Anthropology with Foundation Year

This module is designed to support students with the transition to university, the development of the academic skills and attributes necessary for successful future study and the foundations of a developing sense of vocation. Through a carefully structured and scaffolded series of seminars and workshops, students will be supported in building their self-awareness of, and confidence in, themselves as active learners. Delivered in the context of their subject area and aligned with the development of academic skills and attributes required across all Foundation Year modules, workshops will focus on academic skills such as referencing, selecting and using valid academic resources, reading/researching for academic purposes, using feedback constructively and gaining confidence in contributing to discussions and debates. Coordinated assessment points across the Foundation Year experience enables this module to provide students with ongoing support and opportunities to practice and develop their skills and confidence with a range of written and oral assessment types relevant to their subject area as they progress through the year.

This module introduces students to invaluable meanings and understandings that are gained from being at university and participating in wider intellectual discussions and debates. Within the context of each Discipline foundation year, students are introduced to a range of thinkers and questions that have important in various ways across the discipline. Designed to further encourage the foundations of intellectual curiosity and critical thinking within and beyond their own subject, students will come to understand that inter and cross disciplinarity has an essential role to play in the academy and to their own intellectual progression.

The past can be studied from numerous perspectives and in a variety of ways. This module introduces students to how historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and classicists have studied past societies and cultures across the globe. This is achieved by looking at the specific themes of conflict, culture, social relations and beliefs in various parts of the world from prehistoric times until the late twentieth century. We will also consider how current societies remember and examine the past and what it says about the contemporary world.

This module forms an introduction to the principles and methods upon which the study of social, or cultural, anthropology is based. No prior knowledge of the subject is assumed or expected. The philosophical distinctiveness of the subject in relation to other disciplines is outlined, and the location within anthropology of social anthropology is examined. This leads on to an assessment of different approaches to social anthropology (e.g. ethnography, material culture studies, applied anthropology, visual anthropology). Thematic lectures are buttressed by the use of seminar sessions looking at case studies of the different approaches. These are located within comparative and critical anthropological traditions. Students will be introduced to the UN Sustainable Development Goals in order to develop an understanding of how research in social anthropology can contribute to meeting global challenges. Parallel study skills sessions also allow you to develop the key skills needed in an HE environment.

This module forms an introduction to the principles and methods upon which biological anthropology is based. A background in science is not assumed or required. The module provides an overview of human adaptation to different environmental and other stresses, covering human nutritional requirements, epidemiology and the evolution of infectious diseases relevant to the study of human ecology. We will also explore primates and primate behaviour, elementary genetics, human reproduction and sexuality, demography, human growth and development, and changing perceptions of race and its validity as a concept. Students will develop skills in synthesising information from a range of sources and learn to critically evaluate various hypotheses about human behaviour and culture. Students will be encouraged to develop awareness of themes in relation to the UN SDG’s 3 Good health and well-being or 15 Life on land.

This module is a linking introductory survey covering both the major figures who have shaped the discipline of anthropology (both social and biological) and the main theoretical approaches within social and biological anthropology. It spans the period from the early modern roots of anthropology until the present day. We will critically examine the schools of thought that have dominated the discipline at different times and examine the key figures involved, as well as a selection of ethnographies and other major works that represent them. Thus we will briefly consider developments within a historical framework of major schools of thought within anthropology, including evolution, diffusionism, functionalism, cultural relativism, structuralism, interpretive anthropology, postmodernism, socio-biology, and evolutionary psychology in Britain and beyond. Through seminars we will examine the relationship between social anthropology and biological anthropology (in areas such as sexuality, race and medicine) from an historical perspective up to the present day.

The module provides an introduction to the biological evidence for primate and human evolution, as well as to the ways in which this evidence has been analysed and interpreted. The anatomy of various primate and hominid species is considered from the perspective of reconstructing both primate and human evolutionary history and the evolution of primate and human behaviour. We will examine key fossil discoveries with reference to reconstructions of the environment and the archaeological record. We will thereby produce a synthesis of primate and evolution and human origins, which covers the period from the Eocene to Homo sapiens, and considers fossil evidence from the African Rift Valley to Europe and Asia and species from Adapidae to Homo, providing anatomical and evolutionary background to the emergence of a tool-using hominid species.

