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Languages and Cultures of South Asia – (M.A.)
School of Oriental and African Studies
Faculty of Languages and Cultures
- Programme website
- University Website
- City government site
- Student experiences about the UK - STeXX.eu
| Application Deadline: | June 30 | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | ≈ € 5,641 - ≈ € 15,000 (non-EEA) | ||
| Location: | London / United Kingdom / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 12 months | Start Date: | September |
| Educational Form: |
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| Education Variants: |
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| Languages: | English | ||
Location of School of Oriental and African Studies
This degree provides a coherent combination of courses in South Asian languages and their associated literatures and cultures; it leads to an advanced level of understanding of one aspect of South Asian civilization, together with a broader appreciation of the linguistic and literary culture of the subcontinent. The ‘Directed Readings’ courses, available in several modern languages, have a flexible curriculum which allows them to accommodate the interests of individual students or groups of students. The MA will provide, inter alia, an appropriate training for students wishing to proceed to postgraduate research in South Asian studies; its focus on South Asian language, culture and literature distinguishes it from the interdisciplinary perspective of the MA in South Asian Area Studies on the one hand and the MA in Comparative Literature on the other.
Contents
Students take three taught courses, one of which is considered a major, and complete a 10,000 word dissertation related to the major.
Candidates who wish to take a language at other than introductory level will be assessed at the start of the term to determine the most appropriate level of study.
Part-time students (two years) will take two courses in the first year (normally their Minors) and the Major and dissertation in the second year; part-time students (three years) take one course per year, and their dissertation in the third year.
Choosing the Courses
Applicants are asked to specify their preferred major subject and to give an alternative, as not all courses are available every year and practical considerations such as timetabling may limit choices.
Once enrolled, students have two weeks to finalise their choice of subjects, during which time they may sample different subjects through attending lectures etc.
Students must take TWO courses from List A of which one must be the major and ONE language course from List B.
LIST A (Majors or Minors)- Literatures of South Asia (15PSAC284)
- Modern Bengal: The Evolution of Bengali Culture and Society from 1690 to the Present Day (MA) (15PSAC289) (not available 2010-11)
- Directed Readings in the Literature of a Modern South Asian Language (15PSAC016)
- Sanskrit Literature (15PSAC003)
- Sanskrit texts from the Hindu tradition (15PSAC014) (not available 2010-11)
- Sanskrit Texts on Indian Philosophy (15PSAC020) (not available 2010-11)
- South Asian Cinema and the Diaspora (half-unit) (15PSAH009) MINOR ONLY (not available 2010-11)
The following are half-courses and must be taken jointly:
- Indian Cinema: its history and social context (half-unit) (Term 1) (15PSAH001) AND
- Indian Cinema: key issues (half-unit) (Term 2) (15PSAH002) OR
- Literature and Colonialism in North India (Masters) (half-unit) (Term 1) (15PSAH005) (not available 2010-11) AND
- Narratives of Mobility in Contemporary Hindi Literature (Masters) (half-unit) (Term 2) (15PSAH006) (not available 2010-11)
LIST B (one language option as a Minor only)
- Bengali Language 1 (155900491)
- Bengali Language 2 (155900492)
- Gujarati Language 1 (155900496)
- Hindi Language 1(155900501)
- Hindi Language 2 (155901183)
- Hindi Language 3 (15PSAC297)
- Hindi Language 4 (155901384)
- Readings in Contemporary Hindi (155901185)
- Nepali Language 1 (155900535)
- Nepali Language 2 (155900609)
- Basic Pali (155900948)
- Pali: Intermediate Level (15PSRC053)
- Sanskrit Language 1 (155901303)
- Sanskrit Language 2 (155901304)
- Sinhala Language 1 (155900520)
- Sinhala Language 2 (155900521)
- Tamil language 1 (155900526)
- Urdu Language 1(155900512
- Urdu Language 2 (155900513)
- Urdu Literacy (155901247)
- Elementary Written Persian (155901053)
- Persian Language II (155900801)
- Persian Language III (155900802)
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
More informationRequirements
Applicants should have a first or good second class honours bachelors degree from a UK university, or equivalent, in a subject appropriate to that of the programme to be followed. As an approximate comparison, an equivalent BA from a US university would have a Grade Point Average of either 3.3 or 3.5 depending on the awarding university. If an applicant does not have a bachelors degree in an appropriate field s/he may be required to complete a qualifying year or a one year diploma before entering the masters programme. Relevant work experience may also be taken into consideration. Individual courses may have specific entry requirements, so you are advised to consult the postgraduate prospectus for further information.
English language requirements
In order to ensure that SOAS students have a sufficient standard of English to study effectively, we require overseas students to submit evidence, during the application process, of their current level of proficiency.
Score for Unconditional Entry
- IELTS: Overall 7+ with at least 7 in all sub scores
- TOEFL: iBT105+ with at least 25 in all sub scores
- Pearson Test of English - Academic: Score of 75 or above with at least 70 in all sub scores
Additional Requirements
| Minimal degree required: | Bachelor's degree |
| Minimal amount of work experience | Not specified |
Language Proficiency
| IELTS Band: | 7.0 |
| TOEFL Internet-based: | 105 |
Funding details
Scholarships and BursariesThere are some scholarships and bursaries available for postgraduate students. These are very competitive and early application is advised.
Loans
Another way to fund your studies is through educational loans. Some high street banks offer loans for education. The other option is a career development loan. Before taking out a loan ensure that you understand what the repayments will be and that you will be able to afford them.
Professional and Career Development LoansA Professional and Career Development Loan is a bank loan for UK students designed to help you pay for your course. Repayments start one month after you complete your course. You can borrow between £300 and £8,000. The bank will approve your loan according to your credit rating.
US Federal LoansEligible US students can apply for Stafford Federal Loans, Federal Plus and private loans to cover their tuition and maintenance costs.
The Registry Fees and Scholarship section can also certify student registration for other loans, such as Canadian educational loans.
Please contact:
- Registry Fees Section if you have any queries on educational loans or fees for degree courses.
- Noel Connaughton for fees information for occasional courses, certificates and diplomas.
- CEFIMS for fees information for distance learning courses.
Other Sources of Funding
Useful funding information can also be found at:
- Hotcourses Scholarship Search
- HERO funding information for research students
Interested? Request information!
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