FHEQ level

This course is set at Level 6 in the national Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

Course Aims

This programme aims to:
1. Develop the intellectual and practical skills of students in the analysis, interpretation and understanding of ethnographic data and their understanding of anthropological theory.
2. Prepare students for employment in a wide range of contexts or for further study and a career where anthropological skills and understandings will be applied.
3. Enable students to engage in life-long learning, study and enquiry and to appreciate the value of education for society.

Course Learning Outcomes

The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:

A. Knowledge and Understanding

A1. Students will graduate from this programme with a comprehensive knowledge of the broad field of social social and cultural anthropology and detailed knowledge of a number of specialised areas within the discipline.
A2. Students will understand the major contemporary theoretical debates in anthropology and be aware of the history of the discipline and how theoretical interests have developed.
A3. They will have knowledge of a wide range of ethnographic material and the ways in which anthropological theory can be used to understand this material.
A4. They will also understand the ethical issues involved in anthropological research and analysis.
A5. Depending on the choice of optional courses, students will gain a detailed knowledge of the role of anthropological thinking in a range of specific contexts which manifest the wide ranging nature of the contemporary discipline and which have relevance for the career profiles of anthropology graduates.

Assessment

Assessment takes a number of forms.
1. Unseen exams test students recall, their ability to respond to questions in a time-bound context and their capability of recognising in advance the key issues which a particular body of literature generates.
2. Essays and Dissertations allows the student to demonstrate their ability to identify intellectual issues which can be addressed through varying lengths of papers and address these issues through research and analysis and written presentations.
3. Portfolios allow the student to present a range of presentational devices and develop appropriate skills.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used to Enable Outcomes to Be Achieved and Demonstrated

Three broad methods of teaching are employed: lectures, workshops/seminars and tutorials.
1. Lectures are used to ensure that students are made aware of a broad range of anthropological data as well as providing occasions for a display of what anthropological analysis is capable of.
2. Workshops/seminars are based around smaller groups of students and provide opportunities for students to consolidate their command of relevant knowledge as well as advancing through discussion and presentation their understanding of anthropological issues.
3. Tutorials allow students to discuss their own written work on a one to one basis and thus to improve their command of anthropology and identify how to improve their analytical skills.

B. Intellectual Skills

When students complete the course, they will command a number of intellectual skills. These include:
B1. The ability to reason critically.
B2. The ability to synthesise and evaluate data.
B3. The ability to identify problems and strategies for solving these problems.
B4. The ability to analyse and interpret academic and other data.
B5. The ability to demonstrate and exercise independence of thought.
B6. The ability to respond to issues identified by others.

Assessment

The various assessment modes test students intellectual skills in various ways and to various extents. All assessment modes (unseen exams, essays, dissertations, portfolios, course essays) identify students ability to synthesis and evaluate data, analyse and interpret academic and other data and reason critically. Unseen exams also test the ability of students to respond to issues identified by others whilst essays and dissertations also test the ability of students to identify problems and strategies for solving these problems.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used

Whilst lectures provide a means of imparting knowledge to students and providing demonstrations of analysis and interpretation, seminars/workshops and tutorials provide arena for students to develop their own skills. Through presentations to seminars students develop their skills in identifying problems and suggesting solutions as well as reasoning critically and synthesising data. Participation in these events allows others to develop their analytical and critical skills both through engaging in discussion and argument and through learning from the example of others. Through tutorials and the written work associated with tutorials, students are able to refine their analytical skills and experiment in developing independence of thought and analysis.

C. Practical Skills

By the end of this programme students will have developed a range of practical anthropological skills. They will be able to:
C1. Identify ways in which anthropological approaches can assist in practical contexts.
C2. Relate particular practical issues to the wider body of anthropological knowledge.
C3. Design approaches to deal with such issues.
C4. Identify ways in which anthropology can offer alternative ways of conceptualising practical issues.
C5. Equip students to engage in further training in anthropology or cognate disciplines.

Assessment

These skills are tested in various ways, but the particular pattern of optional courses taken by students in Level 3 obviously affects the degree to which specifically practical skills are assessed. Unseen exams test students ability to address these issues in a highly time-bound context whilst essays and dissertations provide means of assessing their abilities in greater depth.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used

Throughout the programme in lectures, seminars/workshops and tutorials, students are encouraged to reflect on the practical implications of academic anthropology. Specific optional courses allow students to address these issues in greater depth. Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to relate their anthropological training to the world in which they live. This is particularly true of elements in their level 1 courses where students have to engage in joint projects focused on aspects of contemporary British society.

D. Transferable Skills

Throughout the programme students are encouraged to develop transferable skills which can be used outwith the narrow confines of academic anthropology. On completion of the programme students are able to:
D1. Accurately precis arguments, discussions and bodies of data.
D2. Recognise the nature of theoretical argument.
D3. Come to conclusions as to the relative merits of different theoretical approaches.
D4. Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
D5. Command basic presentational skills involving the use of verbal and visual media.
D6. Carry out basic research activities using a range of sources (libraries, archives, virtual media).
D7. Work alone and in groups.
D8. Organise ones time effectively through self-management.

Assessment

Various methods are used to assess the extent to which students have developed such skills. The various modes of examination are means of assessing the degrees to which students can precis arguments, discuss theory, manage their time and communicate through writing. Assessed essays and dissertations provide means through which further skills such as the ability to carry out basic research activities are achieved whilst the assessment of group work provides a means of measuring students ability to work in groups.

Teaching and Learning Methods Used

Lectures are a means by which effective communication is demonstrated, lecturers displaying models of past practice in terms of verbal presentation, and the use of visual and computer aids. Through seminars, students develop their presentational skills whilst at the same time being encouraged to improve their skills in discussion and working as teams. Seminars/workshops also encourage students ability to precis and summarise arguments and bodies of data whilst tutorials provide arenas in which students are able to discuss in detail their own work and research.

Full-time course composition