Visual Ethnography (MSc)
Admission requirements
To be eligible for Visual Ethnography at Leiden University, you must meet the following admission requirements.
Diploma requirements
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A bachelor degree in Cultural Anthropology, or a bachelor degree with a major in Cultural Anthropology, or its equivalent in Social and Behavioural Studies, Cultural Studies, or Humanities from a recognised university (according to NUFFIC classification).
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Basic training in the anthropological research process and audio-visual methods (research proposal, fieldwork, and data analysis).
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A bachelor degree in Cultural Anthropology, or a bachelor degree with a major in Cultural Anthropology, or its equivalent in Social and Behavioural Studies, Cultural Studies, or Humanities from a recognised university (according to NUFFIC classification).
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Basic training in the anthropological research process and audio-visual methods (research proposal, fieldwork, and data analysis).
Applicants with a bachelor's or master’s degree from higher professional education (HBO) in the field of culture, behavior, and society (or in a closely related field) that meet the language requirements, are taken into consideration for our 60 ECTS pre-master’s programme.
For Leiden University CADS students that have taken the course Visual Methods: the entry requirements for starting the Master for 2025-2026 have changed. The course Visual Methods alone is no longer sufficient. To be eligible for admission, you will now need to take an admissions exam for the course Expanded Ethnography.
Please apply before 1 April by sending an email to stucoanthropology@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
Language requirements
The following requirements apply*:
- IELTS Academic modules only, on paper or on computer: 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 for each separate component score.
- We do not accept IELTS Academic online.
- We do not accept IELTS General Training, IELTS Indicator, or IELTS One Skill Retake
- TOEFL internet based: 90 overall, with at least 20 for each separate component.
- We are not able to accept The TOEFL IBT Home Edition™, except in the following situation only:
You are unable to take an in-person test on location because test centres are inaccessible or closed due to unsafe conditions in a country. - We do not accept the following types of test: TOEFL My Best™ scores (multiple test scores combined), TOEFL Essentials™ or institutional tests such as ITP.
- We are not able to accept The TOEFL IBT Home Edition™, except in the following situation only:
- Cambridge English Exam C2 Proficiency, or C1 Advanced (180), with a minimum score of 169 for each separate component.
Note that English test results may not be more than two years old and must be obtained in one single test.
*You do not have to submit an English proficiency test if you have completed your education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada) Singapore, South-Africa or Malta; or if you have obtained an English-taught International Baccalaureate™; or if you have completed a Dutch VWO diploma or an English-taught bachelor at a Dutch research university or (for September intake) a diploma of an English-taught higher professional education (hbo) programme completed at a Dutch university of applied sciences.
For detailed information, including exemption criteria and methods of submission, refer to English language proficiency.
Pre-master programme
If you do not have an advanced training in the anthropological research process and audio-visual methods (research proposal, fieldwork, and data analysis), you may be required to do a pre-master programme that incorporates courses on how (audio) visual media are used in the anthropological research process.
For admissions questions please contact stucoanthropology@fsw.leidenuniv.nl