course-details-portlet

SANT3920

Master's Thesis in Social Anthropology

Credits 45
Level Second degree level
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 2 semesters
Language of instruction Norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Master's thesis with an adjusting oral examination

About

About the course

Course content

How do you write an anthropological thesis based on your own ethnographic data? How do you interpret and analyse ethnographic material? In this course you are expected to problematize, systematise and analyse your own data. You are challenged to account for your choice of methods and use of analytical concepts in the interpretation of your data, and to provide empirical support for your claims. You are expected to formulate anthropological arguments and convey knowledge about other people's ways of life in a disciplinary and ethically appropriate manner.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

  • have advanced knowledge on how to interpret and analyse social and cultural processes
  • have extensive knowledge about the usage of literature referencing, anonymity and academic integrity
  • have special expertise on the area and topic of the master thesis

Skills

  • can process complex qualitative data on an independent basis in accordance with ethical standards
  • can convert fieldwork and other research material into data and data into analytical text
  • can produce a comparative, argumentative and reflexive text based on the specific findings and particularities of a chosen field setting

General competencies

  • have experience-based knowledge about as well as an understanding of the research process
  • are capable of obtaining relevant written source material
  • can convey own research both orally and written

Learning methods and activities

In the third and fourth semester of your master studies, you are entitled to and will receive supervision that focuses on the relationship between data analysis and the writing process. A supervisor will be assigned to you the first semester of your MA program.

Compulsory assignments

  • Individual supervision

Further on evaluation

Master's thesis and final oral examination. The oral examination begins with the student giving a 10-minute oral presentation of the master's thesis. The student can bring their master's thesis and notes to the presentation, but the use of technical aids such as PowerPoint is not allowed during the presentation.

The master's thesis is evaluated by an appointed committee with two members, at least one of whom is external. SANT3920 is the final examination in the master's degree, and you register for the examination in the student web.

The master's thesis should have a length of 30,000 words (+/- 10%), excluding the summary, preface, the contents, figures, and tables lists, references/literature lists, and appendixes, (12 pt. Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing). The thesis is submitted electronically in Inspera.

Deadline for submission of master's theses is 15 May. If this date falls on a weekend, the submission date is moved to the following work day.

The examination deadline for master's theses is 3 months.

In the event of shorter delayed submission, documentation / medical certificate is required. Unjustified delays normally result in a postponed deadline till 15th November in the autumn semester.

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required:
Social Anthropology (MSANT)

Required previous knowledge

Bestått alle emner i masterprogrammet i sosialantropologi

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
SANT3900 45 sp Autumn 2018
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Social Sciences
  • Social Anthropology

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Geography and Social Anthropology

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Master's thesis with an adjusting oral examination
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

Master's thesis with an adjusting oral examination
Weighting 100/100 Date Release 2025-11-10
Submission 2025-11-17
Time Release 09:00
Submission 12:00
Exam system Inspera Assessment

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

Master's thesis with an adjusting oral examination
Weighting 100/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment