SOAS University of London

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Theoretical and practical grounding in the discipline of ethnomusicology, as well as the opportunity to develop performance and ethnographic skills, regional expertise, and a deeper understanding of global music – just some of what you can expect to develop on the MMus Ethnomusicology. This programme is tailored for musicians and musicologists, anthropologists, teachers and composers, as well as those dedicated to developing an in-depth knowledge of a specific music tradition.

You will study with the largest and most influential team of ethnomusicologists in the UK, who are experts in the musical traditions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Jewish world. You will be part of a thriving culture of performance, research and active engagement with music around the globe.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme is designed for students who wish to specialise in performance while studying for an academic degree. Students have the unique opportunity to develop performance in specific Asian and African music traditions to a professional standard. They acquire expert knowledge about performance and the geographical or stylistic region of their performance specialism.

The performance component of the programme, in which students choose an Asian or African performance tradition, includes practice-based research. Students study the music of a particular region alongside performance theory training. Through a range of optional modules, they pursue additional interests as well.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MRes in Law aims to provide students with advanced skills in legal research, the ability to undertake high level analysis of law and legal issues with a focus on areas of research specific to the School of Law at SOAS, a grasp of the research methods that underpin the discipline and its place in the humanities and the social sciences, a grounding in legal research methods, and the ethics of legal research. The MRes in Law is especially suited to candidates who wish to undertake a PhD or professional research in law. It prepares students to undertake high-quality research.

The SOAS MRes in Law is a unique qualification that brings together in-depth training in research and research methods focused on the research done in the School of Law. This is combined with other courses that are specific to SOAS and often not available anywhere else.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MRes Social Anthropology programme focuses largely on the study of the developing world, from remote communities to more recent urban development. We are curious about the world and innovative in our approach to finding new solutions to recurring problems.

Studying the programme at SOAS is unique as it draws from our expertise in a plethora of humanities subjects including sociology, philosophy, linguistics, literature, and history. If you are interested in nurturing a better understanding of what it is to be human in the complex world in which we live, then this discipline is suited to you.

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MRes Social Anthropology programme focuses largely on the study of the developing world, from remote communities to more recent urban development. We are curious about the world and innovative in our approach to finding new solutions to recurring problems.

Studying the programme at SOAS is unique as it draws from our expertise in a plethora of humanities subjects including sociology, philosophy, linguistics, literature, and history. If you are interested in nurturing a better understanding of what it is to be human in the complex world in which we live, then this discipline is suited to you.

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with a country in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language courses will enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

The MPhil/PhD in Gender Studies is a unique programme combining cutting edge theorizing in Gender Studies with the special areas expertise related to Africa, Asia and the Middle East which has been a trademark of SOAS. The Centre for Gender Studies welcomes applications from research students for our MPhil/PhD programme in all areas of Gender Studies. The Centre places its emphasis on the acquisition of critical theoretical skills and in-depth regional knowledge across disciplines with specific reference to Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Members of the Centre and current research students work on an exceptionally wide range of topics, both theoretical and empirical. Supervision for research students can be provided across this wide range. The Centre houses a training programme in Gender Studies for research students the work of which is supported by the organisation of regular Centre seminars.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-timeSOAS has an international reputation for excellence in the field of South Asian studies earned by the world-leading research undertaken. REF 2014 submissions by members of the Department included significant and paradigm-shifting monographs, edited collections, journal articles and book chapters on literature, cinema cultural history and postcolonial studies. The Department has two ERC grants: Francesca Orsini for the comparative study of the multilingual literary histories of North India, the Maghreb, and the Horn of Africa; while James Mallinson has one entitled “The Hatha Yoga Project: Mapping traditions of transnational physical yoga practice through philology and ethnography”. Amina Yaqin’s current research projects include a collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Pakistan and the University of East London for the ‘Muslims, Trust and Cultural Dialogue’ research project funded by the RCUK. This follows on from an earlier AHRC funded international research network, ‘Framing Muslims’. Rachel Dwyer is CI on an AHRC funded International Network with the University of Leeds: Soft Power, Cinema and the BRICS.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-timeThe Department offers the widest coverage in Europe of research and teaching related to the languages and cultures of the principal countries of South East Asia. Its primary commitment is to the four languages Burmese, Indonesian/Malay, Thai and Vietnamese, and their pieces of literature, cinemas and associated cultures. REF 2014 submissions by members of the Department included significant and paradigm-shifting monographs, edited collections, journal articles and book chapters in cinema and gender, literary criticism, cultural history and postcolonial studies. It is a flourishing and friendly Department with close links to recent alumni.

The research interests of the Department’s members include classical Malay literature; modern literature in Malay, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese; Islam in South East Asia; language pedagogy; phonetics; gender studies; oral literature and folklore; cinema in South East Asia; and translation. These interests are increasingly reflected in the kind of work that is undertaken by the Department’s current doctoral researchers.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA/PGDip International Studies and Diplomacy (ISD) programme is designed for those engaged in, or planning to embark upon, a professional career requiring international expertise in government, not-for-profit, corporate or academic environments.

ISD aims to prepare students for a variety of roles, such as working within a Foreign Service or other government department; international civil service (such as the United Nations or European Union); international NGOs (working in fields such as development, humanitarian assistance and conflict resolution); multinational corporations and international media. The programme also suits those engaged in or considering research roles within a policy think tank, risk analysis organisation or doctoral programme and seeking to deepen their academic and practical understanding of international affairs and contemporary diplomatic practice.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

The two-year MA Advanced Chinese Studies offers comprehensive language-based training across a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.

Students on the programme take four taught modules at SOAS during their first year, including team-taught core modules provided by a range of SOAS China experts. In addition, students take a text-reading seminar, allowing them to integrate their Chinese reading skills into their disciplinary studies, or an approved language-based module. Further modules can be selected from available disciplines including Anthropology, Art and Archaeology, Cinema, Cultural and Regional Studies, Economics, History, Law, Literature, Music, Politics, and Study of Religions.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in African Studies provides an unrivalled programme of advanced modules on Africa; one of the world’s most fascinating and challenging regions. The opportunity for an interdisciplinary study of the continent is a particular advantage of the degree.

Our former students have chosen to study Africa at this level for a wide range of reasons. For some, a deep interest in the history and culture or political economy of a particular region is sufficient motivation, but for many students, the programme has, in addition, been followed with the intention of furthering their career opportunities. Some go on to work either in Africa or in fields related to Africa.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

A postgraduate degree in African Literature from SOAS provides students with competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, history, cinema, politics, economics or law. Graduates of this programme will develop their ability to engage with and explore relationships between indigenous African aesthetics and contemporary literary theories.

Postgraduate students gain linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research or to seek professional and management careers in the business, public and charity sectors. They leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including written and oral communication skills; attention to detail; analytical and problem-solving skills; and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The SOAS MA in Ancient Near Eastern Languages offers an intensive programme of text-reading and language-learning for those who already have a good knowledge of the Akkadian language - usually at least two years' experience - as well as those who are starting the language for the first time. The degree is intended to widen the student's experience in the vast legacy of written documentation in Akkadian and other languages from ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia, or to provide an intensive introduction to these.

The programme is tailor-made to serve as an intermediate level between SOAS's three-year BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (or equivalent qualification) and postgraduate Assyriological research at the level of MPhil and PhD. It can, of course, be taken for its own sake.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

This is the only Masters-level programme offered anywhere in the world that provides students who intend to proceed to conduct anthropological research (broadly defined) in Nepal with the necessary skills (disciplinary, linguistic, methodological).

What will this programme give the student an opportunity to achieve?

Students who wish to conduct doctoral-level research in Nepal, or in preparation for professional employment in e.g. a government agency or international NGO.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA programme in the Anthropology of Food offers you the opportunity to explore historically and culturally variable foodways, from foraging to industrial agriculture, from Europe and North America to Africa, Asia and South America.

You will study the passage of food from plant to palate, and examine who benefits, and who suffers, from contemporary modes of food production, exchange, preparation, and consumption. You will also explore the role of food in human migrations and investigate the formation of regional and national cuisines. As well as examine food fears and food safety and concerns over ‘nutrition transition’.

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA programme in the Anthropology of Food offers you the opportunity to explore historically and culturally variable foodways, from foraging to industrial agriculture, from Europe and North America to Africa, Asia and South America.

You will study the passage of food from plant to palate, and examine who benefits, and who suffers, from contemporary modes of food production, exchange, preparation, and consumption. You will also explore the role of food in human migrations and investigate the formation of regional and national cuisines. As well as examine food fears and food safety and concerns over ‘nutrition transition’.

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA programme in Anthropology of Media takes up the challenge of understanding how and why media matters. The programme uniquely combines anthropology, media and cultural studies with SOAS’s regional expertise in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

It will provide you with critical skills, research methods, and a wide-ranging understanding of media and the opportunity to pursue original research projects. The MA in Anthropology and Media is the first and still the only programme in Europe that specialises in bringing together contemporary anthropological concerns with media and cultural studies.

Anthropology of Media is a recent and rapidly growing field within the larger academic discipline of Anthropology. It both incorporates and challenges the well-established anthropological concerns with visual culture and ethnographic film through a more extensive examination of contemporary media practices. Along with the parallel disciplines of media and cultural studies, Anthropology of Media is now widely recognised as playing an increasingly important and critical role in current debates about media. It provides an alternative approach, which puts the emphasis upon studying the multiple relationships between people and media and thus seeks to anthropologise media and cultural studies. More than just focussing on media texts or technology, Anthropology of Media is marked by the centrality of people and how they relate to media.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA programme in Anthropology of Media takes up the challenge of understanding how and why media matters. The programme uniquely combines anthropology, media and cultural studies with SOAS’s regional expertise in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with a country in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language courses will enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.

You will obtain critical skills, research methods, and a wide-ranging understanding of media and the opportunity to pursue original research projects. The MA in Anthropology and Media is the first and still the only programme in Europe that specialises in bringing together contemporary anthropological concerns with media and cultural studies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme draws upon the strength of the School of Arts as a centre for the study of the art, music and media of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and their global diasporas. Students select modules from across the school, developing a cross-discipline understanding of the arts, broadly conceived. They have the option of specialising in a particular interdisciplinary field, such as popular music and film in the Middle East; art, archaeology and music of the Silk Road; or music, media and development in Africa.

The School of Arts is a unique concentration of experts in the art, music and media of the non-Western world, unsurpassed in scale and reach by any other institution worldwide. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of staff whose work combines disciplinary rigour and innovative interdisciplinary exchange. Teaching is consistently informed by and contributes to the research of members of staff. Students can select from modules in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the languages, history, religions and cultures of Asia and Africa.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Buddhist Studies suits students with different academic backgrounds and prospective personal objectives, from those interested in broadening their knowledge of Buddhism as a whole or of specific Buddhist traditions to those intending to embark on language-based research or fieldwork among Buddhist communities.

It typically suits:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Chinese Studies provides an exceptional opportunity to take advantage of the wide range of disciplinary approaches to the study of Chinese societies available at SOAS. The main emphasis is on modern and contemporary China, although it is also possible to study aspects of pre-Modern China. In addition to the courses on offer, students develop their own particular area of specialisation by writing a dissertation in their major discipline.

When applying, applicants are asked to specify their preferred major subject, and asked to give an alternative as practical considerations such as timetabling and availability of courses may limit freedom of choice. Once enrolled, students have two weeks to finalise their choice of subjects and have the opportunity of sampling a variety of subjects through attending lectures etc.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme enables students to engage critically with the varied aspects of Chinese literature.

This programme covers both pre-modern and modern literature of China. It includes the study of literary works written in the original languages, as well as an introduction to literary theory.

For students on this programme, the dissertation must be on a subject in Chinese Literature.

Please note that to be considered for the MA Chinese Studies (Literature Pathway) programme you will need to apply for MA Chinese Studies and select the relevant literature modules at enrolment.

A postgraduate degree in Chinese Literature from SOAS equips students with essential skills such as competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through the in-depth study of Chinese Literature, both pre-modern and modern and the study of literary theory in relation to this literature.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The opportunity to move from the familiar Euro-American literary canons into the fresh but less well-known worlds of African and Asian literature is what attracts most students to this popular MA.

At SOAS, students benefit from the unique expertise in this vast field possessed by the school’s faculty.

This expertise is available to students interested in studying this literature through English - including both original English language literature of Africa and Asia and literature written in African and Asian languages presented through English translations.

While exploring new horizons and breaking out of the Euro-centric space in which comparative literature has developed so far, the programme covers the major theoretical contributions made by Western scholars.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

On this programme, students engage with some of the most dynamic and contemporary aspects of Asian and African art, as well as issues of collection, display, representation, tourist art, and shifts between regional, national and global identities. By focusing on theoretical and methodological questions, they are equipped with the terms and approaches needed for in-depth study of contemporary art. This is combined with the study of contemporary art from a range of Asian and African contexts.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in contemporary Asian and African art, whose ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as contemporary global Media, Film and Music. They can also select from modules in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in, for example, the film, cinema, languages and modern history of Asia and Africa.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Gender and Sexuality at SOAS is a unique programme, its principal aim being to re-focus issues prioritised in western Gender Studies and the study of sexuality on the complex specificities of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. The programme offers the specialised study of gender and sexuality in relation to the cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, together with rigorous training in, and questioning of, contemporary gender theory. In terms of gender theory, it offers a solid foundation with sufficient breadth and depth to facilitate a range of specialist pathways. In terms of specialisation, it draws on the expertise of internationally recognised scholars of Asian, African and Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Gender and Sexuality with special reference to the Middle East at SOAS is a unique programme, its principal aim being to re-focus issues prioritised in western Gender Studies and the study of sexuality on the complex specificities of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. The programme offers the specialised study of gender and sexuality in relation to the cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, together with rigorous training in, and questioning of, contemporary gender theory. In terms of gender theory, it offers a solid foundation with sufficient breadth and depth to facilitate a range of specialist pathways. In terms of specialisation, it draws on the expertise of internationally recognised scholars of Asian, African and Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

SOAS MA in Gender Studies is unique in that it refocuses issues of Western Gender Studies on the complex specificities of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing on the expertise of staff across all SOAS faculties, it offers the specialised study of gender in relation to Asian, African and Middle Eastern cultures, together with rigorous training in and questioning of contemporary gender theory.

Students will have access to a wealth of study resources available in the SOAS Library and in nearby institutions such as the British Library, University College London Library and Senate House Library.

The MA in Gender Studies will be administered by the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences. Like the MA Area Studies programmes, it will not have a specific departmental home, reflecting its academic structure as an interdisciplinary degree.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

The MA Gender Studies and Law at SOAS is a unique programme, its principal aim being to re-focus issues prioritised in western Gender Studies and Legal Theory on the complex specificities of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. Jointly housed by the Centre for Gender Studies and the School of Law, the programme offers the specialised study of gender and law in relation to the cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, together with rigorous training in, and questioning of, contemporary gender theory. In terms of gender theory, it offers a solid foundation with sufficient breadth and depth to facilitate a range of specialist pathways. In terms of specialisation, it draws on the expertise of internationally recognised scholars of Asian, African and Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Over the past decades, the creative and cultural industries have become the focus of a huge amount of research and critical debate. As digitisation transforms the media industries, from music streaming to on-demand TV, there has been increasing recognition of the economic and cultural value of art, museums, video games and 'heritage'. This programme offers the unique opportunity to critically analyse these developments in a fully global context, across the full range of School of Arts modules in Media, Music and Art and Archaeology.

Students can tailor their studies to focus on particular regions, art forms or themes, choosing from the wide array of modules that reflect the unique regional focus available at SOAS, and gain access to world-leading experts in the music, culture and traditions of Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Alongside critical analysis and regional expertise, students can choose from a number of practical hands-on modules, in sound recording, podcasting and broadcasting, that will enable them to enhance their skill-set.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The emergence of the internet and digital culture has affected all societies, albeit unevenly. This programme explores the global dimensions of digital culture, focusing on digital creativity and practices in the global South. Students are taught to understand the historical development of digital technologies and the internet, exploring their impact and meaning in diverse economic, political and cultural realms. They study contemporary theories of the digital and consider their adequacy for understanding the non-Western world while developing knowledge of a range of research tools for understanding the internet, social media and big data.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme focuses on the dynamic developments in media and communications within Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It examines the growing significance of these regions as the locations of new media players and new cultural genres, of complex audience involvements with mediated communication and as the sites of critical and creative responses to globalization processes. It challenges Eurocentric approaches to the study of media and provides a unique opportunity to study the media and communications environments of the non-Western world.

Students consider the dynamics of globalization and its critiques, the roles and nature of communications technologies and mediated content within these processes, and consequent changes in the nature of political, economic, financial, social and cultural activity. They develop advanced knowledge and understanding of the theoretical, methodological and empirical issues involved in the analysis of non-western media and communications within historical and contemporary contexts, and explore media dynamics in global civil society. A particular focus is the role that media have played in both defining and challenging processes of nation-building and providing spaces for the articulation of other forms of identity-formation, including those among minority ethnic, diasporic, exilic and refugee populations.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The programme is designed for students with a keen interest in studying the remote as well as the more recent past of the countries, peoples, and cultures of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It is also ideal for students who seek to understand the historical conditions of the contemporary world from a global perspective. While the course is open to students with backgrounds in a diverse range of disciplines in the Humanities and Social Sciences, the ideal applicant would have an UG degree in History or a relevant area studies programme, some knowledge of foreign, in particular Asian or African languages, and preferably relevant background in the region of specialism.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This is the only Master-level programme in History focusing on the study of Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the UK, and can, therefore, offer an unrivalled breadth of courses on the history of these regions. The programme provides sound training in the historical sciences.

It can also be taken with an intensive language pathway over two years, therefore making this programme unique in Europe.

The programme would suit students with a keen interest in learning about the historical conditions of the contemporary world and in particular those who are prepared to look at the world from the perspective of other people and cultures. While the course is open to students from a broad range of backgrounds, the ideal applicant would have a UG degree in History (or a related discipline), some knowledge of foreign, including Asian or African languages, and preferably some relevant background in the region of specialism.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme is a unique opportunity to study the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Students concentrate on architecture, sculpture, painting and the decorative arts and have the option of pursuing topics and approaches more archaeological in focus. They consider theoretical and methodological questions and are invited to question the relevance of the disciplinary distinction between History of Art and Archaeology to the study of the non-Western world. Courses cover a time period spanning from antiquity to present-day, contemporary art.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in Asian and African art history and archaeology, whose ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students studying the Music, Film and Media of Asia, Africa and the Middle East in historical and contemporary contexts. They can also select from modules in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the languages, history, religions and cultures of Asia and Africa.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme is an unrivalled opportunity to study the arts of China, Korea and Japan. Students consider a wide range of East Asian arts, from Chinese archaeology to Japanese prints, Korean installation works to Buddhist monuments, exploring their specificity and the links between them, in historical and contemporary periods. In many parts of East Asia, archaeological evidence is key to understanding early societies. The programme, therefore, relates excavated materials to the history of art.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in the art history and archaeology of East Asia, whose ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as East Asian Music, Film and Media. They can also select from modules in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the languages, history, religions and cultures of East Asia.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This two-year programme combines the strengths of the MA History of Art and Archaeology of East Asia with intensive language training in Japanese or Korean. Students study the arts of China, Korea and Japan, exploring a wide range of East Asian arts, from Chinese archaeology to Japanese prints, Korean installation works to Buddhist monuments, in historical and contemporary periods. Instruction in the language of their choice is provided by teachers in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures. By the end of the programme, which includes a summer language school abroad, students have received sufficient instruction to reach near-proficiency in the language.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The Islamic Middle East has given rise to an impressive material culture that continues in the present. This programme covers an area stretching from Islamic Spain through the Arab countries, Turkey, Iran and Central Asia in diverse historical periods. It offers students an unmatched opportunity to study particular regions or categories of art, including Fatimid art; the architecture and urbanism of Morocco; Arab, Persian and Turkish painting; the calligraphy and illumination of the Qur'an; Mamluk art and architecture; the arts and architecture of the Ottomans in Turkey and the Balkans; and the material culture of western Iran. Archaeological issues of the Islamic Middle East are also considered.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in the art history and archaeology of the Islamic Middle East, whose ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as Music, Film and Media in the Middle East and the wider Islamic world. They can also select from courses in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the languages, history, religions and cultures of the Middle East.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The aim of the programme is to offer grounding in the theories on Cultural Studies which draws on Marxism, Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Post-Marxism, Feminism, and Post-Modernism and their use, application and adaption in the cross-cultural contexts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It provides an examination of the main historical concepts in Western culture such as ideology, power, class, identity, race, nation, subjectivity, representation, and memory and how these are challenged by scholars working in non-Western cultures of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The aim is to explore the different and plural cultural histories and memories of these contexts to which Cultural Studies must adapt.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development provides a unique specialisation in a rapidly developing area of law. Environmental law has grown rapidly over the past five decades and is now one of the key areas of both domestic and international law. The increasingly vast scope of environmental law is reflected in the umbrella notion of sustainable development that captures the links between traditional environmental issues and broader development concerns. Environmental law thus covers not only traditional nature conservation and pollution control issues but also broader the use and conservation of natural resources. In addition, we emphasise links between environmental regulation and other related fields of law, such as human rights, trade or intellectual property rights.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Gender with special reference to the Middle East is our newest pathway degree yet and is introduced at a time when SOAS is celebrating its 100 years anniversary. Its main goal is to re-focus discussions related to gender and sexuality to the unique and rich region of the Middle East. This pathway coincides with the increased relevance of the Middle East to the disciplines of development and International Relations, in addition to its omnipresence in mainstream news and media.

