MA South Asian Studies and Intensive Language

Program Overview

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The MA South Asian Studies and Intensive Language 2-year programme (or part-time, 4-year) 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 an intensive training in a South Asian language (Bengali, 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.

This MA South Asian Studies programme includes a summer of intensive language which is currently only offered in India (students must note that SOAS cannot take responsibility for obtaining visas for travel to India). Students bear the costs of travel to and from India, as well as all living expenses (including accommodation) during the period of their stay.

Students come from a wide range of backgrounds: some will have acquired an interest in South Asia during their undergraduate career or as a result of travelling in the region, while others will be keen to explore personal connections. The programme will also attract mature students: some may take the MA as a partial preparation for employment in the region; others, having lived in South Asia for a number of years, may seek to place their experience and impressions into a more structured, analytical framework.

Why study South Asia and Intensive Language at SOAS?

SOAS is ranked 1st in London and 9th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for Asian Studies.

Top 10th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for African and Middle Eastern Studies

Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

4th for research environment - with 100% of our research ranked as 'internationally excellent' and 85% as 'world-leading' - and 8th for research outputs in the REF 2021

SOAS is a specialist in the studies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia

Access comprehensive cross-regional expertise and gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of these regions in an increasingly globalised world

You will be eligible to apply for internships, available to students starting 2023/24

Program Outline

Students must take

315 credits in total

, comprised of

255 taught credits

(45 of which are taught abroad as part of a Summer School) and a

60-credit

dissertation in the selected discipline.

In their first year, students take:

30 credits of intensive language instruction in Hindi, Sanskrit or Urdu,

Plus

45 credits in the disciplines and up to 15 credits of open options .

These modules should be chosen in close consultation with the programme convenor. They also take:

Remapping Area Studies in Asia, Africa and the Middle East

(15PNMH053)

Plus

Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia

(15PSAH034)

And either

Intercultural Communication and Interaction

(15PLIH054)

Or

Language, Society and Communication (Masters)

(15PLIH004) - 15 credits

Over the summer between year 1 and 2, students study at one of our partner institutions in India (Study Abroad module - worth 45 credits), before returning to take another 30 language credits as well as 60 credits in the discipline. They also write their 10,000-word dissertation (

Dissertation in South Asian Studies

(15PSAC997) worth 60 credits).

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes.

However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

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Year 1

Taught component

All students will take language modules in Hindi, Sanskrit or Urdu to the value of 30 credits from the list below

Module	Credits
Bengali Language 1 A (PG)	15
Bengali Language 1 B (PG)	15
Bengali Language 2 (PG)	30
Hindi Language 1 A (PG)	15
Hindi Language 1 B (PG)	15
Hindi Language 2 (PG)	30
Prakrit Language 1 (PG)	30
Readings in Contemporary Hindi (PG)	30
Sanskrit Language 1 A (PG)	15
Sanskrit Language 1 B (PG)	15
Sanskrit Language 2 (PG)	30
Urdu Language 1 A (PG)	15
Urdu Language 1 B (PG)	15
Urdu Language 2 (PG)	30

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Language

[up to 30 credits as a minor only; additional language may exceptionally be taken, but only one at beginner's level]

And

And Intensive Summer abroad study worth 45 credits.

Students will take optional modules to the value of 60 from the list below (subject to availability)

Module	Credits
Persian 1 A (PG)	15
Persian 1 B (PG)	15
Middle Persian	30
Remapping Area Studies in Asia, Africa and the Middle East	15
Language, Society and Communication (Masters)	15
The Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia	30

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Anthropology (minor only)

Module	Credits
725 African and Asian Diasporas: Culture, Politics, Identities	15

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Art and Archaeology

Module	Credits
The Indian Temple	30
Arts of the Tamil Temple	15
Tibetan Buddhist Monuments in Context	15

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Cinema

Module	Credits
South Asian Cinema and the Diaspora (MA)	15

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Culture

Module	Credits
Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia	15

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Development Studies

Module	Credits
Contemporary India: development challenges and perspectives	15

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Economics

(some background in economics is a prerequisite for these modules; please contact the convenor for details)

