This programme addresses the complex social, cultural, political and economic processes that shape local and global life today. It combines ethnographic and theoretical training with hands-on exercises in qualitative methods so students learn to collect and analyse data, sharpen critical thinking, and develop an empathetic understanding of the needs and constraints of different communities. The course is taught in English in Tübingen, making it suitable for international students seeking a research-focused MA in the social sciences.
The MA is research-oriented and structured to deliver systematic, critical knowledge across theory, methodology, applied practice and region-specific topics. Students gain familiarity with the discipline’s diversity and its ethical responsibilities, and acquire in-depth theoretical and subject-specific expertise in at least one regional or thematic area. The programme emphasises independent problem-solving and the application of disciplinary methods in a variety of contexts.
The department’s strengths include visual, medical, material and organisational anthropology with a particular emphasis on applied anthropology, so graduates are prepared for both academic research and practice-oriented work. If you want to assess whether this MA fits your interests and background, the department provides a self-directed assignment you can try at: https://lms-public.uni-tuebingen.de/ilias3/goto_pr01_crs_6777.html
Key facts & student requirements
This master's curriculum unfolds over four semesters and is built to move students from broad theoretical and methodological training to independent empirical research. During the first two semesters you focus on acquiring core theoretical frameworks and research methods while developing a personal research profile. That period emphasizes scientific reflection and preparing you to conceive and lead your own research projects.
In the third semester you carry out a study project that turns abstract theory and methods into concrete empirical questions. The project trains you to handle the complexity and diversity of anthropological inquiry and to address the ethical dimensions of fieldwork. You will develop in-depth theoretical and ethnographic expertise in at least one geographical region or field and in one substantive area (for example: economic, political, religious, material, museum, or visual anthropology), and learn to apply methods and critical problem-solving across both academic and applied settings.
The fourth semester is devoted to processing and communicating the research findings. You present your study project in the joint MA colloquium—practising oral and written presentation for both specialist and non-specialist audiences—and complete your MA thesis. The thesis requires systematic analysis of the empirical data from your project, aiming to contribute to broader theoretical debates and to propose solution-oriented approaches where relevant. Overall, the programme prepares you for independent research and for roles that require applied analytical, ethical and communication skills.
Key modules / programme requirements
Core learning outcomes
This master’s program expects applicants to have a solid undergraduate grounding in social or cultural anthropology. Admissions require that your Bachelor's degree includes a substantial amount of discipline-specific coursework so you can build on that foundation in advanced study.
The specified minimum is 60 ECTS credits in social or cultural anthropology, which corresponds to roughly one full academic year of specialized study in the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. If your undergraduate degree was awarded outside the ECTS framework, be prepared to document the subject-specific content of your studies so equivalence can be assessed.
If your BA combined anthropology with other fields, make sure at least 60 ECTS (or the equivalent) are explicitly in social/cultural anthropology; if you are unsure whether your credits meet this threshold, contact the admissions office before applying.
Winter Semester (International)
15 July 2026
Graduates acquire in-depth theoretical and practical skills in ethnography, qualitative methods, data analysis, ethical fieldwork and public communication. These competences prepare graduates for research roles and PhD programmes in anthropology and related social sciences.
Outside academia, alumni are well-suited for careers in NGOs, international development and humanitarian organisations, cultural institutions and museums, public policy and administration, health and community projects, consultancy and heritage management, where applied anthropological expertise, critical problem solving and stakeholder-sensitive fieldwork are valued.