The pathway caters for students who would like to obtain a critical lens to the current issues and debates within the study of gender in the Middle East and will appeal to both students who are interested in the relevant academic discussions and those who are interested in political and activist dimensions.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Global Cinemas (formerly MA Global Cinemas and the Transcultural) offers students the unique opportunity to study in-depth regional cinemas outside the now standard research topographies - both geographical and theoretical - of mainstream cinema studies, so opening up avenues for advanced research in areas and methodologies as yet untapped. Alternatively, it provides an avenue of study for those simply wishing to obtain a post-graduate qualification in Cinema Studies without being confined to a European- and/or American-centric world-view. The optional elements of the degree allow students the opportunity to specialize in one or more of the many regional cinemas on offer in the School: Japanese, Chinese (mainland, Hong Kong & Taiwanese), mainland and maritime South-East Asian, Indian, Iranian, Middle Eastern and African. It also enables students to combine specialist film studies knowledge with a module in an Asian or African language or to advance their social and cultural knowledge of a given region through an ethnographic module. Alternatively, through our links with University of London Screen Studies Group, students may choose from a selection of optional modules to further develop cross-cultural perspectives in an east/west framework.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Human Rights Law provides a specialisation in a constantly evolving area of law that covers a range of issues at the heart of major contemporary developments and debates.

This programme offers a wide range of distinctive modules that combine a focus on core subjects in the field alongside a critical inquiry into the theory and practice of human rights law and related fields, particularly as they relate to the global South.

Options include core international modules on international human rights law, international criminal law, international refugee and migration law, international humanitarian law, and justice, reconciliation and reconstruction in post conflict societies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The SOAS MA in International Law provides a diverse and unique range of courses that interrogate critically the theory and practice of international law and explore cutting edge topics of contemporary significance particularly as they relate to the global south: refugee law and the migrant crisis; climate change and natural resources; the rights of women; gender and armed conflict; international criminal law; the law of armed conflict; multinational enterprises and human rights; sustainable development; and conflict resolution, peace-building and transitional justice.

At SOAS you will not only gain fresh insights into the fundamentals of international law; you will have the opportunity to engage with issues that reflect the research specialisms of our expert teaching staff.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Islamic Law allows students to study Islamic law and its application in a broad range of legal areas, including Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic family law, and human rights, and in different jurisdictions, as well as the law in its relationship to society in the Middle East and North Africa. All SOAS modules are designed not only to introduce students to the general fields of law, but also to provide an understanding of how generic legal structures and processes may operate in non-Western social and cultural settings. All teachers on modules offered at SOAS are experts in their designated field. Many have years of experience advising governments, international organisations or non-governmental organisation, and many also have been or continue to be legal practitioners in their specialised fields.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

In this two-year pathway (FT), students can combine intensive Arabic language with several disciplines (see 'Combinations' Tab), including MA Islamic Societies and Cultures, MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies, or MA Palestine Studies, making these programmes unique in Europe.

Access to the Intensive Arabic language pathway is currently available for students with:

Students’ proficiency levels will be assessed through a placement test during registration week (specific dates will be provided to the applicants).

Students taking MA NME Studies as their discipline cannot choose additional Arabic language modules from the Languages list, though they are encouraged to take another Middle Eastern language like Persian, Turkish or Hebrew.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The two-year language pathway is directed at students with a professional and academic interest in Japan. The intensive training in the Japanese language aims at supporting students’ ability to tackle their disciplinary interests by engaging with written texts and in oral communication in Japanese.

Your chosen discipline is combined with the intensive Japanese language over two years (including a period in Japan), making this programme unique in Europe.

Access to the Japanese language pathway is currently available for students with

As a point of reference for b), this would correspond to having completed Minna no Nihongo, Volumes 1 and 2 (or an equivalent text), knowledge of approximately 500 kanji, and tuition time of about 220 hours in total. ... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This two-year programme (or four years part-time) will provide students with the opportunity to combine Masters’ level training with intensive Korean language study in order to acquire the skills necessary for future professional or research careers. The programme will enable students to engage with the subjects of their Masters’ programme in the context of Korea through Korean, to engage with primary Korean sources and data and to conduct research and professional work in Korea.

May be combined with:

Anthropology

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme will provide students with the opportunity to combine Masters’ level training with intensive study of the Persian language, in order to acquire the skills necessary for future professional or research careers. The programme will enable students to engage with the subject of their Masters’ programme in the context of Iran, and the wider Persian speaking world, through the study of modern and classical Persian, to engage with primary Persian sources and data and to conduct research and professional work in Iran or parts of Central Asia.

This programme would suit students wishing to embark on research degrees with a focus on Iran and the wider Persianate world. Professionals wishing to pursue careers directly related to Iran, including government departments (of both the UK and other countries), and in firms requiring particular skills and knowledge related to trading, investment and promotional interests outside Europe.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The two-year language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with South East Asia in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language module would enable them to reach a good level of proficiency in one of the four languages; Burmese, Indonesian, Thai or Vietnamese. The summer between the first and second year of study is spent in the region following an intensive language module.

