ANTH 590 is an opportunity to work with experienced anthropologists to devise your own topic of study within this field and to explore it to a satisfying depth of understanding by working on it for the full academic year. It is an individual research project on an approved topic under the supervision of one or more members of staff, culminating in the submission of a dissertation of no more than 20,000 words. This dissertation comprises a substantial portion of the work necessary for completion of the coursework option for the Master of Arts degree.
Choosing your topic is one of the most challenging and rewarding decisions that you will have to make during your degree. It will depend on the kind of interests you have developed in Anthropology, the availability of supervisors with appropriate expertise, and practicability given the time constraints of the degree. Please review the list of staff members and areas of interest on the Programme of Social Anthropology websites. It is required that you consult with appropriate staff before enrolment.
Potential topics range from library-based studies based on primary and/or secondary sources to research involving fieldwork using one or a number of the many different methods used in field research (for example, participant observation, formal interviews, unobtrusive methods). The supervision that is provided by the Programme will enable you to gain valuable first-hand experience in doing social research. Fieldwork involving human subjects requires ethical approval from the University Ethics Committee; your supervisor will advise you about this.
About this paper
| Paper title | Research Dissertation |
|---|---|
| Subject | Anthropology |
| EFTS | 0.5 |
| Points | 60 points |
| Teaching period(s) | 1st Non standard period (27 February 2026 - 21 February 2027)
(On campus)
2nd Non standard period (10 July 2026 - 4 July 2027) (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $4,996.50 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Limited to
- MA
- Eligibility
Available to BA(Hons) and PGDipArts students.
- Contact
Any of the listed teaching staff for individual enquiries for supervision or the Social Anthropology Post Graduate Coordinator for more general enquiries about the structure of the dissertation.
- More information link
Please visit the https://www.otago.ac.nz/anthropology/our-people
- Teaching staff
Prof Ruth Fitzgerald
Assoc Prof Greg Rawlings
Dr Susan Wardell
Dr Christiane Leurquin
Dr Hannah Bulloch
- Paper Structure
A full-time dissertation is conducted over two semesters in a single academic year. Intending students are encouraged to make contact with potential supervisors in the preceding year to express interest and to begin to design a topic of research.
- Teaching Arrangements
Students meet with their individual supervisor at regular periods throughout each semester to produce a 20,000 word dissertation in a topic of their interest.
- Textbooks
Readings from the contemporary social anthropology literature are the basis for this paper.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Confidence in the ability to conduct and complete supervised individual research on a topic in anthropology.
- Assessment details
Once completed, the dissertation is usually assessed by a local and an external examiner.
ANTH 590 is an opportunity to work with experienced anthropologists to devise your own topic of study within this field and to explore it to a satisfying depth of understanding by working on it for the full academic year. It is an individual research project on an approved topic under the supervision of one or more members of staff, culminating in the submission of a dissertation of no more than 20,000 words. This dissertation comprises a substantial portion of the work necessary for completion of the coursework option for the Master of Arts degree.
Choosing your topic is one of the most challenging and rewarding decisions that you will have to make during your degree. It will depend on the kind of interests you have developed in Anthropology, the availability of supervisors with appropriate expertise, and practicability given the time constraints of the degree. Please review the list of staff members and areas of interest on the Programme of Social Anthropology websites. It is required that you consult with appropriate staff before enrolment.
Potential topics range from library-based studies based on primary and/or secondary sources to research involving fieldwork using one or a number of the many different methods used in field research (for example, participant observation, formal interviews, unobtrusive methods). The supervision that is provided by the Programme will enable you to gain valuable first-hand experience in doing social research. Fieldwork involving human subjects requires ethical approval from the University Ethics Committee; your supervisor will advise you about this.
About this paper
| Paper title | Research Dissertation |
|---|---|
| Subject | Anthropology |
| EFTS | 0.5 |
| Points | 60 points |
| Teaching period(s) | 1st Non standard period (5 March 2027 - 25 February 2028)
(On campus)
2nd Non standard period (16 July 2027 - 7 July 2028) (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Limited to
- MA
- Eligibility
Available to BA(Hons) and PGDipArts students.
- Contact
For enquiries regarding supervision, see teaching staff listed below.
For general enquiries about the structure of the dissertation, contact the Social Anthropology Post Graduate Co-ordinator.
- More information link
View more information on the Social Anthropology programme here.
- Teaching staff
- Paper Structure
A full-time dissertation is conducted over two semesters in a single academic year. Intending students are encouraged to make contact with potential supervisors in the preceding year to express interest and to begin to design a topic of research.
- Teaching Arrangements
Students meet with their individual supervisor at regular periods throughout each semester to produce a 20,000 word dissertation in a topic of their interest.
- Textbooks
Readings from the contemporary social anthropology literature are the basis for this paper.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Confidence in the ability to conduct and complete supervised individual research on a topic in anthropology.
- Assessment details
Once completed, the dissertation is usually assessed by a local and an external examiner.