This module will introduce students to several key themes within social anthropology, which have been the subject of debate for decades. In each case the boundaries of the debate will be established and the key readings (especially ethnographies) considered, as well as the relationship of these debates to other disciplines. They will then be considered in greater depth through student-led seminars. Themes will be drawn from a broad list of possible topics. These may include: kinship, gender, material culture and technology, globalisation, landscape and environment, ‘anthropology at home’, belief, magic and ritual, culture, politics, hierarchies and inequality, and applied anthropology. The emphasis will be on contestation and recent ethnography. Students will be encouraged to develop awareness of these themes in relation to the UN SDGs, especially in discussion of topics such as globalisation, inequality, gender, politics, and development.

In this linking module, students will explore key issues in anthropological research through the lenses of the three ‘strands’ of Anthropology they will be studying over the course of their degree programme. In a series of linked lectures and discussions, students will be exposed to the similarities and differences in philosophical frameworks, methods, and approaches in biological anthropology, social anthropology, and material culture/archaeological studies. The issues chosen will allow students to explore larger questions around what makes us human, and how human lives are shaped by biological, social, environmental and material factors. The key themes will be chosen from a broad list of possible topics but may include: human-non-human relations; language; food; space and place; health and disease; birth and death; the body; relations with the natural world.

This module provides an introduction to the development of humans from hominid origins to the writing. Therefore, although the module has a single chronological starting point (c 7.5 my BP), it has a variable end point depending upon the part of the world discussed. The module addresses the main stages of human evolution, starting with the separation of the Hominidae (the human family) from the Pongidae (the apes), then the transition from Australopithecines to Homo and eventually to modern humans. It then examines the origins and development of crucial human processes such as technology, social systems, art, farming and urbanisation, and the significance of their independent invention in different parts of the world. The student will gain a greater awareness of the main sequences of human development on a world scale, and understand how the prehistory of the British Isles is connected to both continental Europe and the wider world.

Archaeologists deal with things. These things (material culture or artefacts) are a way of understanding the lives of the humans who made them. This course presents you with a detailed background to the main categories of material culture that you might encounter on any archaeological sites; these items include: stone tools, pottery, coins, metalwork etc. You will learn about the technology behind these artefacts, and crucially how things that we make do not just have a simple function, but also encode important symbolic information as well. As the majority of archaeological material seen by the public is displayed within museums, you will also consider how material culture is displayed and presented within museums, and the choices made by curators about this. By the end of this course you will look afresh at the way humans make and give meaning to even the most mundane and everyday items.

This module develops a number of themes within biological anthropology. These include the argument that human behaviour evolves as a response to different ecological circumstances. Topics will include behavioural ecology (as applied to both animal and human behaviour) and evolutionary psychology. Specific consideration is given to mate choice, life history evolution and kinship in humans. We will also cover approaches to the human body: in the past, the body was often perceived as a biological fact with straightforward strengths and limitations, but for modern anthropology, bodies are far more complex. We will discuss how lives and societal status differ depending on factors such as gender, age, ‘race’, and health as well as explore these concepts in terms of how they can be defined biologically.

The module explores representation, art and visual culture in anthropology and the importance of its role in western and non-western cultures, especially art produced by small-scale societies. Forms of art and visual and material culture from a range of geographic areas are examined using evidence such as pottery, sculpture, painting, photography and film as well as everyday objects of ritual and aesthetic value. The anthropology of art considers art to be a social process, and therefore not only analyses the artistic artefacts themselves and the aesthetic values attributed to them, but also their production processes, their circulation through different contexts, and the wider social and historical contexts within which this occurs. The module, therefore, focuses on issues of representation, collection, and museum practice, as well as the possibility of cross-cultural aesthetics, the art market, and the contemporary art world.

This module encourages you to apply theoretical and methodological approaches in archaeology and anthropology to your own research design. The module will refer to key theoretical approaches, and will introduce key methods for archaeological and anthropological research. You will explore a range of sources of information, and a variety of methods for gathering data in both archaeological and anthropological research. You will also examine in depth how independent research is designed and carried out, including the process of research design, ethical considerations, methodological choices, data gathering, data analysis and writing. By the end of the module you should have a sound understanding of how archaeological and anthropological research is designed and carried out in order to apply this to your own research.

All humanities subjects are grounded in theory. These bodies of theory may or may not be explicitly stated, but you use them, whether you are aware of them or not. It is easiest to think of theory as the set of tools that you can use to ‘fix’ or understand a problem. This module considers contemporary theory in archaeology, social anthropology and biological anthropology, drawing on areas of social and cultural theory that have been relevant to archaeologists and anthropologists. You will be encouraged to read and discuss a range of key historical texts and case studies will be used to demonstrate how the theories have been applied in recent archaeological or anthropological research. In this way, you will be able to understand the appropriateness of theories which may be relevant to your research interests and to gain a wider appreciation of how we think through problems and issues.

