Partner content
If there’s one thing the study of anthropology and sociology unveils, it’s the truth. The sort of truth that questions accepted norms, repositions ideas taken for granted, and nudges society forward –– one step at a time.
At SOAS University of London, academics break the barriers of research and scholarship to unearth new insights. It’s a trait common for an institution that brings the lesser-heard voices of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to the global stage.
Excellence and prestige explain how just last year, SOAS anthropologists secured nearly 8 million pounds in a Research England grant to study the inequalities within mental healthcare treatment. Back in 2016, the best-selling novel “Swing Time” by Zadie Smith, depicting Gambian Muslim youth, was heavily inspired by the research work of Professor Marloes Janson. It covered the evolution of the Tablighi Jama’at, an Islamic missionary movement, into a “powerful youth movement” in Gambia.
Feeling inspired? At the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS, your ideas come to life through a research-led, cutting-edge curriculum. Traversing through issues of migration, race, gender, climate change, and social justice with experts as your teachers, you’ll find that SOAS is the best place to make a real change.
Cutting-edge degrees to improve the future
MA Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability
The MA Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability can challenge your understanding of what it means to be human in an unequal world. On this route, you’ll be treated as a problem-solver dedicated to shaping policies that address global disparities.
Over one year of full-time or two years of part-time study, you will develop theoretical and methodological skills to tackle global issues across five core elements: sustainability, climate change, ethnographic research methods, “how to change things,” and a research dissertation.
MA Anthropology of Food
In the MA Anthropology of Food programme, food transcends mere taste. It becomes a window into history and a vibrant element of culture that narrates the diverse foodways of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.
This programme delves deep into the essence of food, exploring the technicalities of production, distribution, and classification, as well as its intricate connections with identity and interpersonal relationships. You will tackle issues across inequalities in health and diet, international migration, rural livelihoods, and more. Supported by the SOAS Food Studies Centre, you can take on research opportunities with leading experts who are actively working to bridge global gaps in food access.
MA Migration and Diaspora Studies
The decolonial approach to research and learning at SOAS brings an innovative perspective to the MA Migration and Diaspora Studies programme — one that isn’t dictated by Western dominance. This programme studies migration and diaspora through the lens of the Global South. It aims to understand the role of race, colonialism, and diaspora in contemporary border regimes.
The curriculum is embedded in real-world practices. You will engage with courses that involve creative, hands-on projects, and take on real-world opportunities through placements at humanitarian and non-governmental organisations, and more.
Explore more programmes by the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
Career support and guaranteed growth
With an international perspective that breaks borders and stereotypes in the Eurocentric world we live in today, it’s no surprise that SOAS graduates are highly sought after. The Department of Anthropology and Sociology’s graduates are leaving their marks across top companies and organisations across the world –– think the New York Times, UNICEF, the Hackney Migrant Centre, the Social Mobility Foundation, and more.
Part of that’s attributed to rigorous curricula designed to bring new, underrepresented perspectives to the table. But there’s a whole other facet to it: career development. Here, you will have the option of undertaking work placements, where you’ll garner real-world skills and knowledge working in a relevant organisation or enterprise. You can also access the SOAS Careers service and receive advice through the job search and application process, online resources to find work, one-on-one career guidance, and more.
Hear from the students
“Coming into the programme I was not entirely sure what anthropology was, but by the end it felt like I was seeing the world for the first time. And in some respects, I was. Prior to my studies I had a very surface-level view, but through carefully curated topics, covering historical and current food production and consumption behavioural patterns, I felt able to identify and engage with the various aspects surrounding these behaviours.”
Alumna of MA Anthropology of Food programme ‘19
“SOAS' MA in Anthropology of Food had been my dream program and it did not disappoint. The professors' investment in their courses and accessibility outside them, the camaraderie among similarly passionate students, the number of events on campus and nearby--and indeed the opportunity to live and study in London--all delivered on my greatest hopes. I will remain forever grateful to the people of SOAS for helping me grow into a better scholar.”
Alumna of MA Anthropology of Food programme ‘19
Copyright © 2025 Study International, official representative of SOAS University of London