DPhil in Anthropology
ICEA has developed a new postgraduate degree in Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, leading to the School of Anthropology’s D.Phil. in Anthropology programme.
We are always keen to encourage prospective students interested in the broad areas of cognitive and evolutionary anthropology, evolutionary psychology and behavioural ecology (of both humans and non-human animals) that form the core of ICEA’s remit. Prospective students are likely to have backgrounds in behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology, psychology, neuroscience, archaeology, or biological/evolutionary anthropology. Applicants with other academic backgrounds in the humanities, social sciences or sciences will be considered on their individual merits in the light of the research projects they might want to undertake. A prior Masters degree will always be considered advantageous, but individual applicants will be considered on their own merits: in some cases, offers of places may be conditional on an applicant taking an appropriate Masters course (such as ICEA’s own MSc in Cognitive & Evolutionary Anthropology).
Students will be expected to develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of:
- How to design and implement an original and independent plan of research.
- How to use appropriate quantitative research methods, including statistical methods and, where appropriate, mathematical modelling.
- The fundamental concepts, techniques, principles and theories in cognitive and evolutionary anthropology and its cognate disciplines that are relevant to the student’s chosen area of specialization.
- How to present the results of their research in a well written, carefully argued thesis.
- How to communicate the results of their independent and original research in a scholarly manner.
Course structure
Prospective DPhil students are normally admitted as Probationer Research Students (PRS). Students initially admitted as Probationer Research Students are expected to take relevant courses offered as part of our MSc in Cognitive & Evolutionary Anthropology (which must include the statistics course) and are upgraded to full D.Phil. status at the end of their first year, based on submission of a project proposal and a satisfactory oral assessment based on this. In some cases, the supervisor may require the student to complete a further programme of methodological training or other preparatory work considered necessary for the proposed programme of research. For generic details that apply broadly to all the School’s postgraduate programmes, see the School of Anthropology’s Statement of Graduate Student Provision (but note that some of the points will apply only to the postgraduate degrees in Social Anthropology etc. within ISCA, not to ICEA’s MSc in Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology and DPhil programmes).