• Period Study: Early Prehistoric Europe - 15 Credits
• Theme Study: The Archaeology of Conflict - 15 Credits
• Theme Study: The Archaeology of Religion and Ritual - 15 Credits
• Applied Technique: Human Bioarchaeology - 15 Credits
• Theme Study: The Archaeology and Anthropology of Death - 15 Credits
• Archaeology and Popular Culture - 15 Credits
• Community Volunteering Placement - 15 Credits
• Anthropology Fieldtrip - 15 Credits
• Global Environmental Change - 15 Credits
• Political and Religious Themes in the Modern Near and Middle East - 15 Credits
• Southern Cultures - 15 Credits
• Religion, Ritual and Society - 15 Credits
• Indigenous Religions - 15 Credits
• Hinduism and Modernity - 15 Credits
• Aspects of Islam - 15 Credits
• Buddhism: Traditions and Transformations - 15 Credits
• Exploring Judaism - 15 Credits
• Gender and Sexualities - 15 Credits
• Introduction to Sociolinguistics - 15 credits
• Language and Identity - 15 credits
• English on the Periphery - Varieties of English - 15 credits
• Language Death, Revival and Change - 15 credits
• Onomastics - 15 credits
• Period Study: Later Prehistoric Europe - 15 Credits
• Period Study: The Greek World - 15 Credits
• Period Study: An Introduction to the Archaeology of Roman and Medieval Britain - 15 Credits
• Period Study: Later Prehistoric Europe - 15 Credits
• Period Study: The Greek World - 15 Credits
• Period Study: An Introduction to the Archaelogy of Roman and Medieval Britain - 15 Credits
• History's Eye - Photography and Society - 15 Credits
• Global Governance - 15 Credits

This module develops a number of themes within biological anthropology. These include the argument that human behaviour evolves as a response to different ecological circumstances. Topics will include behavioural ecology (as applied to both animal and human behaviour) and evolutionary psychology. Specific consideration is given to mate choice, life history evolution and kinship in humans. We will also cover approaches to the human body: in the past, the body was often perceived as a biological fact with straightforward strengths and limitations, but for modern anthropology, bodies are far more complex. We will discuss how lives and societal status differ depending on factors such as gender, age, ‘race’, and health as well as explore these concepts in terms of how they can be defined biologically.

The module explores representation, art and visual culture in anthropology and the importance of its role in western and non-western cultures, especially art produced by small-scale societies. Forms of art and visual and material culture from a range of geographic areas are examined using evidence such as pottery, sculpture, painting, photography and film as well as everyday objects of ritual and aesthetic value. The anthropology of art considers art to be a social process, and therefore not only analyses the artistic artefacts themselves and the aesthetic values attributed to them, but also their production processes, their circulation through different contexts, and the wider social and historical contexts within which this occurs. The module, therefore, focuses on issues of representation, collection, and museum practice, as well as the possibility of cross-cultural aesthetics, the art market, and the contemporary art world.

This module encourages you to apply theoretical and methodological approaches in archaeology and anthropology to your own research design. The module will refer to key theoretical approaches, and will introduce key methods for archaeological and anthropological research. You will explore a range of sources of information, and a variety of methods for gathering data in both archaeological and anthropological research. You will also examine in depth how independent research is designed and carried out, including the process of research design, ethical considerations, methodological choices, data gathering, data analysis and writing. By the end of the module you should have a sound understanding of how archaeological and anthropological research is designed and carried out in order to apply this to your own research.

All humanities subjects are grounded in theory. These bodies of theory may or may not be explicitly stated, but you use them, whether you are aware of them or not. It is easiest to think of theory as the set of tools that you can use to ‘fix’ or understand a problem. This module considers contemporary theory in archaeology, social anthropology and biological anthropology, drawing on areas of social and cultural theory that have been relevant to archaeologists and anthropologists. You will be encouraged to read and discuss a range of key historical texts and case studies will be used to demonstrate how the theories have been applied in recent archaeological or anthropological research. In this way, you will be able to understand the appropriateness of theories which may be relevant to your research interests and to gain a wider appreciation of how we think through problems and issues.

