Anthropology:
Dr Jo Vergunst, Head of Department;

PIR:
Professor Michael Smith, Head of Department;

Sociology:
Dr Gearoid Millar, Head of Department

MLitt in Museum Studies:
Professor Alison Brown, Programme Director

The School of Social Science expects our campuses to be open in September, and we will work hard to keep everyone safe. There will be opportunities for you to meet or e-meet other students and key staff, such as your personal tutor. As Scottish Government restrictions ease, more campus services and student activities will resume.

For our new students:
On 23 September, we will hold three discipline-specific live online events as follows:

• Anthropology 11:00am-12:00pm on the AT1003 course page on MyAberdeen
• Politics & International Relations 12:00-1:00pm on the PI1018 course page on MyAberdeen
• Sociology 1:00-2:00pm on the SO1007 course page on MyAberdeen

These events will be recorded so that students who can’t join at the specific times will still be able to watch the discipline inductions at a later time that suits them.  The discipline-specific events are staggered so as to avoid overlaps and to allow students in our School to attend all of them live if you choose.

During the live event on 23 September, students will be able to meet members of staff and hear about their research; receive important information about the programme, course choices and about what to expect in first year; hear about activities and events going on in our School; meet other students; and ask questions.

After the live event, the recordings will be available online.

There will be activities for incoming students in Welcome Week: 21-25 September and in the early weeks of term.

• In the meantime both new and returning students need to complete the University's Orientation programme.

  The University of Aberdeen Orientation programme has been designed to take you through all of the essential information you will need for your student life. We have broken it down into 2 parts.  You should get started on Part 1 now by working through the interactive modules.

  

• School Orientation will be uploaded into MyAberdeen. Find out how to view the School's Organisation area in MyAberdeen.

For the School of Social Science blended learning means that there is a mix of online and in-person teaching activity. In the first semester of the 2020/21 academic year, lectures will be delivered online through MyAberdeen. Other teaching activities, such as tutorials and practicals may take place either on campus or online. We plan for all students to have some in-person teaching time on campus each week, as Scottish Government guidelines allow.

All Anthropology, Politics & International Relations and Sociology lectures will be available online in MyAberdeen, and may be presented in short sections, rather than in one block. You will also have opportunities to learn through other formats in My Aberdeen such as quizzes, discussion boards and group chat. In-person tutorials, seminars and practicals, may be in smaller groups than usual if physical distancing is required.

We are developing small group teaching which will replace traditional tutorials, offering a mix of synchronous sessions weekly e.g. collaborative webinar, Q&A session focusing on the weekly lecture, and an office hour when individual appointments can be booked. 

Students will also be divided into small groups and partake in group discussions these will be asynchronous.

Reading lists for individual courses will be available through MyAberdeen later in the summer. In the meantime, you can brush up your study skills and learn more about the University at our award-winning Toolkit website. 

The School of Social Science will use alternative ways to assess your learning throughout the term (the School will have no formal exams on campus in December 2020). These may include essays, online exercises, and timed assessments online. This will vary from course to course, and there will be specific details in every course guide at the start of term.

If your course includes lab work (for instance computer labs) or other kinds of practical sessions, we will aim to provide these, subject to safety constraints or create online alternatives. If your course includes a placement, we will follow national guidance and health and safety requirements.

All new students must report to the Programme Director of their particular programme of study by contacting them on their email address below and visiting their programme Organisation page in My Aberdeen.

MASTER OF RESEARCH IN SOCIAL SCIENCE
Dr Chris Kollmeyer c.kollmeyer@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MRes Social Science (2020-21)

MASTER OF RESEARCH IN SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Dr Tanya Argounova-Low t.argounova-low@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MRes Social Anthropology (2020-21)

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE AND POLITICAL RELATIONS (MSc)

Dr John Bone j.bone@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MSc International Finance & Political Relations (2020-21)

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (MSc)

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW (MSc)

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & MANAGEMENT (MSc)

Dr Ritu Vij r.vij@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:    
MSc International Relations (2020-21)
MSc International Relations & International Law (2020-21)
MSc IR & Management (2020-21)

INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY (MSc)

Dr Ritu Vij r.vij@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MSc International Political Economy (2020-21)

POLICY EVALUATION (MSc)

Dr Gearoid Millar g.millar@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation: MSc Policy Evaluation (2020-21)

