Courses are taught in English except for a few non-obligatory, optional classes (conducted in German).
For German, EU citizens and non-EU citizens:
Deadline for applications is 15 July every year. Application opens in the first week of May. An early application is recommended.
Applicants have to submit all documents online. Applicants will have to submit the requested original documents at the time of enrolment.
Social Anthropology is the study of socio-cultural practices and the similarities and differences of human experience in relation to their environments. Anthropologists observe, analyse, and interpret in a theoretically informed and methodologically consistent manner domains of social action in which such cultural characteristics materialise.
The aim to compare societies constitutes a key concern of anthropological inquiry and informs its theoretical perspectives and analytical and methodological approaches. Anthropological knowledge and competences enable you to analyse power relations, contribute to constructive and engaged discussions, move respectfully in intercultural settings, and act in a scientifically valid, socially relevant, and ethically responsible manner.
This consecutive MA programme imparts knowledge of the theories and current research issues of social anthropology. This allows students to write the final MA thesis either on the basis of an audiovisual media project or by working on an empirically grounded or literature-based research project with the support of supervising professors and faculty members.
Modules one to six offer lectures, tutorials and seminars on the cultural foundation of sociality, on research methods, as well as on the fields Transcultural Psychiatry, Psychological Anthropology, Media Anthropology, Visual Anthropology, Migration Studies, Environmental Anthropology, Anthropology of Religion, Political Anthropology, Conflict Studies and Mediation.
The programme offers regional specialisations in Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and Indian Ocean littoral societies. Students are encouraged to engage with the research projects of the institute and learn with international fellows hosted at the institute.
The final stages of the programme (module seven) are scheduled for the research project (choice between audiovisual format/ethnographic film/fieldwork/internship/practical training), which is concluded with a MA thesis and an oral examination (viva).
PDF DownloadAs part of their empirical research for the Master's thesis, students may do an internship at a field-related institution of their choice.
Students must pay a semester contribution fee of 317.48 EUR per semester. This includes a "semester ticket" covering public transportation in the greater Münster area and throughout Germany.
You can find more information here:
https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/einschreibung/semesterbeitrag.shtml
We recommend that students budget at least 900 EUR per month to cover personal expenses (accommodation, living expenses, health insurance).
Academic admission requirements include a Bachelor's degree in social/cultural anthropology, ethnology or in a discipline containing a major social anthropological component (min. 15 ECTS), and language proficiency at the level of C1 (details below). See the homepage of the institute for further details.
Final overall grade of Bachelor's degree programme: at least 2.3
Non-native English speakers must show proficiency in the English language - the level required is C1 (CEFR, 7 IELTS, 93 TOEFL).
For German, EU citizens and non-EU citizens:
Deadline for applications is 15 July every year. Application opens in the first week of May. An early application is recommended.
Applicants have to submit all documents online. Applicants will have to submit the requested original documents at the time of enrolment.
https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/bewerbung/master.html
You may find information on part time employment opportunities on the website of the International Office: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studium/en/kosten/jobben.html.
Students of the Master's programme may find employment opportunities, including but not limited to the fields of health organisations, user experience studies, counselling of migrants, and English language teaching.
As in all popular university cities in Germany, accommodation is in high demand and is not easy to find in Münster – but it’s not impossible either!
Please contact the International Office (Bachelor's and Master's students) or the CERes (doctoral candidates) of the university for advice. Please also note that the University of Münster (like most German public universities) does not have its own student halls of residence.
Taking a course offered by the career service of the University of Münster is an optional element of the MA programme.
Students may consult with the student counsellor of the Master's programme to find out about career opportunities in academia or else in professional domains that require social anthropological expertise, such as the following: health organisations, NGOs, user experience assessments, counselling of migrants, development work, journalism, documentary film production, and more.
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