Anthropology and People-Centred Business – (M.Sc.)

Contents

The MSc in Anthropology and People-Centred Business from the University of Copenhagen is a two-year programme which consists of 8 courses, a 16-week fieldwork or internship and a master's thesis.

First year

The purpose of the first year of the MSc in Anthropology and People-Centred Business is to introduce the students to an anthropological approach to business and thereby prepare them to plan and carry out a longer field study in a company. The programme also covers anthropological methodology, with a particular focus on critical and reflective positions on the epistemological, ethical and academic implications of methodological choices. Students acquire a detailed understanding of the processes of project planning, particularly with reference to anthropological fieldwork, and this will form the basis for their thesis work. They also have the option to choose a course that provides them with in-depth knowledge of anthropological fields of research and of the ethnography and problems of specific regions. Moreover, practical experience is acquired through a mandatory/compulsory 16-week fieldwork.

Second year

The purpose of the second year of the MSc programme is to provide students with advanced-level knowledge about recent anthropological theories within the context of the history of anthropology and scientific theory, and about the potential applications of those theories in empirical research. The students acquire special knowledge on the cross-over between anthropology and business life. They are trained to conduct an independent analytical project of considerable lenght in the light of the ethnographic data collated during the field work. The master's thesis will reflect all of the competencies attained during the course of the programme.

Course descriptions

The MSc in Anthropology and People-Centred Business from the University of Copenhagen is a two-year programme which consists of 8 courses, a 16-week fieldwork or internship and a master's thesis. Here you can read a short introduction of each course. For further information read about each course in the curriculum.

The Field Methods with fieldwork synopsis course provides an advanced introduction to the collation and analysis of anthropological data in order to equip students with the necessary knowledge and tools to conduct independent fieldwork. During the Field Methods course students write a synopsis for the next semester's fieldwork or internship.

The focus of Employer Seminar I is on market understanding. Here business leaders from the external cooperation partners make presentations and enter into a dialogue with the students about the needs that the business world currently has.

In the intensive module Anthropology and People-Centered Business I, the aim is to introduce the students to an anthropological approach to business and thereby prepare them to plan and carry out a longer field study in a company.

In the optional module courses, students choose freely from the courses available that semester.

The planned fieldwork or internship takes place during the second semester of the MSc programme. The fieldwork or internship can take place in all types of socio-cultural contexts but must be relevant to the Anthropology of Business. The key requirement is that data must be collated through interviews and participant observation. Please be aware that fieldwork also counts as a course and therefore requires course registration.

The Anthropological Analysis course focuses on providing students with analytical tools and methods, taking the students' own fieldwork material as its starting point.

The Contemporary Anthropological Theory course looks in depth at recent theoretical and methodological questions. The course takes the form of lectures, in which the students also play an active role by providing inputs and summing up.

In the course Anthropology and People-Centred Business II students will acquire special knowledge on the cross-over between anthropology and business life. The course will include experiences and data from the students' fieldwork/internship.

The Communication Seminar is designed to kick-start the process of analysing the data generated during the fieldwork. Students must present their results, outline a provisional analytical framework and enter into dialogue with the teacher and other students.

In Employer Seminar II students will again work with several companies. The companies will enter into a dialogue with the students about the practical potential of their projects and the students in turn present to the companies involved their idea of how graduates with a master's in anthropology can contribute constructively to problems in the business world.

The MSc programme concludes with a master's thesis that demonstrates the students' ability to work independently and academically on an issue in an anthropological subject area. The thesis must also demonstrate theoretical understanding and familiarity with the methodology and forms of analysis relevant to the subject of study.

Accreditation

The programmes of University of Copenhagen are being accredited by national accreditation agency ACE Denmark.

THE-QS ranking: University of Copenhagen is the highest ranked Nordic university on the list of the world´s best universities according to the 2009 edition of Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings. This year, University of Copenhagen is ranked number 51 worldwide and number 15 in Europe.