• Period Study: Early Prehistoric Europe - 15 Credits
• Theme Study: The Archaeology of Conflict - 15 Credits
• Theme Study: The Archaeology of Religion and Ritual - 15 Credits
• Applied Technique: Human Bioarchaeology - 15 Credits
• Theme Study: The Archaeology and Anthropology of Death - 15 Credits
• Archaeology and Popular Culture - 15 Credits
• Community Volunteering Placement - 15 Credits
• Anthropology Fieldtrip - 15 Credits
• Global Environmental Change - 15 Credits
• Political and Religious Themes in the Modern Near and Middle East - 15 Credits
• Southern Cultures - 15 Credits
• Religion, Ritual and Society - 15 Credits
• Indigenous Religions - 15 Credits
• Hinduism and Modernity - 15 Credits
• Aspects of Islam - 15 Credits
• Buddhism: Traditions and Transformations - 15 Credits
• Exploring Judaism - 15 Credits
• Gender and Sexualities - 15 Credits
• Introduction to Sociolinguistics - 15 credits
• Language and Identity - 15 credits
• English on the Periphery - Varieties of English - 15 credits
• Language Death, Revival and Change - 15 credits
• Onomastics - 15 credits
• Period Study: Later Prehistoric Europe - 15 Credits
• Period Study: The Greek World - 15 Credits
• Period Study: An Introduction to the Archaeology of Roman and Medieval Britain - 15 Credits
• Period Study: Later Prehistoric Europe - 15 Credits
• Period Study: The Greek World - 15 Credits
• Period Study: An Introduction to the Archaelogy of Roman and Medieval Britain - 15 Credits
• History's Eye - Photography and Society - 15 Credits
• Global Governance - 15 Credits

This is a project-based, double module intended for those students who wish to gain prolonged practical experience of working within an external organisation. Students identify and organise their own placement with an external host organisation, ideally one with a specific interest to them, e.g. museology, minority communities, health. At the start of the module, students are required to produce an Action Plan for their proposed project, outlining contact details of their host, the nature of the work to be carried out, health and safety issues and other practical considerations. Students will devote their time with the host organisation primarily to working on a project jointly negotiated by the student, external organisation and module tutors. The report that is the culmination of the module directly addresses the aims of the Action Plan and reflects on the learning experience, as well as providing the host organisation with a measurable output.

*Students will choose either the Extended Independent Study in Anthropology, the Extended Independent Study in Archaeology or the Placement (Extended Independent Study) module.

This double module is a c. 10,000 word dissertation in anthropology for students studying on any of the anthropology programmes. It enables students to apply their knowledge of anthropological theory and practice, in order to produce a piece of independent research which shows clarity of expression, logical argument and creative thought. The dissertation content/subject matter should reflect their chosen anthropological pathway. This is an Extended Independent Study module.

*Students will choose either the Extended Independent Study in Anthropology, the Extended Independent Study in Archaeology or the Placement (Extended Independent Study) module.

Study will involve an in-depth exploration of a particular theme or area in the study of social anthropology in line with the lecturing staff’s research expertise. Key concepts, controversies and problems will be considered and methodologies analysed. A focus will lie on independent study on the part of the students to explore particular themes, texts, figures, or areas around the subject, which will be based in contemporary scholarly resources. There will be an emphasis on analysis of published ethnographic research on the chosen theme. Students will be required to take the initiative on devising their assessment projects, and to exhibit strong communication skills in the delivery of their findings.

Study will involve an in-depth exploration of a particular theme or area in the study of biological anthropology in line with the lecturing staff’s research expertise. Key concepts, controversies and problems will be considered and methodologies analysed. A focus will lie on independent study on the part of the students to explore particular themes, texts, figures, or areas around the subject, which will be based in contemporary scholarly resources. Students will be required to take the initiative on devising their assessment projects, and to exhibit strong communication skills in the delivery of their findings.

The significance of communication for the anthropological public voice is considerable. Through this linking module students explore both the treatment of contemporary anthropological issues in the media and public debate, and how anthropologists can become effective communicators using anthropological data. Students are introduced to the style and conventions of a variety of means of communicating anthropological knowledge to the public – these may include, for example: museum exhibit texts; public policy documents; newspaper articles; advocacy materials; or digital media campaigns. The module is run as a series of seminar-style workshops in which students explore major contemporary issues from the three strands of anthropology, analyse existing public representation of these issues, and devise strategies for their effective communication to an appropriate audience. Through these sessions students will also investigate the roles anthropologists can play in contributing to public debate, giving them the opportunity to reflect on their own career goals and options.