In the two-year pathway, students can take intensive South East Asian language with either MA South East Asian Studies, MA History, MA Religions of Asian and Africa, MA Medical Anthropology, MA Anthropological Research Methods, MA Migration and Diaspora Studies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This two-year programme will provide students with the opportunity to combine Masters’ level training with an intensive study of an African language (Swahili) in order to acquire the skills necessary for future professional or research careers. The programme will enable students to engage with the subject of their Masters’ programme in Africa through an African language, to engage with sources and data in an African language and to conduct research and professional work in Africa.

This programme is also aimed at professionals wishing to pursue careers directly related to Africa, including government departments (of both the UK and other countries), and in firms requiring particular skills and knowledge related to trading, investment and promotional interests outside Europe.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The two-year language pathway is directed at students with a professional and academic interest in Turkey. The intensive training in the Turkish language aims at supporting students’ ability to tackle their disciplinary interests by engaging with written texts and in oral communication in Turkish.

Your chosen discipline is combined with intensive Turkish language over two years (including a period in Turkey).

Access to the Turkish language pathway is currently available for students with:

Students’ proficiency levels will be assessed through a placement test during registration week (specific dates will be provided to the applicants).... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Students must take 180 credits comprised of 120 taught credits (including core and option modules) and a 60 credit dissertationSelect the equivalent of FIVE Modules comprising full (30) and half (15) Modules including the dissertation

Understanding journalism is crucial in today’s mediated world. The spread of the Internet, social media and the advent of comparatively cheap communications technology hold out the promise of enabling a more diverse range of actors to shape journalism. The forms and practices involved in such journalism could also enable greater inclusivity, supporting a range of progressive aims such as advocacy, peace, development and greater intercultural understanding. At the same time, widespread cost-cutting in mainstream journalism and the speeded-up journalistic practices used to service multiple delivery platforms threaten to further entrench the norms and definitional advantages of the wealthy and powerful because of their greater ability to subsidise journalism through public relations material.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Among all universities in Europe and North America SOAS host the biggest concentration of research and teaching staff working on Iranian history, politics, economics, religions, art and archaeology, linguistics, Persian language and literature, media, film, anthropology and music. SOAS has the resources to offer a comprehensive, critical perspective on a variety of aspects of Iranian society and culture and go beyond the contemporary public debates around this country.

The MA in Iranian Studies enables students to critically assess the historical development of Iranian society, economics and culture within the context of the wider west Asian area and to appreciate the complexity of the history and cultural make up of Iran.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Among all universities in Europe and North America SOAS host the biggest concentration of research and teaching staff working on Iranian history, politics, economics, religions, art and archaeology, linguistics, Persian language and literature, media, film, anthropology and music. SOAS has the resources to offer a comprehensive, critical perspective on a variety of aspects of Iranian society and culture and go beyond the contemporary public debates around this country.

The MA in Iranian Studies enables students to critically assess the historical development of Iranian society, economics and culture within the context of the wider west Asian area and to appreciate the complexity of the history and cultural make up of Iran.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Islamic Intellectual History is a programme on historical Islamic studies, offering an in-depth study of the intellectual, religious and cultural history of the Islamic world, past and present, and of wider socio-political contexts.

It has broad thematic coverage, including philosophy, theology, political thought, law, historiography and palaeography, as well as a regional coverage that includes the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia.

This programme suits students from different academic backgrounds and prospective personal objectives, from those interested in broadening their knowledge of Islam and the Muslim world and developing intellectual and transferable skills, to those planning to pursue further research in the field.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Islamic Intellectual History and Intensive Langauge is a programme on historical Islamic studies, offering an in-depth study of the intellectual, religious and cultural history of the Islamic world, past and present, and of wider socio-political contexts.

It has broad thematic coverage, including philosophy, theology, political thought, law, historiography and palaeography, as well as a regional coverage that includes the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia.

This programme suits students from different academic backgrounds and prospective personal objectives, from those interested in broadening their knowledge of Islam and the Muslim world and developing the intellectual, transferable and language skills, to those planning to pursue further research in the field.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA offers the students the opportunity to concentrate on the Qur'an, the Hadith and other Islamic texts, and so provides unique training in the translation of Islamic religious material. The degree is designed to benefit academics, teachers of Islam in other institutions, translators of Islamic material into English in research centres, government departments and da'wa centres. It provides excellent research training and is a useful qualification for those who wish to progress to higher postgraduate degrees.

As a postgraduate student specialising in Islamic Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Israeli Studies is an interdisciplinary degree which explores the history, culture, politics, language and music of Israel.

As a student specialising in Israeli Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.

Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in both business and the public sector. These include written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

SOAS offers the most comprehensive MA in Japanese Studies available anywhere in Europe.

Students are able to choose modules that cover all of Japan’s historical periods, from the earliest to the present and ranging over the social and political sciences as well as humanities.

The students who take this programme come from many countries and have a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Some have already studied, or lived, in Japan and wish to broaden their knowledge or understanding. Others wish to focus their previous training on the region, while still others will come from Japan or other East Asian countries wishing to study Japan from the perspective of a different culture and academic tradition.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Sophia University's Graduate Programme in Global Studies (GPGS) and the Department of Japan and Korea at SOAS University of London have launched a Dual Degree Program (DDP) which allows students to benefit from the combined resources of two of the world's leading institutions in Japanese Studies, located in two major global cities – Tokyo and London. Students making use of this possibility widen their intellectual horizons by taking classes at two of the world’s leading institutions in Japanese Studies. Supervision of student theses or graduation projects by prominent scholars at both institutions encourages multiple perspectives on Japanese Studies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme covers both pre-modern and modern literature of Japan. It includes the study of literary works written in the original languages, as well as an introduction to literary theory.

This degree is designed either as an end qualification in itself or to prepare the student for more advanced graduate work (MPhil/PhD).

Incoming students will be expected to have completed the equivalent of the first two years of undergraduate language study at SOAS in Japanese.

A postgraduate degree in MA Japanese Literature from SOAS provides students with competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, history, cinema, politics, economics or law. Graduates of this programme will develop their ability to engage with and explore relationships between indigenous aesthetics of the region and contemporary literary theories. Some graduates leave SOAS to pursue careers directly related to their study area, while others have made use of the intellectual training for involvement in analysing and solving many of the problems that contemporary societies now face. ... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This two-year full-time (or four-year part-time) programme is designed to provide intensive language training at different proficiency levels - depending on entry-level - within a Masters programme in Japanese Studies.

It allows students:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This degree is designed either to prepare the student for advanced graduate work in a wide range of subjects related to Korea or as an end/qualification in itself.

The programme explores the history, politics, art, music and literature of Korea, as well as providing opportunities to study the languages of the region.

The MA in Korean Studies consists of four components. Students choose one major course and two minor courses.

Students who plan to go on to further research can take a higher-level Korean language course as a minor.

