Department of Social Anthropology

The Department of Social Anthropology is recognised as one of the top social anthropology departments in the world. It has a track record of teaching and research excellence and is consistently placed among the world’s leading institutions for the study of Anthropology; we retained a top three ranking over the past decade in the QS World University Rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds – the most widely read global league table in the world.

For 2025, we also secured the maximum possible Academic Reputation indicator of 100. This measure of the reputation of institutions and their programmes asks academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise.

We also held first place for Anthropology and Archaeology in the Guardian University Guide 2026. We are the only institution to achieve the maximum rating of excellence, a feat upheld since 2023. Additionally, we are also in the top three for Anthropology in the Complete University Guide 2026.

The Cambridge MPhil in Social Anthropological Research by advanced study is an intensive and academically challenging 9-month course (October to end June) that enables students to develop their knowledge of social anthropology to a high level of specialization within a short time. It is designed for postgraduate students who have a strong background in Social Anthropology, either on its own or as part of a joint degree; and who want to engage directly and more deeply than before with debates in contemporary social anthropology. The course provides specialist social anthropological training in a dynamic programme of research-led teaching and professional development.

The Department of Social Anthropology is recognised as one of the top social anthropology departments in the world. It has a track record of teaching and research excellence and is consistently placed among the world’s leading institutions for the study of Anthropology; we retained a top three ranking over the past decade in the QS World University Rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds – the most widely read global league table in the world.

For 2025, we also secured the maximum possible Academic Reputation indicator of 100. This measure of the reputation of institutions and their programmes asks academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise.

We also held first place for Anthropology and Archaeology in the Guardian University Guide 2026. We are the only institution to achieve the maximum rating of excellence, a feat upheld since 2023. Additionally, we are also in the top three for Anthropology in the Complete University Guide 2026.

The Cambridge MPhil in Social Anthropology by advanced study is an intensive and academically challenging 11-month course (early October to end August). The course is intended for postgraduate students who are studying the subject for the first time, who have studied Anthropology in the context of a more general degree, and/or for those with little knowledge of the tradition of British Social Anthropology.

The degree can be a free-standing qualification or a route to the original research involved in a PhD, or a means to acquire knowledge of anthropology for use in other fields and professional contexts.

The Department of Social Anthropology is recognised as one of the top social anthropology departments in the world.

It has a track record of teaching and research excellence and is consistently placed among the world’s leading institutions for the study of Anthropology; we retained a top three ranking over the past decade in the QS World University Rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds – the most widely read global league table in the world.

For 2025, we also secured the maximum possible Academic Reputation indicator of 100. This measure of the reputation of institutions and their programmes asks academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise.

We also held first place for Anthropology and Archaeology in the Guardian University Guide 2026. We are the only institution to achieve the maximum rating of excellence, a feat upheld since 2023. Additionally, we are also in the top three for Anthropology in the Complete University Guide 2026.

A Cambridge PhD in Social Anthropology is very highly regarded, both in the UK and overseas. Department alumni have been enormously influential in academic Anthropology globally. A major portion of our PhD graduates go on to jobs in academia, while others build very successful careers in the media, civil service, and the NGO sector, among others. The Cambridge University Department of Social Anthropology is unparalleled as a place to study for a PhD, combining world-class teaching and resources with a friendly but intellectually challenging atmosphere.