree was awarded outside Germany or uses a different grading system, check the institute’s website for information on how foreign qualifications and grades are evaluated and for details about acceptable language certificates and documentation.
Winter Semester (International)
15 July 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Graduates are prepared for research and applied roles that require qualitative, intercultural and critical analytical skills. Typical pathways include careers in academic research and teaching, cultural and heritage institutions, NGOs and international organisations, policy and development agencies, and consultancies working on social research, community engagement or intercultural communication.
The programme’s emphasis on field methods, audiovisual techniques and applied anthropology also suits roles in media, documentation, programme coordination, and project management where ethical, context-sensitive research and collaboration with diverse communities are required.