Learn a Language
An interest in the peoples of Asia, Africa and the Middle East is best grounded in an integrated understanding of languages and cultures. Teaching and research at SOAS reflect this commitment and draw upon its staff’s internationally renowned expertise in a range of languages and cultures.
The School currently offers more than 50 languages for study, which makes us an international leader in language education. All languages taught from beginners level and including Arabic, Amharic, Bengali, Chinese, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Swahili, Thai, Tibetan, Urdu, Vietnamese and Zulu.
Languages for degree level study and as stand-alone courses
Our students are encouraged to incorporate study of foreign language and culture into their work at SOAS and can do so in a variety of ways as part of degree study and in the form of stand-alone courses.
The Faculty of Languages and Cultures offers a wide range of degree programmes devoted to the languages, literatures and cultures of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, as well as South East Asia, and it also teaches and conducts research in Linguistics. Students on most Masters programmes in the other SOAS Faculties, too, are able to take one language course if required. All languages at SOAS are taught ab initio, and no prior knowledge is necessary.
Alternatively, if you are not able to devote a part of your degree to language study, you can take advantage of the range of language classes taught by the School’s Language Centre, which has a teaching staff of more than 100 highly trained native speakers.
Classes include day, evening and weekend classes and intensive vacation courses at beginners, intermediate and advanced level (separate fees payable). Tailored intensive one-to-one courses are also available. The Language Centre furthermore offers three full-time certificates and diplomas in:
These diplomas and certificate courses are designed to prepare students, including those with no previous knowledge of these languages, to work and live in Arab, Chinese or Japanese-speaking environments.
For details on Language Centre courses and an application form, please visit the Language Centre website or e-mail languages@soas.ac.uk
International Students can also benefit from a range of English language-related programmes offered by the International Foundation Courses and English Language Studies (IFCELS) department at SOAS These programmes include university preparation and language improvement courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
State-of-the-art language learning facilities
Dedicated language laboratories and two open access language resource rooms are available to language students, and a recording studio provides facilities for the production of audio and video tapes. Students and staff also have access to satellite television offering about 30 channels and the School has direct lines to the overseas service of the BBC.
Specialist language teaching and research
The Faculty of Languages and Cultures is home to the joint SOAS-University College London Centre of Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of ‘Languages of the Wider World’, launched in 2005. It promotes and supports excellence in the teaching and learning of less commonly taught languages, particularly those of the Middle East, Africa, Asia and also Europe. These languages include many of growing civic and strategic importance, and it will significantly enhance their national and international profile.
Major research currently under way in the Faculty includes work on endangered languages, comparative literature and a range of other cultural and linguistic topics.
