MRes/PhD Anthropology

How would you like to train at one of the most famous anthropology departments in the world?

An MRes/PhD in Anthropology at LSE offers you the chance to undertake a substantial piece of innovative research that drives forward debates within the discipline.

You’ll do so with bespoke support from our faculty members. Our faculty’s research interests cover all the major theoretical spheres of modern social anthropology, and our expertise covers all regions of the world. We have experience of conducting fieldwork with a wide range of research participants, including rural and urban communities, activists, bureaucrats, corporations, therapists, NGOs, and members of religious and social movements. So whatever you want to research, you’ll have access to world-leading knowledge and resources to help you do it.

The programme is built around long-term participant observation fieldwork in your chosen research setting. You'll begin on the MRes, where you're trained in research methods and develop a detailed research proposal. You'll need to meet certain requirements to progress to the PhD. Upon completing that, you'll normally undertake fieldwork for around 18 months. After fieldwork, you begin work on your dissertation.

The MRes/PhD programme is central to the life of the department, and we look forward to having you join us.

MRes

The first year focuses on fieldwork preparation and training in research methodologies. You'll take courses and seminars based in the Department of Anthropology. Depending on your qualifications and background, you'll also be asked to take additional coursework in social anthropology by attending lecture courses in, for example, economics, kinship or religion.

You'll also audit (attend but not participate in assessment) one or two of the department’s main lecture courses, to the value of one unit.

Throughout the pre-fieldwork year, your main task is to prepare – in close consultation with your two supervisors – a formal research proposal (with a 10,000-word limit). This is formally assessed by the department. You'll normally be upgraded from MRes to PhD registration if your proposal is approved, and if you have achieved the required marks in your coursework. You're then allowed to proceed to fieldwork.

PhD

After meeting the progression requirements, you'll be upgraded to PhD registration and will commence the fieldwork phase of the programme. Most students carry out fieldwork for approximately 18 months, however the timing and duration of the fieldwork and post-fieldwork stages may vary to some extent between students. During fieldwork – depending on the practicalities of communication – you're expected to maintain close contact with your supervisor about the progress of your work.

After fieldwork, doctoral candidates begin writing their PhD dissertations under the close guidance of their supervisors. During this period of your studies, you'll also attend seminars on: thesis-writing; professional development and our departmental seminar in which external speakers present their latest research. Most students complete their dissertations between one and two years after their fieldwork has ended.

PhD

You'll complete your fieldwork, which you started in the first year of your PhD (typically 18 months in total), and you may also be taking the following courses.

PhD

PhD

The Department of Anthropology is world-leading and internationally renowned – rated the top anthropology department in the UK (Good University Guide 2024).

Our work is rooted in ethnographic research: we explore how different societies and communities work. We ask big questions about what people have in common and what makes us different – challenging traditional assumptions and ideas.

Anthropology has been taught at LSE since 1904. The department rose to prominence under Malinowski – the founder of British social anthropology. Many of the leading figures in the field have taught and/or studied at LSE. Today, we strive to work in the best radical traditions of the discipline while constantly pushing our thinking in new directions.

The department offers a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate study opportunities, including a single honours degree in Social Anthropology and a joint undergraduate Anthropology and Law programme.

We have a dynamic and active research community. Long-term anthropological fieldwork is a key strength of our department. Most staff are involved in ongoing field research, in both well-established and emerging fields. Our academics also work at the intersections with other disciplines, including history, cognitive psychology and religious studies.

The department has strong international links. Leading scholars from around the world come to LSE as visiting academics. Postdoctoral fellows and PhD students also make important contributions to the department’s research.

We’re proud to welcome students from all over the world and diverse academic backgrounds to our vibrant, welcoming and inclusive department.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Anthropology

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of our staff at LSE. For this reason, we recommend that you take a look at our staff research interests before applying.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications)
• statement of academic purpose
• references
• CV
• outline research proposal
• sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Please note that LSE allows part-time PhD study only under limited circumstances. If you wish to study part-time, you should mention this (and the reasons for it) in your statement of academic purpose, and discuss it at interview if you're shortlisted.

The application deadline for this programme is 25 April 2025.

However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline.

See the fees and funding section below for more details.

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with fee levels recommended by the Research Councils.

Learn more about fee status classification.

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, four per cent each year).

Learn more about fee status classification.

Progression and assessment

You'll need to meet certain criteria to progress to PhD registration, such as achieving certain grades in your coursework, and earning a minimum mark on your research proposal, which includes a viva oral examination.

Your progress will also be reviewed at the end of each year of your PhD study, and will be based on written reports. The mandatory third year progress review for students in anthropology is held in the third term (or, exceptionally, in the fourth term) after your return from fieldwork; this entails a viva with both supervisors and one external examiner.

Your final award will be determined by the completion of an original research thesis and a viva oral examination.

More about progression requirements.

Hannah Cottrell (PhD 2024 – Lecturer, UCL Institute for Global Health)
Agathe Faure (PhD 2024 – LSE Fellow in Anthropology, LSE)
Anishka Lohiya (PhD 2023 – ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow, LSE)
Charlotte Ramble (PhD 2023 – Postdoctoral Research and Teaching Associate, University of Cambridge)
Ignacio Sandoval Marmolejo (PhD 2023 – Teacher, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
Meghan Rose Donnelly (PhD 2022 – Lecturer in Social Anthropology, University of Manchester)
Clayton Goodgame (PhD 2021 – Mary Seeger O’Boyle Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies, Princeton University)
Sara Lenehan (PhD 2021 – Head of Gender, Afghanistan, UN World Food Programme)
Imani Strong (PhD 2021 – Chief Operating Officer, Griffin & Strong, P.C.)
Simon Tawfic (PhD 2021 – Research Fellow, School of Law, University of Warwick)
Lucy Trotter (PhD 2021 – Lecturer in Education, Aberystwyth University)
Sandhya Fuchs (PhD 2020 – Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Criminology, University of Bristol)
Itay Noy (PhD 2020 – Research Fellow in the Anthropology of Energy, Data and Social Change, Department of Anthropology, UCL)
Giulio Ongaro (PhD 2020 – Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)
Doris Okenwa (PhD 2020 – Evans-Pritchard Fellow in African Anthropology, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford)
Gabriela Piña Ahumada (PhD 2020 – Associate Researcher, Centro de Estudios Intercultorales e Indígenas, Chile)
Michael Edwards (PhD 2019 – Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Sydney)
Jiazhi Fengjiang (PhD 2019 – Lecturer in Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh)
Megan Laws (PhD 2019 – Senior Social Researcher, UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Xandra Miguel-Lorenzo (PhD 2019 – Associate Trainer, Talk for Health; NIHR UCL Mental Health for All Fellow and Springboard Awardee, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North Thames)

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.