MA South Asian Area Studies
SOAS University of London
Key Information
Campus location
London, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 - 3 year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 11,980 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* full-time fees: UK £11,980; Overseas £23,400. Part-time 2 years fees: UK £5,990/year; Overseas £11,700/year. Part-time 3 years fees: UK £3,955/year; Overseas £7,725/year
Introduction
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.
The programme attracts students from a variety of backgrounds. While some wish to broaden their previous studies or experience of South Asia, others approach the programme without having a South Asian element to their first degree, but with a desire to focus their previous training on the region.
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
Students take 180 credits, 60 of which are a dissertation and a 120 from taught modules. A maximum of 60 taught credits can be taken from one discipline and a minimum of three disciplines must be covered. For students opting to take two language acquisition modules, only one of these can be from an introductory level.
Some disciplines, such as Politics, Economics or Anthropology, require an appropriate qualification (such as part of a first degree) if any of their modules are to be taken as the major subject.
One module – whether 15 or 30 credits – must be designated as a “major” – this will designate the discipline and subject in which the dissertation will be written. The remaining taught component credit-bearing modules are designated as “minors”. All should be chosen from the list below. Modules listed as “minor only” may not be taken as a major.
*All modules are subject to availability
Dissertation
- Dissertation in South Asian Area Studies
Anthropology (minor only)
- Culture and Society of South Asia
- African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern World
Art and Archaeology
- The Indian Temple
- Arts of the Tamil Temple
Cinema
- Indian Cinema: Its History and Social Context
- Indian Cinema: Key Issues
Culture
- Culture and Conflict in Nepal
- The Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia
Economics
Some background in Economics is a prerequisite for these modules. Please contact the convenor for details.
- Political Economy of Development and Change in South Asia
- Topics in the Political Economy of Contemporary South Asia
History
- Islam in South Asia
- Environmental History of Asia
- Colonialism and Nationalism in South Asia
- Gender, law and the family in the history of modern South Asia
Language [one language option as minor only]
- Bengali Language 1 A (PG)
- Bengali Language 1 B (PG)
- Bengali Language 2 (PG)
- Hindi Language 1 A (PG)
- Hindi Language 1 B (PG)
- Hindi Language 2 (PG)
- Hindi Language 3 (PG)
- Hindi Language 4 (PG)
- Readings in Contemporary Hindi (PG)
- Nepali Language 1 A (PG)
- Nepali Language 1 B (PG)
- Nepali Language 2 (PG)
- Prakrit Language 1 (PG)
- Sanskrit Language 1 A (PG)
- Sanskrit Language 1 B (PG)
- Sanskrit Language 2 (PG)
- Punjabi Language 1 A (PG)
- Punjabi Language 1 B (PG)
- Urdu Language 1 A (PG)
- Urdu Language 1 B (PG)
- Urdu Language 2 (PG)
- Urdu Literacy A (PG)
- Urdu Literacy B (PG)
- Elementary Written Persian A (PG)
- Elementary Written Persian B (PG)
- Intensive Persian Language
- Intermediate Persian Language (PG)
- Persian 3 (PG)
- Tibetan (Classical)
- Tibetan (Classical)
Literature
- Literatures of South Asia
- Postcolonial Theory and Practice
- Theory and techniques of Comparative Literature
- Sanskrit Literature
- Directed Readings in the Literature of a Modern South Asian Language
- Sanskrit Texts from the Hindu Tradition
- Literature & Colonialism in North India (Masters)
- Narratives of Mobility in Contemporary Hindi Literature (Masters)
Law
- Law and Society in South Asia
Music
- Indian vocal music: Styles and histories
- Sacred Sound in South Asia
Politics
- Government and politics of modern South Asia
Study of Religions & Philosophies
- Imag(in)ing Buddhahood in South Asia (1)
- Imag(in)ing Buddhahood in South Asia (2)
- Religions and Development
- Issues in Religion and Media
- Buddhism in Tibet
- Buddhist Meditation in India and Tibet
- The Origins and Development of Yoga in Ancient India
Learn a language as part of this programme
Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language that sets SOAS apart from other universities.
Important notice
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.
Career Opportunities
Employment
A postgraduate degree in South Asian studies from SOAS provides its 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, literature, history, cinema, politics, economics or law.
Postgraduate students are equipped with linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research, along with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in business, public or charity sectors. 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.
An MA in South Asian Area Studies can open many doors. Those remaining in London will be able to take advantage of the numerous international bodies here, and those with specialist areas of knowledge (finance, law, art) will find relevant opportunities. Many students may choose to pursue a career in South Asia to put their skills into practice. Research degrees are also possibilities for graduates with high grades.
Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:
- Access to Justice Asia
- BBC World Service
- Cambridge Archaeological Unit
- EMMA Media
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Foremarke Exhibitions Ltd
- Harvard University
- Meyado Private Wealth Management
- Mohurgong & Gulma Tea Estates
- Momoyama Gakuin University
- Neon Tree Media
- SOAS, University of London
- University of Edinburgh
Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:
- Interpreter and Translator
- Consulting Associate
- Senior Major Gifts Officer
- Trade Commissioner
- Digital designer
- Human Resources Director
- Professor of Comparative
- Religion & Indian Studies
- Librarian Chaplain
- Senior Investment Advisor
- Script Writer and Coordinator
- Humanitarian and CSR photographer
- Professor of Musicology
- Head of Humanities
- Research Fellow
- Lecturer in South Asian History
English Language Requirements
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