Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
Programme structure
The international bachelor's programme in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology covers three years, allowing you to establish a firm foundation and specialise in topics that you find interesting.
Develop critical thinking
The first year encapsulates the personal development our programme promotes. You will enhance your thinking about difference, inequality, and cultural impact; coach yourself in a wide range of research skills; and apply these through first-hand field research. You will also develop a firm grasp of academic writing, referencing, and literature research techniques - invaluable for both academic and professional career paths - and acquire a profound understanding of issues relating to privacy, data management, and research ethics.
A few subjects highlighted
- Diversity & Development in a Sociological Perspective
This first semester course exemplifies how anthropologists can critically analyse societies by exploring how people think about human differences and how they relate this to processes of change, both in their personal lives and their communities. This course is key to understanding differences and how inequalities are created.
- Mediated Anthropology
This course is about the roles that media play in gathering, processing, and presenting knowledge. It explores how anthropologists can use images and objects to communicate with, and the significance nowadays of digital communication and social networks. The course is an introduction to the visual and multimodal approaches that form part of Leiden's signature methodology of the international bachelor's programme in Anthropology
- Key issues
The three key issue courses in the second year will help you understand the deeply rooted connections between politics, economy, the environment and digital media, from what can sometimes be surprising perspectives. For example, the link between Fair Trade merchandising and land grabbing in Africa, or between fashion and social media and the emancipation of female Muslims, racism and national heritage, or tourism and halal consumption. They will hone your analytical skills and give you the necessary content knowledge to optimally tailor your third year.
All second-year students follow the Key Issue Diversity & Power. Depending on your chosen specialisation you will follow two more Key Issues. Within the specialisation People Planet Power (PPP) you will follow the Key Issues Economy & Ecology and States & Citizens. If you choose the Media Making Movements (MMM) specialisation, the Key Issues Visual Anthropology and Digital Anthropology.
- Medical Anthropology
What is medical anthropology and how do medical anthropologists study health, illness and the body? This course will offer a broad introduction to the field of medical anthropology. We will study meanings and experiences of illness and health from an anthropological perspective and we will examine the ways in which local and global forces affect illness, suffering, pain, and healing.
- Visual methods in the Digital World
This course provides a general theoretical introduction to visual methods, as well as hands on training regarding the anthropological use of video and photography. You are introduced to the ways in which photography and video can be used in anthropological research through a series of ethnographic research assignments and the design of a multimodal website.
How will you choose your electives?
Where you will work after your study (partly) depends on the direction you choose. The first year introduces you to the field of study; from your second year on, you will specialise. You will be able to take electives, a minor or even study abroad.
You can choose from a series of electives offered by the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology or by other institutes. These allow you to broaden or deepen your study. For more information on electives, see the prospectus.
You also have the possibility to choose between more than 30 minors, covering topics from Culture and Society in Morocco to Museums, Heritage and Collections to Religion in a Changing World. In this way, you create your own unique study path that will fit your future perfectly.
More information about minors can be found here.
Within the programme in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology you are encouraged to study abroad for a semester, or do an internship in a museum, company, NGO or fund-raising organisation in the Netherlands or abroad. Our study-abroad- and internship coordinator will help you make the right choices, give you practical advice and arrange for a staff member to act as your supervisor.
More information on studying abroad can be found here.