Our Master's Programmes

The department offers a master's programme in cultural anthropology and a master's programme in ethnology and folkloristics. Both programmes comprise 120 credits. The programmes are structured with compulsory courses and periods when you can choose whether you want to take courses, do an internship, or do a study exchange abroad. Simultaneously, you write your master's thesis.

Individual study plan

The courses your first semester are predetermined. When you are admitted to the programme, you are admitted to the courses in the first semester. After that, each student follows their individual study plan. This plan must be drawn up before each semester and approved by the director of studies. Even if you have been admitted to a master's programme, you must apply for courses yourself before each semester at antagning.se

Deadline for courses in the spring: October 15

Deadline for courses in the fall: April 15

Master's programme basic plan

Semester 1 - fall semester

The first semester of the programme (30 credits) is joint for students in anthropology and ethnology. It includes four compulsory courses:

This means that you will begin work on your master's thesis already in November during the first semester. In total, you will spend 45 credits on your thesis, spread our over course of the program.

Semester 2 - spring semester

During the second semester of the program, ethnology students take a compulsory course 7.5 credits (Methods and Texts in Current Ethnological Research; apply via antagning.se)

and elective thematic courses for the rest of the semester. Anthropology students take elective courses throughout the semester.

It is recommended that you collect data for your thesis (fieldwork/archival studies) at the end of semester 2.

For example:

Two thematic courses (one compulsory for ethnology)
Data collection
Individual thesis work (the Department admitt and register)

Master’s level courses

Advanced Study of Anthropological Theory, 7.5 credits (5KA401)
This course approaches anthropological theory from three different perspectives: historically, thematically, and through contemporary anthropological research. The first perspective explores some …

Course, Autumn 2026, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
Contemporary Culture Theory, 7.5 credits (5EE414)
This course provides in-depth knowledge of contemporary ethnological and folkloristic research. This area includes discussions on ethnography, representation and gender, gender identity, culture …

Course, Autumn 2026, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
Contemporary Debates and Developments in Cultural Anthropology, 7.5 credits (5KA417)
Course, Spring 2027, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
Contemporary Issues in Medical Anthropology, 7.5 credits (5KA425)
Health, illness and medicine are ubiquitous in contemporary public debates but are rarely investigated critically. Today, medical anthropology faces novel and fruitful challenges in its relation to …

Course, Spring 2027, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
Ethnography, 7.5 credits (5KA426)
Ethnography is a qualitative method with its origins in cultural and social anthropology, although in recent years it has become increasingly popular among scholars in many other disciplines in the …

Course, Autumn 2026, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
From Medievalism to Climate Change Apocalypse: Folkloristic Perspectives on Cultural Heritage, Disaster and Climate, 7.5 credits (5EE413)
Narratives are powerful cultural tools. They create the conditions for how we experience and cope with events and phenomena in our everyday lives, while these experiences engender narratives in their …

Course, Spring 2027, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
Methods and Texts in Current Ethnological and Folkloristic Research, 7.5 credits (5EE415)
The course conveys advanced knowledge within current ethnographic qualitative research. The emphasis is on how theoretical perspectives and qualitative methods are applied to empirical data and other …

Course, Spring 2027, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English
Political Ecology, 7.5 credits (5KA404)
Ecology is inherently political. In this course, the 'eco-cosmologies' of indigenous peoples are compared to the ecological paradigms of Western science. Contemporary case studies illustrate ongoing …

Course, Autumn 2026, Uppsala, On-campus, 50%, English

Semester 3 - fall semester

The third semester of the programme consists of elective courses. There is also the opportunity to do an internship or participate in international student exchanges through the university's and department's exchange agreements.

Options:

Internship (7.5 or 15 credits)
Exchange studies
Elective courses at the faculty
Individual thesis work (the Department admitt and register)

Semester 4 - spring semester

Semester four consists of the remaining elective courses and completion of the degree project.

Other

Throughout the programme, you will also attend the monthly master's seminar, in which all master's students and the director of studies participate.

You register yourself in Ladok for students during the registration period for almost all of your courses. Please check the registration periods for Uppsala University courses in the course catalog.

You apply for the programmes elective free standing courses via antagning.se.

The department register you on internship and thesis work after your individual study plan have been approved by the director of studies.