Module	Credits
Political Economy of Development and Change in South Asia	15
Topics in the Political Economy of Contemporary South Asia	15

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History

Module	Credits
Colonial curricula: empire and education at SOAS and beyond	15
Community, Religion, and Conflict in South Asian History	15
Historical Perspectives on Gender in Asia, Africa and the Middle East	15
The Afghanistan Wars, 1979 to the Present	15

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Interdisciplinary Studies

Module	Credits
Postcolonial Theory	30

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Law

Module	Credits
Colonialism, Empire and International Law	15
Law, Religion, and the State in South Asia	30

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Literature

Module	Credits
Literatures of Resistance in South Asia (PG)	15
Classical Persian Poetry: Texts and Traditions (PG)	15
Comparative Literature: Methodology and Critique	15
Comparative Literature: A New Era	15
Classical Persian Poetry: Texts and Traditions (PG)	15
World Literature (PG)	15
Intersecting Worlds: Race and Gender in the Contemporary Postcolonial Novel	15

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Music

Module	Credits
Indian vocal music: Styles and histories	15
Sacred Sound in South Asia	15

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Politics and International Studies

Module	Credits
Democracy and Authoritarianism in India and Beyond	15
International Relations of South Asia	15
Politics of South Asia	15

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Study of Religions and Philosophies

Module	Credits
Buddhist Meditation in India and Tibet	30
Critical Concepts in Buddhist Studies	15
The Origins and Development of Yoga in Ancient India	30
The Religions of Ancient India	15
Yoga and Meditation: Perspectives, Context and Methodologies	15
Yoga and Meditation in the Jaina Tradition	15
Modern Trends in Islam	30
Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives	30

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Year 2

Taught component

Students will take optional modules to the value of 60 from the list above (subject to availability)

And

And Intensive Summer abroad study worth 45 credits.

Two-year Masters programmes consist of

315 credits in total

, comprised of 255 taught credits (45 of which are taught abroad as part of a Summer School) and a 60-credit dissertation in the selected discipline.

The 215 credits taught at SOAS are taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks); The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

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Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework and revising for examinations. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others.

At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a 1-hour lecture and a 1-hour seminar every week, but this does vary.

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Summer abroad

The programme includes a summer of intensive language which is currently only offered in India (students must note that SOAS cannot take responsibility for obtaining visas for travel to India). Students bear the costs of travel to and from India, as well as all living expenses (including accommodation) during the period of their stay.

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Learning outcome

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Knowledge

How to assess data and evidence critically from printed and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and interpretations, locate materials, use research sources (particularly research library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources.

Subject specific skills, for instance familiarity with a South Asian language and the ability to read texts in that language, or advanced study of a South Asian literature in its original language.

Aspects of South Asian history, economics, political, management and legal systems, art and archaeology, literature, visual and popular culture, anthropology and music.

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Intellectual (thinking) skills

Students should become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence.

Students should question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves

Apply language learning skills to new linguistic challenges, or to new oral or written texts.

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Subject-based practical skills

Communicate effectively in writing.

Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources.

Present seminar papers.

Participate constructively in the discussion of ideas introduced during seminars.

Work to strict deadlines.

Use and apply foreign language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

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Transferrable skills

The programme will encourage students to:

Write good essays and dissertations.

Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.

Understand unconventional ideas.

Study a variety of written and digital materials, in libraries and research institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.

Present (non – assessed) material orally.

Communicate in a foreign language.

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SOAS Library

SOAS Library

is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Graduates of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with skills in written and oral communication, analysis and problem solving.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

Africa Matters

Amnesty International

Arab British Chamber of Commerce

BBC World Service

British High Commission

Council for British Research in the Levant

Department for International Development

Edelman

Embassy of Jordan

Ernst & Young

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Google

Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

Middle East Eye

Saïd Foundation

TalkAbout Speech Therapy

The Black Curriculum

The Telegraph

United Nations Development Programme

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

Wall Street Journal

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