SOAS University of London - Master's Degree

SOAS University of London is the only Higher Education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. This means that SOAS scholars grapple with the pressing issues of these regions, concerning democracy, development, human rights, identity, legal systems, poverty, religion and social change; more importantly however they serve as guardians of a specialised knowledge in languages, periods and regions not available anywhere else in the UK.

School Description

SOAS is the major national centre for the study of programs concerned with Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The University currently offers over 350 undergraduate degree combinations in social sciences, arts, humanities and languages, all with a distinctive regional focus and global relevance. It also has over 115 postgraduate programs taught on campus; as well as a wide range of degrees, certificates and diplomas taught by distance learning. SOAS offers an unparalleled range of non-European languages, all of which may be studied without prior knowledge. The University also has one of the highest proportions of international students in the world – 5,000 students from over 130 countries – currently at over 50%. SOAS was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2009 for the excellence, breadth and depth of its language teaching.

Master Programs

  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Anthropology

    GBP 17,490 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Arabic

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the Arabic language. Includes instruction in philology; Classical Arabic; Modern Standard Arabic; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Art History

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the study of the historical development of art as social and intellectual phenomenon, the analysis of works of art, and art conservation. Includes instruction in the theory of art, art history research methods, connoisseurship, the preservation and conservation of works of art, and the study of specific periods, cultures, styles, and themes.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Chinese

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of present-day China and its historical predecessors, related borderlands and island groups, and the overseas Chinese diaspora.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Cultural Studies

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    An interdisciplinary program that focuses on the analysis and critique of culture in its varied forms, including values, ideas, belief systems, and expressive acts, and the relationship between cultural forms, everyday life, and structures of power. Includes instruction in anthropology, communications, history, literary studies, philosophy, political economy, and sociology, as well as recent theories and methodologies such as semiotics, deconstruction, postcolonial studies, gender theory, and ethnography.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Economics

    GBP 17,895 Tuition Fee

    A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Finance

    GBP 18,000 Tuition Fee

    An integrated or combined program in accounting and finance that prepares individuals to function as accountants and financial managers or analysts.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Gender Studies

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    Instructional programs that focus on the defined areas, regions, and countries of the world; defined minority groups within and across societies; and issues relevant to collective gender and group experience.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    History

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    Instructional programs that focus on the study and interpretation of past events, institutions, issues, and cultures.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    International Relations

    GBP 19,290 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the systematic study of international politics and institutions, and the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy. Includes instruction in international relations theory, foreign policy analysis, international law and organization, the comparative study of specific countries and regions, and the theory and practice of diplomacy.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Journalism

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the theory and practice of gathering, processing, and delivering news and that prepares individuals to be professional print journalists, news editors, and news managers. Includes instruction in news writing and editing; reporting; photojournalism; layout and graphic design; journalism law and policy; professional standards and ethics; research methods; and journalism history and criticism.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Languages

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on language, language development, and relationships among languages and language groups from a humanistic and/or scientific perspective. Includes instruction in subjects such as psycholinguistics, behavioral linguistics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, mathematical and computational linguistics, grammatical theory and theoretical linguistics, philosophical linguistics, philology and historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, phonetics, phonemics, dialectology, semantics, functional grammar and linguistics, language typology, lexicography, morphology and syntax, orthography, stylistics, structuralism, rhetoric, and applications to artificial intelligence.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Law

    GBP 18,550 Tuition Fee

    A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of law, for taking state and national bar examinations, and for advanced research in jurisprudence. Includes instruction in the theory and practice of the legal system, including the statutory, administrative, and judicial components of civil and criminal law.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Management

    GBP 18,000 Tuition Fee

    A program that provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to adapt in a rapidly changing, dynamic, and competitive global marketplace

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Media Studies

    GBP 17,490 Tuition Fee

    Instructional programs that focus on how messages in various media are produced, used, and interpreted within and across different contexts, channels, and cultures, and that prepare individuals to apply communication knowledge and skills professionally.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Music Education

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Political Science

    GBP 17,895 Tuition Fee

    A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies of specific political institutions and processes.

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  • London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

    Religion

    GBP 17,215 Tuition Fee

    A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior.

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Rankings

  • Complete University Guide (UK)
    Complete University Guide (UK) 46
  • QS Rankings (Global)
    QS Rankings (Global) 296
  • SchoolApply Ranking
    SchoolApply Ranking 178
  • The Guardian
    The Guardian 58

Admission Requirements

  • Minimum GPA 3.30
  • Minimum incoming TOEFL 100
  • Minimum incoming IELTS 6.50

Accreditations

    School Locations

    Other Information

    Established in 1916

    Other

    The SOAS Library – recently refurbished and designed by the architect Sir Denys Lasdun – attracts scholars from all around the world, as it houses over 1.5 million items, and has extensive electronic resources for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

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        The Location

        London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

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          • Testimony
            1968-1969, M.A., Area Studies (Africa)

            I attended SOAS back in the day - 1968-9, focusing on the development of political unity among African countries. The professors were remarkable tutors who shared their expertise through encouraging debate. My time there proved to be an excellent foundation for what turned out to be a successful career in diplomacy. Bonus! I met my future husband in the lounge.

          • Testimony
            2002-2003, MSc, International Politics

            For me, SOAS was very much like an "incubator" - not only preparing me from an academic sense for the endeavours that lay ahead, but also in terms of the relationships it helped me create, which subsequently had a significant impacted on my intellectual and professional development. There is no place like it!

          • Testimony
            2010-2011, Master, Anthropology of Media

            My MA at SOAS was one of the best experiences in my life: a warm environment, an amazing library and a community of professor, researchers and students that helped me to challenge my beliefs, ideas and knowledge to always try to bring my mind to the next level. An intense experience and a brilliant academic environment. The methodology of research that I learnt at SOAS is part of my daily approach to any professional job I have to undertake.

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