The Master in Anthropology programme is designed around two main cornerstones: the production of a theoretical anthropological work and the preparation of a research monograph based on an ethnographic study (field study) conducted using the participatory observation method. To achieve this, a mentoring system (supervision of a small group of students by an academic and researchers) is set up at the start of the first year during a residential weekend giving students, teachers and researchers from the UCL Laboratory for Prospective Anthropology the opportunity to meet. Each student is then invited to select his or her course programme and to devise a research project in line with his or her interests, training objectives and career goals.

The Master’s course employs a progressive and consistent training strategy based on four semesters spread over two years: classes in cross-functional methods and issues + preparation of an epistemological work (1st semester); foreign study visits via the Erasmus or Mercator programmes (2nd semester); study site (3rd semester); multidisciplinary classes and preparation of the research monograph (4th semester).
List of possible classes: "special fields" offers students a special and vocational option. It is also aimed at highlighting UCL’s exceptional range of options in this area.

The quality of training is guaranteed by the structural and institutional links between the Master in Anthropology course and the members of the Laboratory for Prospective Anthropology (LAAP), which brings together some forty researchers in a dynamic team. This is made possible by the involvement of researchers in the programme (seminars, special classes and mentoring). The teachers and researchers work at different sites around the world and collaborate with a number of international anthropology laboratories.

The Chair, Jacques Leclercq, represents a major advantage for the UCL Master in Anthropology programme. The position of Chair is a guarantee of quality and contributes to the international reputation of our educational programme. The Chair gives us the opportunity to invite, twice a year (2 x 15 hours), two internationally renowned professors of anthropology not employed at UCL.

In addition, survey and data management tools using the latest communication technologies are available to students. A special anthropology media library is available at the ESPO Library (Faculty of Economic, Social and Political Sciences and Communication)