Scottish Ethnology

Overview

Ethnology is the discipline which studies the culture and traditions of developed societies and is sometimes described as being at the intersection where history and anthropology meet.

While commonly offered in universities across Europe, this is the only full undergraduate programme of its kind available within the UK.

Focusing on Scotland, but introducing comparative material from elsewhere, you will study the varying ways in which a modern European nation expresses itself culturally, through such forms as its customs, beliefs, social organisation, language, music and song.

This Scottish Ethnology programme from The University of Edinburgh explores questions like:

• How do these help to create and shape identity in the modern world?

• How do we use and make sense of the past from within our present?

• How can this understanding help us to shape our future?

Working with a range of rich materials, from traditional archives to modern media and digital data, you will develop the practical and intellectual tools to help navigate and influence contemporary culture and society in an increasingly globalised world.

Career opportunities

Scottish Ethnology graduates are highly valued in the workplace for the skills they have gained in:

• research

• analysis

• communication

• presentation

• understanding of culture and society

Your enhanced ability to think for yourself, to distil complex issues down to their central points, and to understand the reasons for societal change, will give you the edge in careers across different sectors.

Employment prospects are particularly high within:

• museums and the heritage industry

• the arts, cultural and tourism sectors

• politics and policy development

• education

• journalism and the media

There are also opportunities to continue studying at postgraduate level, with the honours years in particular developing the research skills you'll need if you choose this path.