Explore the programs and courses offered by Social and Cultural Anthropology - Master -
Browse Programs Admission InformationThe specialization program in Social and Cultural Anthropology is part of the LMD (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) system and is structured according to the university's pedagogical framework, comprising four (4) semesters. The first three semesters aim to provide a solid and integrated academic foundation, combining theoretical, methodological, and applied coursework. As such, the program includes an introduction to anthropological fields, the anthropology of social and cultural change, anthropological texts, the Semiology of social and cultural practices, contemporary anthropological theories, the pioneers of anthropology, symbolic anthropology, the analysis of anthropological texts, the anthropology of language, as well as key figures in anthropology in Algeria and its artistic practices. In parallel, the program includes specialized methodology courses in research, processing, and analysis of qualitative data, such as ethnography, anthropological writing techniques, and ethnomethodology. It also incorporates interdisciplinary and exploratory courses, such as the history of the national movement, psychoanalysis, human geography, contemporary Arab thought, the history of civilizations and entrepreneurship, as well as the Amazigh and English languages.
The fourth semester is primarily dedicated to the preparation, writing, and defense of the master's thesis. It is supported by fieldwork, seminars, and practical training workshops, in accordance with the program's focus on linking academic training to real-world situations and their challenges. This approach fosters the development of skilled professionals capable of anthropological analysis, identifying the cultural and civilizational characteristics of Algerian society that cannot be overlooked in any structural or functional project, ensuring that infrastructure is adapted and development programs are consistent with the human, cultural, and civilizational realities of the local community.
Core Courses – Master 1 (First Semester)
Fields of Anthropology: This course aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of the various fields of study within anthropology, particularly concerning the understanding of human unity and cultural diversity.
Anthropology of Sociocultural Change: This course focuses on understanding and interpreting the processes of sociocultural change, especially within Algerian society.
Anthropological Texts: This course fosters a love of reading among students through the study of texts related to anthropology.
Semiotics of Social and Cultural Practices: This course provides students with the necessary tools to study how everyday practices generate meaning in specific sociocultural contexts.
Core Courses – Master 1 (Second Semester)
Contemporary Anthropological Theories: This course enriches students with a range of modern interpretive approaches that have evolved to understand culture, society, and humanity in their current contexts. It does this by renewing research topics and methodologies and by integrating intersections with other social sciences.
Pioneers of Anthropology: This course explores the founders who shaped the concepts and methodologies of this discipline and established its research traditions, including fieldwork. Symbolic Anthropology: This course introduces students to an approach that interprets culture as a system of symbols and explores the meanings that individuals attribute to these symbols within their social contexts.
Symbolic Anthropology: This course enables students to adopt an approach that interprets culture as a system of symbols and examines the meanings that individuals attribute to these symbols within their social contexts.
Analysis of Anthropological Texts: This course teaches students the critical and interpretive reading of texts in order to understand their cultural representations and meanings, and to connect these meanings to different contexts.
Core Courses – Master 2 (Third Semester)
Linguistic Anthropology: This course studies language as a cultural and social practice, analyzing how individuals produce meaning through speech and communication within their cultural contexts.
Figures of Algerian Anthropology: This course introduces students to the most prominent Algerian researchers who have contributed to the establishment of anthropological studies in Algeria through fieldwork and writings on Algerian society, its cultures, and its transformations.
Culture and Personality: This course examines the influence of culture and socialization processes on the formation of personality and behavior within a given society.
Artistic Practices in Algeria: This course highlights forms of artistic production and expression (popular and contemporary) as sociocultural practices rich in symbols and meanings.
Core Courses – Master 2 (Fourth Semester)
Individual Project (Thesis Preparation and Defense): Students prepare a research thesis under the supervision of a research director, which is then defended before a jury of professors specializing in the field.
Fieldwork Sessions, Workshops, or Internships: Students apply the concepts learned in a region of Algeria through professional training and workshops.
Advanced Qualitative Research Methods:
This course may include the study of advanced techniques for collecting and analyzing qualitative data, such as content analysis, in-depth interviews, and participant observation. It may also incorporate the analysis of new data using artificial intelligence.
This program is open to any student holding a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, Archaeology, or Psychology, obtained through the LMD (Bachelor's-Master's-Doctorate) system at Constantine 2 Abdelhamid Mehri University or another institution. This qualification allows them to enroll in the first semester of the specialization (Master 1). The number of students admitted is determined based on their grade point average and the teaching capacity of the specialization team, which is set at 80%.
Furthermore, students holding a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, Archaeology, or Psychology obtained through the traditional system may also be admitted, up to a maximum of 20%. However, they are not permitted to enroll directly in the third semester (Master 2), as such enrollment would deprive them of comprehensive training in their specialization, particularly regarding theories, methodology, and other essential scientific knowledge. Indeed, since their degrees were obtained several years ago, their previously acquired knowledge would not allow them to keep up with recent developments in the scientific field of their specialization.
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