MUSEUM STUDIES (MLitt)

Prof Alison Brown alison.brown@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation: MLitt Museum Studies (2020-21)

SOCIOLOGY (MSc)

Dr Luisa Gandolfo k.luisa.gandolfo@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MSc Sociology (2020-21)

STRATEGIC STUDIES (MSc)

STRATEGIC STUDIES & INTERNATIONAL LAW (MSc)

STRATEGIC STUDIES & MANAGEMENT (MSc)

STRATEGIC STUDIES & ENERGY SECURITY (MSc)

Mr Jim Wyllie j.h.wyllie@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:    
MSc Strategic Studies (2020-21)
MSc Strategic Studies & International Law (2020-21)
MSc Strategic Studies & Management (2020-21)
MSc Strategic Studies & Energy Security (2020-21)

PEACE AND CONFLICT (MSc)

Dr Gearoid Millar g.millar@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MSc Peace & Conflict Studies (2020-21)

ENERGY, POLITICS & LAW (MSc)

Dr David Toke d.toke@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MSc Energy Politics & Law (2020-21)

SEX, GENDER, VIOLENCE (MSc)

Dr Luisa Gandolfo k.luisa.gandolfo@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation:  MSc Sex Gender Violence (2020-21)

The School of Social Science expects our campuses to be open in September, and we will work hard to keep everyone safe. There will be opportunities for you to meet or e-meet other students and key staff, such as your Programme Director. As Scottish Government restrictions ease, more campus services and student activities will resume.

Details of our PGT Welcome Event and individual programme inductions are currently being developed. 

There will be activities for incoming students in Welcome Week: 21-25 September and in the early weeks of term.

• In the meantime both new and returning students need to complete the University's Orientation programme.
  
  
  The University of Aberdeen Orientation programme has been designed to take you through all of the essential information you will need for your student life. We have broken it down into 2 parts.  You should get started on Part 1 now by working through the interactive modules.

• School Orientation will be uploaded into MyAberdeen. Find out how to view the School's Organisation area in MyAberdeen.

All Anthropology, Politics & International Relations and Sociology lectures will be available online in MyAberdeen, and may be presented in short sections, rather than in one block. You will also have opportunities to learn through other formats in My Aberdeen such as quizzes, discussion boards and group chat. In-person tutorials, seminars and practicals, may be in smaller groups than usual if physical distancing is required.

For students coming to study the MLitt in Museum Studies there will be some limited physical access to the museum collections. We will provide enhanced digital access to our museum documentation so that students will have greater access than has been previously possible. 

The University Museums has the capacity to develop online exhibitions, and so while we hope that students taking Curating an Exhibition will be able to launch their summer exhibition on campus, we have excellent alternative options in place, should they be required.

Reading lists for individual courses will be available through MyAberdeen later in the summer. In the meantime, you can brush up your study skills and learn more about the University at our award-winning Toolkit website. 

For students coming to study the MLitt in Museum Studies a reading list is available from Professor Alison Brown (alison.brown@abdn.ac.uk)

The School of Social Science will use alternative ways to assess your learning throughout the term

(the School will have no formal exams on campus in December 2020). These may include essays, online exercises, and timed assessments online. This will vary from course to course, and there will be specific details in every course guide at the start of term.

Courses in the first half session will not be assessed by formal exams on campus.

If your course includes lab work (for instance computer labs) or other kinds of practical sessions, we will aim to provide these, subject to safety constraints or create online alternatives. If your course includes a placement, we will follow national guidance and health and safety requirements.

For students coming to study the MLitt in Museum Studies we are planning to offer some visits to museums in Aberdeen, subject to local museum access.  We have also moved the Museum Idea course to the second half session (commencing January 2021), and we hope the fieldtrip associated with that course will go ahead as usual.

Alternative plans have been made for fieldtrips for the first half session by inviting curators to speak to the students via videolink. 

Dr David Toke
Director of Postgraduate Research Studies

Mrs Kerry Boyne
Postgraduate Research Administrator

As a PGR student you have the opportunity to attend a University wide orientation in addition to your School specific event.

Check back soon for information on your school induction programme.

As a PGR student you may have the opportunity to audit Master‘s courses to augment your research training. Please discuss this with your supervisor and check out the postgraduate taught pages above.

The PGR School also offers a comprehensive training programme to support your research journey.