Bachelor Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology
The bachelor’s programme in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (CADS) trains students to critically examine the processes of culture and development through the lens of the latest theory in the field and both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Upon successful completion of the bachelor’s programme the title Bachelor of Science (BSc) will be awarded.
Two Specialisations
Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology offers two bachelor specialisations. The curriculum of the first year is the same for all CADS students.
In the second semester of their first year, students need to choose a specialisation. The specialisation phase starts in the second year of the bachelor. The specialisations are:
The People Planet Power specialisation (PPP) covers the most important theoretical perspectives and debates within cultural anthropology and sociology, introduces students to anthropological and sociological research, and has special attention for the anthropology of sustainability, and for political anthropology through the study of power, the nation-state and citizenship.
The Media Making Movements specialisation (MMM) covers the most important theoretical perspectives and debates within cultural anthropology and sociology, introduces students to anthropological and sociological research, and has special attention for visual and digital anthropology, and building arguments and reflect on designing anthropological research using multimodal methods.
Practical information
The study load of the specialisations is the same. In both specialisations, students have to study the same amount of literature, and will get assessments that are at the same level.
Students can use the elective space in the third year of the bachelor to follow the second year ‘Key Issue’ courses of the other specialisation, but only when they have already successfully completed the ‘Key Issue’ courses of their own specialisation.
In special circumstances, students can switch specialisations, but only after finishing their second year and after getting permission from the Board of Examiners. With permission, students can then use the elective space in the third year of the bachelor to follow the second year ‘Key Issues’.
CADS bachelor specialisations and admission to CADS master specialisations
In order to be admitted to the CADS Visual Ethnography master programme, students need to have successfully passed the CADS bachelor courses Visual Anthropology (Year 2) and Expanded Ethnography (Year 3). These courses are part of the Media Making Movements specialisation.
With both specialisations (People Planet Power and Media Making Movements), students will be admitted directly to the CADS Global Ethnography master programme and the CADS Sociology of Policy in Practice master programme. Please note that when students want to focus on a topic related to the anthropology of sustainability or the anthropology of state and citizenship during their master programme, it helps when they have previously followed the People Planet Power specialisation.
CADS BSc specialisations: Important similarities
The two CADS BSc specialisations are the same or similar in the following respects:
With both specialisations students will obtain a bachelor’s (BSc) degree ‘Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology’.
The main learning outcomes and learning paths are the same, including the research lab learning path, the literature study and learning the main perspectives in cultural anthropology and development sociology.
Especially the courses Fieldwork NL and the Bachelor Thesis Project have important learning objectives in common in each specialisation. In Fieldwork NL students learn how to do research. In the Bachelor Thesis Project students improve their literature study skills and deepen their knowledge of important perspectives and debates in anthropology and development sociology.
CADS BSc specialisations: Differences
The specialisations have different Key Issue courses (first semester, Year 2):
People Planet Power: Economy & Ecology, and States & Citizens
Media Making Movements: Visual Anthropology, and Digital Anthropology
The specialisations have different Exploration courses (second semester, Year 3):
People Planet Power: Anthropology of Religion or Medical Anthropology (students pick one of these courses)
Media Making Movements: Expanded Ethnography
Joint bachelor courses, tailored to the specific specialisations
The courses Research Preparation and Fieldwork NL are taken by all students but are tailored to each specialisation. In these courses, students will learn to undertake research and will work in theme groups, related to a theme specific to their bachelor specialization.
During the Bachelor Thesis Project in the third year, students can work on a theme specific to their specialisation.
How and when do you choose your specialisation
Throughout the first year of study, students receive information at various moments about chosing their specialisation. Information sessions are organised, where students learn more about the specialisations and the decision-making process. Additionally, students can reach out to the Study Advisor during their first year to discuss their choice of specialisation. The specific deadline for students to choose their specialisation will be communicated during the year (approxiomately end of March).
Contact / More information
C. Aalderink MSc (Study Advisor CADS bachelor programme)