Study with us

Anthropology has been studying the social and cultural variation of human beings for well over a century. What distinguishes it from other disciplines is its attention to human differences and its commitment to long-term fieldwork, ethnography. It brings a comparative perspective to bear on sociocultural phenomena and in doing so forces us to question our own cultural assumptions.

Many different things

In the 21st century, social anthropologists can do many different things, and carry out their studies in many different places (and combinations of places). Someone may analyse the organizational culture of a transnational corporation, another may be concerned with gender organization and subsistence strategies among pastoralists on the East African savannah, yet another with migration and the encounter between refugees and welfare state agencies, and others with social movements, global development, big data, environmental questions or global development. Anthropologists at Stockholm University carry out classic fieldwork as well as long series of intensive interviews, but they also analyse policy documents, scrutinize the media, and do some of their work by way of the Internet.

Courses and programmes

Gender and Sexuality 

Communication and Aesthetics 

Medical Anthropology

Current Debates in Social Anthropology

Bachelor's Programme in Social Anthropology

Master's Programme in Social Anthropology

There are many ways to collaborate with the Department of Social Anthropology and Stockholm University after finishing your studies.

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Join Stockholm University Alumni Network

Mentorship programme
If you are interested in participating in the mentorship programme please contact our local alumni coordinator
 

Q: When can I register on my course or my program?

A: You can register online (if you have a Swedish personnummer), or in person at the student office at the Department of Social Anthropology. The registration opens one week before the autumn and spring terms begin. 

You can find the term dates at Stockholm University here.

Q: Can I get admitted to a course that I have applied for if I am placed on the reserve list?

A: Yes, subject to availability, we accept applicants who are on the reserve list. Final decisions on all reserve list candidates will be made no later than one week into the term when the Department contacts the applicants who will be offered a place.

Q: How do I calculate my average course grade?

A: The average grade for a course that consists of several modules (where the grades A, B, C, D, E is a pass) is based on a weighted average of the grades of the different modules:

• the grades of the modules are weighted according to how many credits the module corresponds to;
• the grades earned from the course is determined as follows: A = 5; B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, E = 1.

The average grade is calculated based on the above. To determine the final grade, the grade is rounded off to the closest integer. For A is required = 4.5; for B = 3.5; for C = 2.5; for D = 1.5; and E = 1.0.

The balancing means that a specific final grade can be obtained from different combinations of module results. These are two examples of combinations of grades:

• A series of grades of A, A, A, B, C becomes = 0.2×5 + 0.2×5 + 0.2×5 + 0.2×4 + 0.2×3 = 4.4, which corresponds to the grade B
• A series of grades of A, C, C, E, E becomes = 0.2×5 + 0.2×3 + 0.2×3 + 0.2×1 + 0.2×1 = 2.6  which corresponds to the grade C

Q: How can I contact my course teacher?

A: On the Department’s website (under education >> study information >> schedules and literature) there are links to all courses. Under each course you will find contact information for each teacher.

Q: How can I find my schedule?

A: Schedules are found on the Department’s website (under education >> study information >> schedules and literature). You can also find your schedule on schema.su.se. Remember to check the schedule regularly for any last minute changes.

Q: How and when do I apply to your Master’s programs?

A: You apply through www.universityadmissions.se. Deadline for application for students outside the EU is around January 15 (for exact date, please check www.universityadmissions.se), for Swedish students and students from EU/EET countries and Switzerland the deadline for application is around April 15 (for exact date, please check www.universityadmissions.se). The programs start in August.

Q: What are the requirements for applying to your Master’s programs?

A: To apply for the Master’s program you must have a BA in Social Anthropology or equivalent in the Social or Cultural Sciences, and proof of English language competence (see www.universityadmissions.se).
To apply for the exchange program Creole you must have a BA in Social Anthropology, and proof of English language competence (see www.universityadmissions.se).

Q: What do I need to submit with my application to your Master’s programs?

A: Follow all the instructions at the central admissions website and submit all necessary documents through the central admission. Applicants that meet all formal requirements of the central admissions will be forwarded for assessment at the Department of Social Anthropology. Here applicants are assessed, in competition with other applicants, according to a compiled judgment of one or more of the following factors:

• grades from higher education,
• the quality/area of the Bachelor thesis,
• and the relevance of previous studies in relation to the program/course applied for.

During the past few years the factors of most importance have been grades from higher education, the quality/area of the Bachelor thesis and the relevance of previous studies.

Q: Should I upload additional documents, other than those requested by universityadmissions.se?

A: No, you should not upload any additional documents. It will not increase your chances of admission.

Q: Can I study part time within your Master’s programs?

A: No, all of our programs and courses at the advanced level are full time studies.

Q: Do I need a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology to apply for the exchange Master’s program Creole?

A: Yes.

Q: Can I apply for advanced level courses without being part of the Master’s programs?

A: Yes. Admittance to the advanced level courses offered within the Master’s programs can be granted if there is available space. To apply for an advanced level course you must have a BA in Social Anthropology or equivalent in the Social or Cultural Sciences, and proof of English language competence (see www.universityadmissions.se). Some courses have additional requirements. Admittance to the advanced level courses is both during autumn and spring terms. Deadline for applications is around April 15 for courses starting in the autumn semester and around October 15 for courses starting in the spring semester (for exact dates, please check www.universityadmissions.se).

Q: Am I qualified to apply for your PhD program?

A: The main selection criterion for applicants to our PhD program is whether or not they have the capacity to benefit from the training. In order to be eligible for the PhD program, students must have:

• completed an advanced level /Master’s degree, or
• completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or acquired equivalent knowledge in another way in Sweden or elsewhere.

Q: When do I apply to your PhD program?

A: The competitive selection is based on an assessment of the applicants’ written academic texts that they wish to invoke as proof of their suitability. Interviews may be held with the applicants. Vacancies are advertised here. Please note that unsolicited applications cannot be considered.