Students take three taught courses and must also complete a 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Korean Studies (Literature Pathway) aims to:

The programme suits anyone interested in the literary cultures of Korea, as well as students of literature with no prior knowledge of Korean literature who are looking for new areas of inquiry.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This two-year full-time (or four-year part-time) programme is designed to provide Intensive Language training at different proficiency levels - depending on entry-level - within a Masters programme in Korean Studies.

It allows students:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Today, there are around 6-7,000 languages spoken in the world and it is widely agreed that at least half of those are under threat of extinction within 50 to 100 years. Language documentation is a new sub-discipline within linguistics that has emerged as a response to the growing crisis of language endangerment. It emphasises data collection methodologies, in two ways: first, in encouraging researchers to collect and record a wide range of linguistic phenomena in genuine communicative situations; and secondly, in its use of high-quality sound and video recording to make sure that the results are the best possible record of the language.

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Legal Studies allows students to create their own programme structure, choosing modules from a range covering comparative regional law, trade law, law and development, commercial law (including copyright and patent law), human rights, environmental law, Islamic law, dispute resolution, and international law.

All SOAS modules are designed not only to introduce students to the general fields of law, but also to provide an understanding of how generic legal structures and processes may operate in non-Western social and cultural settings. All teachers on modules offered at SOAS are experts in their designated field. Many have years of experience advising governments, international organisations or non-governmental organisation, and many also have been or continue to be legal practitioners.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Modern linguistics is the scientific study of all aspects of the world’s languages from their sound systems and grammatical structure through to the interaction of language with culture, the study of meaning in language, and the use of language in modern technology. Linguists try to establish what types of structures are shared by different languages and the extent to which language may differ from each other.

MA Linguistics at SOAS is a modular programme which combines the intensive study of the core areas of formal linguistics - phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics - with a choice of options in different areas of the discipline. The programme is run on a modular basis to suit the needs of the following four categories of students: ... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

This two-year programme is meant for students who wish to combine rigorous training in the discipline of linguistics, with the intensive study of one or more African or Asian languages. At the end of the programme, students will be able to embark on professional careers in language-related fields with emphasis on the region in which the language chosen for the programme is spoken. They will also be able to undertake further study, e.g. for a research degree in linguistics.

May be combined with:

The following Intensive Language pathways are available with the MA Linguistics:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme challenges the assumptions behind the media and development industries and development studies and offers new ways of thinking about the issues. The approach balances critical theoretical analysis of the hegemony implied by the ideas and practices of development with the practical issues surrounding the use of contemporary media, including notably digital technologies.

It draws on media theory, practical knowledge and experience, alongside critical debates within and about development, to challenge assumptions about the role of media and development industries. Students combine critical theoretical analysis of the role of media in development with a focus on practical issues surrounding the use of media, including digital technologies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA Medical Anthropology comprises two pathways catering for candidates with or without anthropological training. The degree is suitable for students with an intellectual interest in anthropological approaches to the study of health as well as for those who work in health care.

The programme is distinctive not only in its comparative approach and focus on health issues pertaining to the so-called Global South, but also in it being informed by clinical, STS, as well as anthropological perspectives. It provides an introduction to the practices and perspectives of medical anthropology by offering a historically contextualised analysis as well as critiques of specific assumptions in biomedical cultures.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA Medical Anthropology programme is distinctive not only in its comparative approach and focus on health issues pertaining to the so-called Global South, but also in it being informed by clinical, STS, as well as anthropological perspectives. It provides an introduction to the practices and perspectives of medical anthropology by offering a historically contextualised analysis as well as critiques of specific assumptions in biomedical cultures.

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with a country in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language courses will enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies is a broad-based degree for students who want to receive research training in Migration, and Diaspora, as well as Humanitarian and Refugee Studies, including a relevant language as part of the specialisation.

The degree prepares you to proceed to advanced postgraduate research or to work as practitioners in fields related to Migration, Refugees and Humanitarian relief.

This MA Migration and Diaspora Studies is designed for students who:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies is a broad-based degree for students who want to receive research training in Migration, and Diaspora, as well as Humanitarian and Refugee Studies, including a relevant language as part of the specialisation.

The degree prepares you to proceed to advanced postgraduate research or to work as practitioners in fields related to Migration, Refugees and Humanitarian relief.

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with a country in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language courses will enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme is perfect if you wish to pursue a career in the museum, heritage and arts sectors with a focus on non-Western art and culture, and both tangible and intangible heritage.

It will also suit practising museum and heritage professionals who are interested in strengthening their knowledge of contemporary debates in critical museology, critical heritage studies and material culture studies. With its interdisciplinary focus, it will suit students interested in broadening their expertise across anthropology, art history and archaeology. Additionally, it provides an excellent postgraduate foundation for students interested in pursuing PhD research concerned with museums, heritage, and material/visual culture in Asian, African, Middle Eastern and transnational/transcultural contexts.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This unique programme has been designed for students wishing to combine an interest in music and related cultural performance with advocacy and social development practice. Students will build critical understanding of how music’s agentive and imaginative capacities act in different contexts - e.g. human rights, forced migration, health, and environmental justice - to communicate needs and interests and to mobilize action.

Students will have the opportunity to build the programme around their specific interests by drawing on optional modules from a range of disciplines, while also developing an understanding of the musical practices of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies provides exceptional opportunities for studying this diverse and fascinating area at the postgraduate level through a variety of disciplinary approaches. The main emphasis of the programme is on the modern period through the modules in history, geography, politics, economics and anthropology. Some exposure is provided, however, to the pre-modern culture and society of the area through modules in religious studies, Islamic art and archaeology, and history. Modules based on Arabic are offered for those with adequate knowledge of the language, while modules in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish are available for those who wish to acquire or develop skills in these languages.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies provides exceptional opportunities for studying this diverse and fascinating area at the postgraduate level through a variety of disciplinary approaches. The main emphasis of the programme is on the modern period through the modules in history, geography, politics, economics and anthropology. Some exposure is provided, however, to the pre-modern culture and society of the area through modules in religious studies, Islamic art and archaeology, and history.

The Intensive language programme has many language modules for students to pick and choose from, including introduction, intermediate, advanced Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish. Students will also spend the summer taking an Advanced Study Abroad module, worth 45 credits, while also having a choice of studying two years full-time or four years part-time.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The region known as "Pacific Asia" can be defined in various ways, but the "core" countries are China, Japan, Korea and the ASEAN nations (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines). Together, they make up one of the most diverse and important regions in the world.

SOAS has more expertise in this part of the world than any other institution in Western Europe; indeed there are very few places anywhere in the world that can boast the same range of expertise.

