Anthropology - PhD 36 months PHD Program By University of Kent |Top Universities
Program Duration

36 monthsProgram duration

Tuitionfee

18,600 GBPTuition Fee/year

Application Deadline

31 Jul, 2025Application Deadline

Scholarship

YesScholarships

Program overview

Main Subject

Anthropology

Degree

PhD

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Anthropology at Kent is renowned for its dynamic postgraduate community and its contribution to emerging and established anthropological fields. Our regional expertise and breadth of thematic interests enables us to offer supervision across a wide range of topics within the fields social, biological, and visual anthropology.


Overview


PhD Social or Biological Anthropology research

The PhD is a three-year full-time and five-year part-time programme. You research and write a thesis of a maximum of 100,000 words under the supervision of an academic team. Students participate in the vibrant seminar-culture of the School and have opportunities to meet and interact with researchers who lead major anthropological fields.


The first year includes training in research methodology and, in the case of social anthropology, in the art of writing ethnography. The remaining years involve field or library research and writing up. In general, you work closely with two supervisors throughout your research, although you have a committee of three (including your primary supervisor) overseeing your progress.


We also offer a PhD in Ethnobiology


Choosing a topic

Although sometimes we have specific PhD research projects such as ESRC-funded CASE awards in which the PhD project has already been specified, most of our research students choose their own research topics. Once you have decided on the nature of your project, you should then contact the member of staff in the School whose expertise and interests most closely match your area of research and ask them if they will act as your supervisor.


You then work with your proposed supervisor on refining your research proposal which provides the starting point for your subsequent research. Usually each student has one supervisor but occasionally particular projects require two supervisors. Sometimes co-supervision is provided by a lecturer in another discipline, such as Film, Sociology, or International Relations, but usually the co-supervisor is another member of the School of Anthropology and Conservation.


Supervision

Postgraduate research can take place in any subject area that qualified members of the School are able to supervise. For further information, please refer to staff details on our web pages.


Students meet (or, while in the field, make contact) with their supervisor(s) several times over the course of each term. These meetings involve intensive discussion of the way your project is developing, the readings that have been done and that need to be done, and the way field research and writing-up is progressing. There is, in addition to your supervisor(s), a supervisory committee that, while not intensively involved in the routine development of the research, provides backup, ensures appropriate progress, and handles some of the administration.

Program overview

Main Subject

Anthropology

Degree

PhD

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Anthropology at Kent is renowned for its dynamic postgraduate community and its contribution to emerging and established anthropological fields. Our regional expertise and breadth of thematic interests enables us to offer supervision across a wide range of topics within the fields social, biological, and visual anthropology.


Overview


PhD Social or Biological Anthropology research

The PhD is a three-year full-time and five-year part-time programme. You research and write a thesis of a maximum of 100,000 words under the supervision of an academic team. Students participate in the vibrant seminar-culture of the School and have opportunities to meet and interact with researchers who lead major anthropological fields.


The first year includes training in research methodology and, in the case of social anthropology, in the art of writing ethnography. The remaining years involve field or library research and writing up. In general, you work closely with two supervisors throughout your research, although you have a committee of three (including your primary supervisor) overseeing your progress.


We also offer a PhD in Ethnobiology


Choosing a topic

Although sometimes we have specific PhD research projects such as ESRC-funded CASE awards in which the PhD project has already been specified, most of our research students choose their own research topics. Once you have decided on the nature of your project, you should then contact the member of staff in the School whose expertise and interests most closely match your area of research and ask them if they will act as your supervisor.


You then work with your proposed supervisor on refining your research proposal which provides the starting point for your subsequent research. Usually each student has one supervisor but occasionally particular projects require two supervisors. Sometimes co-supervision is provided by a lecturer in another discipline, such as Film, Sociology, or International Relations, but usually the co-supervisor is another member of the School of Anthropology and Conservation.


Supervision

Postgraduate research can take place in any subject area that qualified members of the School are able to supervise. For further information, please refer to staff details on our web pages.


Students meet (or, while in the field, make contact) with their supervisor(s) several times over the course of each term. These meetings involve intensive discussion of the way your project is developing, the readings that have been done and that need to be done, and the way field research and writing-up is progressing. There is, in addition to your supervisor(s), a supervisory committee that, while not intensively involved in the routine development of the research, provides backup, ensures appropriate progress, and handles some of the administration.

Admission requirements

63+
169+
6+
85+
3.3+

A good honours degree (2.1 or above) in anthropology or other associated fields.

31 Jul 2025
3 Years
Sep
Jan

Tuition fee and scholarships

Domestic Students

-
-

International Students

18,600 GBP
-

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

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Becoming a University of Kent undergraduate is the exciting first step to making your mark and achieving your ambition. We know you’ll love your time here, making the most of our outstanding facilities and soaking up all the experiences on offer. Whatever your interests, whatever your goals, we’re sure you’ll find your place at Kent. We believe in the potential of everyone involved in the University of Kent to make a difference. With every human connection we make, we become stronger, building determination and a community spirit that lasts a lifetime.

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Kent offers a  wide range of courses  which span the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. Whatever your subject and wherever you are located you can access a huge range of academic and personal support services to help you excel.  There's so much more to Kent than lectures and seminars. Make the most of our flexible study options to create the best student experience and get the degree you want. It's your degree so make it your own at Kent. Customise your studies with elective modules, a year abroad, a year in industry and a whole host of extra-curricular courses.

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Here at the University of Kent we understand your passion to progress. Whether gaining advanced skills or joining a global academic research community drives you, our networks and facilities will help you achieve your ambition. With a diverse group of peers and supervisors, you’ll be inspired as well as challenged to push the boundaries of current thinking and research. We believe in the potential of everyone involved in the University of Kent, on campus and in our wider community, to make a difference. With every human connection we make, we become stronger, building determination and a community spirit that lasts a lifetime.

We understand that postgraduate students need flexibility, so many of our taught and all of our research degrees offer September or January starts. Many of our courses will consider applicants either holding or projected 2:2 UK Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, we also offer distance-learning options and short courses. We also offer career-focused conversion courses for those looking for a change of direction.

January 2025 starts - You can start some of our postgraduate degrees in January. If you’re taking a career break to study this could be the best option for you. Find out more about our January intake programmes.

To support you during your studies, our generous scholarship fund includes awards for musical and sporting excellence and exclusive scholarships for international students.  

You can explore various scholarship opportunities at the University of Kent by visiting their Scholarship Search page.

Apply now to take your ambition further.

Social Work - MA

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