Anthropology and Geography

This degree brings together two closely linked and relevant subjects. Through various course choices, you will build your understanding of human societies and develop a greater understanding of the earth in which they lived. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultural differences. Responding to the challenges of our time, such as how to live sustainably on our planet, we need to know how people in different places live and give meaning to their existence.

We need to see the connections among all aspects of life – family, economic, political, religious, ecological – that are otherwise parcelled up between different disciplines for separate study. Anthropology provides this approach. It looks at social life ‘from the inside’, from the point of view of those living it.

Geography is a fantastic subject to study with anthropology as it focuses on the relationship between people and their environment. Few other subjects cover such a diversity of phenomena, combining elements of the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. Geography is key to understanding and resolving many of the most pressing problems faced by society, including climate change, poverty, energy transitions, sustainable development and environmental conservation.

**Anthropology at Aberdeen is ranked 6th in the UK by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023. Anthropology at Aberdeen is ranked 3rd in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the 2022 National Student Survey. Human Geography at Aberdeen is ranked 1st in the UK for student satisfaction by the 2022 National Student Survey, with an overall satisfaction score of 100%.**