Documenting publicly reported changes to academic anthropology programmes across United Kingdom higher education institutions.
Anthropology programmes across the United Kingdom are facing unprecedented pressures. Financial deficits, declining enrolments in humanities and social sciences, institutional restructuring, and shifts in government higher education policy are combining to reshape the disciplinary landscape. Departments that have operated for decades are being merged, reduced, or closed entirely.
UK Anthropology Watch provides a centralised, transparent record of these institutional changes. Modelled on the American Anthropological Association's Anthropology Watch tracker, this project aims to support informed public discussion, enable comparative analysis across institutions, and preserve an accurate historical record of what is happening to anthropology in UK higher education.
In September 2025, the British Academy's Cold Spots report found that anthropology is among the SHAPE subjects showing significant decline in provision, with large geographic gaps emerging across Scotland, northern England, the East Midlands, and Wales. The discipline's future depends on clear-eyed documentation of these trends.
| Institution | Region | Programme | Level | Status | Action | Date | Driver | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kent | South East England | Anthropology (all programmes) | UG PGT PGR | Closed | Programme discontinued | 2024 | Financial deficit | The School of Anthropology and Conservation was closed in 2024 as part of restructuring driven by a projected £31m deficit. The department had operated for 60 years, produced over 160 PhDs, and was rated world-leading in REF 2021. All UG/PG anthropology programmes phased out from 2024–25. | Times Higher Education |
| Bournemouth University | South West England | Archaeology and Anthropology BA | UG | Admissions paused |
Closed to new registrations | March 2025 | Low enrolment / restructuring | The BA Archaeology and Anthropology programme was closed to new registrations in March 2025 alongside several other humanities programmes. The BSc Anthropology and BSc Archaeological/Anthropological/Forensic Sciences programmes remain active. | QMUCU HE Shrinking |
| Queen Mary University of London | London | Anthropology-related programmes | Multiple | Closed | Department dissolved | March 2024 | Financial deficit / restructuring | QMUL announced the cutting of anthropology alongside several other AHSS departments in late March 2024. The closure was part of broader institutional restructuring, following financial pressures from lower-than-expected recruitment. | QMUCU |
| Goldsmiths, University of London | London | Anthropology BA | UG PGT PGR | Staff reductions | Further cuts; indefinite strike (June 2026) | 2024–2026 | Financial deficit / low enrolment | The 2024 'Transformation Programme' targeted 132 FTE posts (17% of staff), with anthropology facing up to 50% reductions. A further £22m savings round was announced for 2026–27, triggering a marking boycott and then indefinite strike action from 8 June 2026 after management imposed 100% wage deductions on boycotting staff. | Times Higher Education |
| Oxford Brookes University | South East England | Anthropology (joint programmes) | UG | Under pressure | Staff reductions (voluntary) | 2024 | Financial deficit | Oxford Brookes announced cuts of up to 48 academic staff across AHSS in late 2023. Anthropology staff took voluntary redundancy or reduced hours, avoiding compulsory redundancies. The programme continues but with reduced capacity. | UCU |
| University of Roehampton | London | Anthropology BSc | UG | Closed | Programme discontinued (fire & rehire) | 2022–2023 | Financial deficit / restructuring | Anthropology was discontinued as part of a mass fire-and-rehire process affecting 226 staff. The university closed anthropology alongside classics, creative writing, and other arts and humanities subjects, claiming the cuts would allow a shift to 'skills-led' learning. UCU opposed the closures as restricting access to arts and humanities. | UCU |
| University of East Anglia | East of England | Anthropology with International Development BA | UG | Monitoring | Limited provision | – | – | UEA offers anthropology through combined programmes rather than as a standalone single-honours degree. Provision is more limited than at other Russell Group institutions. | UEA |
| University of Cambridge | East of England | Archaeology & Anthropology; Social Anthropology | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Ranked #1 in the Complete University Guide 2026. The Department of Social Anthropology is among the world's leading departments with a comprehensive curriculum. | Cambridge |
| University of Oxford | South East England | Archaeology & Anthropology; Social Anthropology | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography offers the full range of programmes. Strong interdisciplinary emphasis and world-class research standing. | Oxford |
| London School of Economics (LSE) | London | Social Anthropology BA; Anthropology & Law | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | One of the leading social anthropology departments globally with strong multidisciplinary focus and international research perspectives. | LSE |
| UCL (University College London) | London | Anthropology BSc/BA | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | One of the largest anthropology departments in the UK, offering both social and biological anthropology. Part of the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences. | UCL |
| SOAS University of London | London | Social Anthropology BA; Anthropology & Sociology | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Department of Anthropology and Sociology within the School of Anthropology, Media and Gender. Known for regional specialisms in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. | SOAS |
| University of Edinburgh | Scotland | Social Anthropology MA (Hons) | UG PGT PGR | Under pressure | Budget cuts; hidden redundancies | 2025–2026 | £140m budget cuts | Edinburgh is pushing through £140m in annual budget cuts, leading to hundreds of voluntary redundancies, hiring freezes, and widespread strikes. Impacts on anthropology include 'hidden redundancies': fewer tutors hired, tutorial group sizes increased, and early-career researchers losing teaching work. Staff describe the cuts as manufacturing scarcity despite stable student numbers. | UCU Edinburgh |
| University of St Andrews | Scotland | Social Anthropology MA (Hons) | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Ranked #1 in Scotland and #1 in the UK (Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026). 92% of research rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021. | St Andrews |