• Depth Study: The Celts - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Later Prehistoric Wessex - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Caribbean peoples and cultures - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Archaeology of Buddhism - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: The Archaeology of the Southern Caucasus - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Medieval Religion and Belief - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Battlefield Archaeology - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Maritime Archaeology - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Minoans and Mycenaeans: the Greek Bronze Age - 15 Credits
• Puzzling the Past - 15 Credits
• Fieldwork - 15 Credits
• Field Research - 15 Credits
• Religion, Ritual and Society - 15 Credits
• Indigenous Religions - 15 Credits
• Hinduism and Modernity - 15 Credits
• Aspects of Islam - 15 Credits
• Buddhism: Traditions and Transformations - 15 Credits
• Exploring Judaism - 15 Credits
• Disability and Society - 15 Credits
• Language and Identity - 15 Credits
• English on the Periphery - Varieties of English - 15 Credits
• Language Death, Revival and Change - 15 Credits
• Onomastics - 15 Credits
• Politics, Energy and the Environment - 15 Credits
• Global South: Politics, Inequality and (in)Security - 15 Credits

This is a project-based, double module intended for those students who wish to gain prolonged practical experience of working within an external organisation. Students identify and organise their own placement with an external host organisation, ideally one with a specific interest to them, e.g. museology, minority communities, health. At the start of the module, students are required to produce an Action Plan for their proposed project, outlining contact details of their host, the nature of the work to be carried out, health and safety issues and other practical considerations. Students will devote their time with the host organisation primarily to working on a project jointly negotiated by the student, external organisation and module tutors. The report that is the culmination of the module directly addresses the aims of the Action Plan and reflects on the learning experience, as well as providing the host organisation with a measurable output.

*Students will choose either the Extended Independent Study in Anthropology, the Extended Independent Study in Archaeology or the Placement (Extended Independent Study) module.

This double module is a c. 10,000 word dissertation in anthropology for students studying on any of the anthropology programmes. It enables students to apply their knowledge of anthropological theory and practice, in order to produce a piece of independent research which shows clarity of expression, logical argument and creative thought. The dissertation content/subject matter should reflect their chosen anthropological pathway. This is an Extended Independent Study module.

*Students will choose either the Extended Independent Study in Anthropology, the Extended Independent Study in Archaeology or the Placement (Extended Independent Study) module.

Study will involve an in-depth exploration of a particular theme or area in the study of social anthropology in line with the lecturing staff’s research expertise. Key concepts, controversies and problems will be considered and methodologies analysed. A focus will lie on independent study on the part of the students to explore particular themes, texts, figures, or areas around the subject, which will be based in contemporary scholarly resources. There will be an emphasis on analysis of published ethnographic research on the chosen theme. Students will be required to take the initiative on devising their assessment projects, and to exhibit strong communication skills in the delivery of their findings.

Study will involve an in-depth exploration of a particular theme or area in the study of biological anthropology in line with the lecturing staff’s research expertise. Key concepts, controversies and problems will be considered and methodologies analysed. A focus will lie on independent study on the part of the students to explore particular themes, texts, figures, or areas around the subject, which will be based in contemporary scholarly resources. Students will be required to take the initiative on devising their assessment projects, and to exhibit strong communication skills in the delivery of their findings.

The significance of communication for the anthropological public voice is considerable. Through this linking module students explore both the treatment of contemporary anthropological issues in the media and public debate, and how anthropologists can become effective communicators using anthropological data. Students are introduced to the style and conventions of a variety of means of communicating anthropological knowledge to the public – these may include, for example: museum exhibit texts; public policy documents; newspaper articles; advocacy materials; or digital media campaigns. The module is run as a series of seminar-style workshops in which students explore major contemporary issues from the three strands of anthropology, analyse existing public representation of these issues, and devise strategies for their effective communication to an appropriate audience. Through these sessions students will also investigate the roles anthropologists can play in contributing to public debate, giving them the opportunity to reflect on their own career goals and options.

• Depth Study: The Celts - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Later Prehistoric Wessex - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Caribbean peoples and cultures - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Archaeology of Buddhism - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: The Archaeology of the Southern Caucasus - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Medieval Religion and Belief - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Battlefield Archaeology - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Maritime Archaeology - 15 Credits
• Depth Study: Minoans and Mycenaeans: the Greek Bronze Age - 15 Credits
• Puzzling the Past - 15 Credits
• Fieldwork - 15 Credits
• Field Research - 15 Credits
• Religion, Ritual and Society - 15 Credits
• Indigenous Religions - 15 Credits
• Hinduism and Modernity - 15 Credits
• Aspects of Islam - 15 Credits
• Buddhism: Traditions and Transformations - 15 Credits
• Exploring Judaism - 15 Credits
• Disability and Society - 15 Credits
• Language and Identity - 15 Credits
• English on the Periphery - Varieties of English - 15 Credits
• Language Death, Revival and Change - 15 Credits
• Onomastics - 15 Credits
• Politics, Energy and the Environment - 15 Credits
• Global South: Politics, Inequality and (in)Security - 15 Credits