This degree is a way of bringing together a large number of modules on Pacific Asia currently on offer in SOAS Masters programmes for Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, South East Asian Studies, and Korean Studies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Palestine Studies is a simultaneously disciplinary and interdisciplinary programme that provides students with an overview of the ways in which varying bodies of scholarship across and intra various disciplines engage and study Palestine and examines how the study of Palestine cuts across and informs scholarly, theoretical, political and disciplinary approaches. It develops an understanding of the complexities of modern and contemporary Palestine through a study of relevant material, and of the dynamics of colonisation, displacement, insecurity and security. It attends to the place of culture in representing conflict and identity politics and as a means of mediation and resistance.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Palestine Studies is a simultaneously disciplinary and interdisciplinary programme that provides students with an overview of the ways in which varying bodies of scholarship across and intra various disciplines engage and study Palestine and examines how the study of Palestine cuts across and informs scholarly, theoretical, political and disciplinary approaches. It develops an understanding of the complexities of modern and contemporary Palestine through a study of relevant material, and of the dynamics of colonisation, displacement, insecurity and security. It attends to the place of culture in representing conflict and identity politics and as a means of mediation and resistance.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Postcolonial Studies Programme offers a focus on the historical relationships of power, domination and practices of imperialism and colonialism in the modern period (late nineteenth-century to the present) through the study of literature and culture.

The core module will introduce a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to the literature, film and media of these areas. A range of literary, filmic and theoretical texts from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Near and Middle East will normally be included in the reading list. These will address representations of colonialism and decolonisation, neo-colonialism, nationalism in postcolonial societies and diasporic experiences, allowing us to explore the heterogeneous meanings, intersections and strategies of analysis that have emerged with reference to postcolonial studies.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Religion in Global Politics is designed to appeal to policy-makers, analysts, journalists and researchers in either international, national or regional institutions and organisations engaged in policy formation, inter-religious dialogue and community development, social work, development, conflict resolution, peacebuilding or diversity management. It will also provide a solid basis from which to pursue doctoral study. The programme is intended to enable professional development in the area of 'Religion and Politics' as well to provide pre-doctoral research training in social scientific analyses of 'Religion and Politics'.

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Religions of Asia and Africa is designed both as an end qualification in itself and as a platform preparing students for more advanced graduate work.

It typically suits students falling into one of the following three categories:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Religions of Asia and Africa at SOAS is the premier postgraduate curriculum in the U.K. for the study of the religions of Asia and Africa. It covers a wider range of religious traditions than most comparable programmes, whether in the U.K. or abroad: Buddhism in nearly all its doctrinal and regional varieties, Asian and African Christianities, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Taoism, Zoroastrianism as well as the local religious cultures of Asia and Africa. It is strongly interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse, offering advanced learning in the theory of religion as well as in historical, anthropological, philosophical, sociological and textual approaches to the study of particular religious traditions.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This is the only history of art and archaeology degree in Europe focused on the great religious traditions of Asia. It includes within its scope diverse countries, regions and time periods from antiquity to the present, with a particular emphasis on Buddhism in South, Central and Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, China, Korea and Japan. Hinduism, Shinto and animistic and syncretic practices are also studied. Students consider iconography, ritual, faith and pilgrimage in their multiple regional and historical guises. They study temple buildings, statues and paintings, formal, informal and popular.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in the art history and archaeology of Asia, many of whom are principally concerned with religious art. Their ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as music and religion in Asia, historically and in the present. They can also select from modules in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the religions, languages, history and cultures of Asia.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA Sinology is designed to provide training in advanced Chinese literature and documentary sources for those who already have a knowledge of Chinese (both classical and modern) to a level equivalent to that attained by the end of the 3rd year Chinese BA at SOAS.

This programme does not follow the major/minor pattern. Students must undertake a compulsory course together with two other optional courses.

Students are expected to have a degree of at least upper-second class level or equivalent and to have proved to our satisfaction that they have a competence in Chinese equivalent to at least the level reached by the end of our third year BA Chinese course. The degree is designed either as an end qualification in itself or to prepare the student for more advanced graduate work (MPhil/PhD).... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA Social Anthropology programme is designed on a modular basis offering different pathways to suit three categories of students:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA Social Anthropology of Development programme will provide you with an understanding in the ways which anthropological approaches and debates inform the study of meanings and concepts in development, its priorities, policies and practice.

It attracts students with diverse educational, employment and cultural backgrounds, and is ideal for those wishing to reflect on their experience in development and for those intending to work in international development.

You will gain knowledge of anthropology, development issues, and research methods and can choose from a wide range of optional modules to deepen your understanding of an ethnographic region, language, and/or a thematic area such as gender, health, food, migration and the media. You may choose to focus on anthropology modules or avail of the wide variety of optional modules offered across SOAS.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who wish to combine knowledge of the anthropology of development, with expertise in a regional language. It prepares students to apply their anthropological knowledge in a developing country context by achieving proficiency in a language.

Our MA Social Anthropology of Development programme will provide you with an understanding in the ways which anthropological approaches and debates inform the study of meanings and concepts in development, its priorities, policies and practice.

It attracts students with diverse educational, employment and cultural backgrounds, and is ideal for those wishing to reflect on their experience in development and for those intending to work in international development.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Our MA Social Anthropology programme is designed on a modular basis offering different pathways to suit three categories of students:

This two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who wish to combine knowledge of the anthropology of development, with expertise in a regional language. It prepares students to apply their anthropological knowledge in a developing country context by achieving proficiency in a language.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in South Asian Studies provides exceptional opportunities for advanced study of one of the world’s most diverse and important regions.

Students can choose to concentrate on pre-modern or modern South Asia and can acquire a basic knowledge of one of the area’s languages, or build upon pre-existing knowledge by taking some languages at an intermediate or advanced level.

The degree provides a wide-ranging interdisciplinary analysis of the South Asian countries – India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, with more limited coverage of Bangladesh and Bhutan. Disciplines available include Politics, Economics, Anthropology, Law, Literature, Cinema, Culture and History.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

The two-year programme is directed at students with a professional and academic interest in South Asia. It provides students with exceptional opportunities for advanced study of one of the world’s most diverse and important regions, with an opportunity for intensive training in a South Asian language (Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit) as well as studying a range of modules across the disciplines.

Knowledge of a South Asian language is not a pre-requisite for admission to this programme which is designed primarily for ab initio language study. Students with intermediate or advanced language levels are advised to contact the programme convenor before applying. If necessary, proficiency levels will be assessed.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The SOAS MA programme in Taiwan Studies is the first postgraduate degree focussing on contemporary Taiwan in the English speaking world. It provides an unrivalled programme of advanced interdisciplinary courses on Taiwan’s politics, society and culture, film, rights and law, and languages. SOAS is the world’s leading centre for the study of Taiwan. Each year its Centre of Taiwan Studies runs a very vibrant series of academic events, film screenings, concerts and conferences that are designed to create a unique environment for the study of Taiwan.