| University of Aberdeen | Scotland | Anthropology MA (Hons); Anthropology & Archaeology | UG PGT PGR | Under pressure | Up to 111 academic posts at risk | May 2026 | £10m savings plan | A £10m savings plan approved by university court in May 2026 could see 111 FTE academic posts lost, including in anthropology. Compulsory redundancies 'cannot be ruled out'. This follows 41 voluntary severances in 2024–25 and strike action in April 2026. Target student-staff ratios of 25:1 for SHAPE subjects would significantly reduce staffing. | Times Higher Education |
| University of Glasgow | Scotland | Social Anthropology and Migration Studies (within Sociological and Cultural Studies) | PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Social anthropology is taught within the School of Social and Political Sciences at UG/PG level. Faculty offer supervision across broad UG/MSc programmes in Social Science and at PhD level. No standalone MA/MSc programme. | Glasgow |
| Durham University | North East England | Anthropology BSc/BA; joint programmes | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | One of the largest UK departments. Combines social, biological and medical anthropology. Ranked 5th (Guardian 2025), 45% world-leading (REF 2021). | Durham |
| University of Manchester | North West England | Social Anthropology BA | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Ranked 9th in CUG 2026. Strong tradition in the social sciences with the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology and established ethnographic fieldwork programmes. | Manchester |
| University of Sussex | South East England | Anthropology BA; joint programmes | UG PGT PGR | Under pressure | 200 jobs at risk; budget cuts | May 2026 | £35m savings / enrolment decline | Sussex plans to cut 200 FTE posts to save £35m annually, following a loss of 4,000 students and over 500 voluntary departures in the previous 12 months. Anthropology and international development are among departments affected, with tighter operational budgets and restrictions on fieldwork and programme support. The Institute of Development Studies, a close partner, is also cutting 12 posts separately. | BBC News |
| University of Bristol | South West England | Anthropology BA; Archaeology & Anthropology | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology takes a global, four-field approach combining archaeology with evolutionary, social, and linguistic anthropology. | Bristol |
| University of Birmingham | West Midlands | Social Anthropology BA | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Offers BA Social Anthropology within the Department of African Studies and Anthropology (DASA). Strong focus on global perspectives with particular strengths in African studies. | Birmingham |
| University of Exeter | South West England | Anthropology BA | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Offers Anthropology BA within the Department of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology. Research strengths in medical anthropology and environmental issues. | Exeter |
| Brunel University London | London | Anthropology BSc (multiple pathways) | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Offers pathways in Childhood/Youth/Education, Development/War/Humanitarian Assistance, and Global Health. Consistently ranks in the top quartile for student satisfaction. | Brunel |
| King's College London | London | Anthropology (within Global Affairs) | UG PGT | Active | – | – | – | Department of Anthropology dedicated to comprehensive exploration of human societies covering cultural, social, and political aspects. | King's |
| University of Plymouth | South West England | Anthropology BA | UG | Active | – | – | – | Offers BA (Hons) Anthropology as a standalone undergraduate degree within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business. | Plymouth |
| Queen's University Belfast | Northern Ireland | Social Anthropology (within Social Sciences) | UG PGT PGR | Active | – | – | – | Offers anthropology within the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics. The only Northern Ireland institution with anthropology provision. | QUB |
| University of Dundee | Scotland | Forensic Anthropology MSc | PGT | Active | – | – | – | Offers specialist postgraduate provision in forensic anthropology through the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID). | Dundee |
| University of Bradford | Yorkshire & the Humber | Archaeological & Forensic Sciences; Osteology | UG PGT | Active | – | – | – | Offers physical/forensic anthropology through archaeology and forensic science programmes. Particular strengths in biological anthropology and human osteology. | Bradford |
| University of Southampton | South East England | Anthropology (within Archaeology) | UG PGT | Active | – | – | – | Anthropology taught within the Department of Archaeology, with a particular focus on biological and evolutionary anthropology. | Southampton |
| University of Reading | South East England | Archaeology & related programmes | UG PGT | Active | – | – | – | Anthropological content delivered through archaeology and related programmes within the Department of Archaeology. | Reading |
| Liverpool John Moores University | North West England | Forensic Anthropology BSc | UG | Active | – | – | – | Offers specialist forensic anthropology provision as part of the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences. | LJMU |
| University of Central Lancashire | North West England | Forensic Science & Anthropology | UG | Active | – | – | – | Offers anthropology through combined forensic science and anthropology programmes. | UCLan |
| University of Winchester | South East England | Anthropology BA | UG | Active | – | – | – | Offers Anthropology as an undergraduate single-honours degree with a focus on cultural and social anthropology. | Winchester |
| University of Wales Trinity Saint David | Wales | Anthropology (related programmes) | UG | Active | – | – | – | Offers anthropology content within broader humanities and social science programmes. One of the few Welsh institutions with anthropological provision. | UWTSD |
Last updated: June 2026. Data compiled from institutional websites, UCAS, Times Higher Education, UCU, the British Academy, and the ASA. This tracker records publicly reported changes only. If you have information about a programme change not listed here, please submit an update.
This tracker documents publicly reported changes to anthropology programmes at UK higher education institutions. Status categories are defined as follows:
Data sources include institutional announcements, Times Higher Education, UCU reports, UCAS listings, the Complete University Guide, the British Academy SHAPE Observatory, and the ASA's Condition of UK Anthropology (2023) report.