The School of Social Science is pleased to announce a new taught postgraduate programme (MSc/PgDip) in Design Anthropology, starting in September 2010.

Design Anthropology is a novel interface where the imagination of possible futures meets the study of human ways of life. It is about how the creation of new architectures and things can be informed by understanding how people inhabit the structures they build and relate to the things they use. It offers a radical rethinking of the ideas and concepts that have traditionally underpinned design practice. And it places design in its wider context, amidst concerns about environmental change, sustainable development and the conservation of energy. This is a field we have pioneered in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen, grounded in our world-leading research on environment and perception, creativity and knowledge.

The MSc/PgDip in Design Anthropology provides designers, or those interested in design, with critical and conceptual tools, drawn from contemporary anthropology, to apply in their own practice. It is appropriate for students already trained at an undergraduate level in any relevant discipline including the social sciences, arts and technical subjects.

Entrance requirements Entry is normally restricted to applicants with a good Upper Second degree or above, but other relevant experience will be considered.

Syllabus All students take Concepts and Approaches in Design Anthropology, and three further courses from: Anthropological Theory for Design Anthropology; Art, Anthropology, Architecture and Archaeology for Design Anthropology; The Anthropology of Knowledge for Design Anthropology; Materials, Technology and Power in the Andean Region. Students also write a 12,000-word dissertation.

For further information, please visit our at website

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