Taiwan occupies a critical geostrategic position in the Asia-Pacific Region and the development of its relationship with Mainland China, as well as the countries of North East and South East Asia is already an important shaping influence on economic and political developments throughout the region. Analysis of the development experience of contemporary Taiwan serves to highlight a unique, but a transferable model of economic growth, social transformation and political modernisation.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The thematic components and cross-regional perspectives typically suit students with the following interests and/or aspirations:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA programme in Translation combines training of practical translation skills and/or cultural mediation with the teaching of translation theories and methods. It is unique in terms of the range of Asian/African language and cultural specializations. The practical translation modules are optional, students who prefer to concentrate on cultural translation, cultural mediation, or translation theory are also welcome. The aim of the programme is to enhance students' methodological and practical skills in translation, preparing them for the professional market as (freelance) translators, other language professionals, or cultural mediators, while providing an intellectual perspective on the discipline of translation studies, which could be the foundation for further MPhil/PhD research. Students have access to a wealth of resources for the study and practice of translation available in the SOAS Library and nearby institutions such as the University of London Library, the UCL Library, the British Library, as well as the BBC World Service and many others.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme enables students to engage critically with different aspects of Turkish culture and society. The degree offers comprehensive training in the field of Turkish studies. Drawing on SOAS's wide resources in the field, the programme allows students to combine courses to build a syllabus of study according to their interests. It serves as excellent preparation for research.

As a postgraduate student specialising in Turkish Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme enables students to engage critically with different aspects of Turkish culture and society. The degree offers comprehensive training in the field of Turkish studies. Drawing on SOAS's wide resources in the field, the programme allows students to combine courses to build a syllabus of study according to their interests. It serves as excellent preparation for research.

As a postgraduate student specialising in Turkish Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The Department of Politics and International Studies offers seven linked masters programmes in politics and the international politics of Asia and Africa.

The MSc African Politics is a regional specialist MSc, aiming to provide students with a detailed specialist understanding of both domestic and international politics (and of the implications of one for the other) in Africa. At a Masters level, there is particular emphasis on seminar work.

Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write substantial papers that often require significant independent work.

Students must take 180 credits comprised of 120 taught credits (including core and option modules) and a 60 credit dissertation:... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Containing 60 per cent of the world’s population, Asia is the setting for many of the most important political issues in the world today. These issues include the rise of China and India, economic dynamism of the Asian-Pacific area, regional integration (ASEAN, SAARC, Shanghai Cooperation Organization), security hotspots (Korean Peninsula, Taiwan Straits, India-Pakistan, the ‘global war on terror’), democratic transition and consolidation, the survival of non-democratic regimes, and identity conflicts of ethnicity, religion and language.

To understand these and other political processes, this MSc programme draws upon the concepts and methods of the sub-disciplines of comparative politics (political sociology and political economy) and international relations. The evidence from Asia will also reveal the relevance and limitations of the concepts and methods derived from North American/European settings and suggest ways in which they may be modified.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This 12-month programme combines high quality postgraduate social science research training with a comprehensive study of contemporary China.

The key features of this programme are:

The MSc in Contemporary China Studies attracts students with diverse backgrounds and study/work experiences. Students may come from undergraduate degrees in various social science subjects such as Economics, Sociology, Social Policy, Geography, Politics, International Relations, Management and Anthropology. Previous undergraduate coursework on China is not a compulsory requirement for admission. Applications will be considered from those who have worked in NGOs, civil service, or similar fields. As research methodology training is a compulsory part of the core module, the programme may also serve well as a channel to a research degree in China (MPhil or PhD).... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

All the courses offered by the Department of Economics approach the subject matter from a development perspective. Students on the MSc Development Economics will complete courses on Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Econometrics and Growth and Development. In addition, students must take three optional courses and complete a dissertation in an area of applied economics.

The objectives of the programme are:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Development Studies is a dynamic field concerned with processes of change in the South - social and economic, political and cultural - and the major policy challenges they present to efforts to overcome poverty and insecurity. This programme provides a solid interdisciplinary social science formation in development theory and practice and develops students’ capacities for independent and critical analysis.

Highlights include:

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Applicants apply for the MSc Development Studies programme but can decide to follow the Central Asia Pathway upon arrival by choosing the combination of modules required for this pathway.

We welcome applications from those who have worked in a broad field of development, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, development issues in Central Asia.

Students taking the Central Asia Pathway will develop a specialist understanding of Development Studies in the context of Central Asia. Development issues in Central Asia are a major focus of NGO and international organisations that work in Central Asia. SOAS' recognised strengths in this area, including the establishment of the Centre of Contemporary Central Asia and the Caucasus, makes this a unique and exciting opportunity for those interested in Central Asia.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Applicants apply for the MSc Development Studies programme but can decide to follow the Contemporary India Pathway upon arrival by choosing the combination of modules required for this pathway.

We welcome applications from those who have worked in a broad field of development, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, development issues in Contemporary India.

Students taking the Contemporary India Pathway will develop a specialist understanding of Development Studies in the context of contemporary India. Development issues in Contemporary India are a major focus of NGO and international organisations that work in India. SOAS' recognised strengths in this area, including the establishment of the SOAS South Asia Institute, makes this a unique and exciting opportunity for those interested in Contemporary India.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

Applicants apply for the MSc Development Studies programme but can decide to follow the Palestine Pathway upon arrival by choosing the combination of modules required for this pathway (see Structure tab).

We welcome applications from those who have worked in a broad field of development, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, development issues in Palestine.

Students taking the Palestine Pathway will develop a specialist understanding of Development Studies in the context of Palestine. Development issues in Palestine are a major focus of NGO and international organisations that work in the Middle East. SOAS' recognised strengths in this area, including the establishment of the Centre for Palestine Studies, makes this a unique and exciting opportunity for those interested in Palestine.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme is distinctive in its commitment to provide training in both mainstream economics and heterodox alternative theories and methods, quantitative skills, and application to a variety of contemporary topics and global economic issues. This reflects one of our key institutional roles in leading the debates in political economy and pluralistic economics. It also places applied focus on policy engagements and their theory foundations, drawing on our strengths and expertise in those areas.

This programme will equip you with the specialist knowledge required by international employers in both the business and public sectors; as well as providing rigorous foundations for those who wish to go on to do research in economics at the PhD level.... [-]

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

This programme combines environmental concerns with development economics and political economy. It draws on the specific strengths of SOAS, namely expertise in development economics, multi-disciplinary environmental focus, and area specialisations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The MSc in Economics and Environment provides a unique specialisation in one of the most rapidly developing areas of economics. The effects of development on the environment and access to resources is one of the most challenging fields that has grown over the past decades and is now one of the key areas of study. At SOAS, we understand the environment in a broad sense and the scope of courses offered includes various areas such as natural resources, agriculture, economic development, finance, and regionally - specialised courses.... [-]