Department of Anthropology
Studying Anthropology at Sussex will mean your becoming part of a vibrant community of faculty and students, all of whom are actively engaged in understanding and making a difference to the world.
About the department
Sussex Anthropology has played a leading role in developing the subject for over 60 years. We are an internationally reputed department known for conducting first-rate and impactful research on the global challenges that societies across the world are addressing today.
Studying Anthropology
The Anthropology department at Sussex is known for its expertise in the anthropology of environment and ecology; global capitalism, politics and activism; sexual and reproductive health; gender, conflict and violence; religion and the media; and the politics of human rights.
Anthropology at Sussex is consistently ranked highly among UK departments. In REF 2021, we ranked 7th in the UK for our research (Times Higher Education), and in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2025 Sussex Anthropology is ranked equal 9th in the UK. You’ll join one of the most established anthropology departments in the UK. Home to specialists in all the main topics of social and cultural anthropology. Our work covers world regions from Peru to West Africa, from Pakistan and Afghanistan to India, and from Oman to China. Several members of the Department also conduct fieldwork in the UK.
You’ll be part of a vibrant academic community and will learn from world leading academics. Anthropology academics at Sussex not only conduct research around the world on contemporary global challenges, they also advise policymakers, provide commentary and analysis to the media, and share insights with the public through the creative arts. We believe that first-rate research and excellent teaching go hand-in-hand, so Sussex anthropology students learn about the work we do in their courses.
Undergraduate study
Sussex’s flexible approach allows you to tailor your course to your own interests. You can study anthropology as a single honours’ degree or as part of a joint degree, for example with International Development, International Relations, History or Geography. In a joint degree you spend half your time studying Anthropology, and half your time studying the other subject.
You can choose from a wide range of optional modules to tailor your anthropology course to your personal interests. You can also customise your course to build a degree that will give you the knowledge, skills and experience relevant to your future career. You can do this by selecting elective modules that complement your main subject, or by enriching your single honours degree with a language.
If you’re keen to study anthropology but lack the qualifications or grades needed for degree study, our Foundation Year will help you to bridge the gap between school and university and build your confidence too. If you gain the required pass level in the Foundation Year, you will then be able to stay at Sussex for your chosen degree.
Postgraduate study
We offer Masters courses for postgraduate students interested in the further study of Anthropology. With a Social and Cultural Anthropology MA for example, you’ll learn how to understand, analyse and represent the experiences of those most affected by pressing global challenges. This MA is for you if you want to deepen your knowledge of Anthropology – but, if you’re new to the field, it also offers professional training. You’ll gain advanced knowledge of Anthropology’s dynamic theoretical base and the ways in which this is practically deployed to analyse the world today. Putting theory into practice with research skills and an independent dissertation, you’ll learn how Anthropology is making a difference in the world.
For those with professional experience, or considering a career in the development field, the Anthropology for Global Development Practice MA focuses on both the theory and practice of anthropological engagement, development policy, and activism. Rather than focusing narrowly on economics, anthropologists approach development at a human scale.
In both these MAs, you’ll be able to pursue your own interests with modules on environment, health, poverty, the media, humanitarianism and rights. You will learn from leading anthropologists who are applying their research to real-world scenarios; put theory into practice through hands-on training, analysing case studies and your independent dissertation; connect with our global network of research partnerships, alumni and professionals; and enjoy guest lectures, career events, and the opportunity to do a research placement.
Global careers
Studying Anthropology at Sussex gives you a pathway into numerous careers due to its broad scope, but you will also gain the skill and knowledge base that will help you to find what you want to do in the world and better understand how to get there.
You will finish your course with skills of critical importance to engaging with and navigating the world’s most pressing contemporary issues including climate change, migration, inequality, and sustainability, and geopolitical conflicts. The knowledge, skills and confidence you will develop during your time at Sussex will enable you to play a role in changing the world for the better, whether you choose to become a policymaker, NGO worker, human rights activists, environmental consultant, or enter one of the many other career paths along which our students travel, including the health and care sector to media and journalism.