SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Structure

The two major languages available for this degree are Hausa and Swahili, other languages may be taken as part of the degree (see List of Optional Courses). Students must take 4 course units each year according to the syllabus.

Students must pass at least three course units in order to proceed to the following year, including any core courses.

Students must take a course for the year for which it is intended. Occasionally exceptions can be made in consultation with the Undergraduate Tutor and the approval of the Associate Dean.

Year 1

Core Course

An African Language 1. This course must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Compulsory Courses

• Culture in Africa - 155900838 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Language in Africa - 155900867 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Open Option

Choose one first year open option course.

Year 2

Core Course

African Language IIA. This course must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Language Course

African Language IIB.

Optional Course

Choose one course from the list of optional courses.

Open Option

Choose a course from the list of optional courses or an open option.

Year 3: Year abroad

Please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details.

Year 4

Language Course

Language course unit in the main language.

Optional Courses

Choose 2 courses from the list of optional courses.

Open Option

Choose a course from the list of optional courses or an open option.

List of Optional Courses

Before selecting a course, student's must first check that the course is at the correct level. They must also ensure that they meet any pre-requisites.

• Contemporary African literature - 155900839 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• History in African and Caribbean literature - 155901013 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• African language literatures (oral and written) - 155900677 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Representations and transformations: South African drama and film - 155901165 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• The structure of Bantu languages - 155901257 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Theory and practice of Swahili translation - 155901259 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Religions of Africa - 158000119 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Religion in Africa - 155901151 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Extended essay in African studies (a) - 155900762 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Extended essay in African studies (b) - 155901188 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Independent study project in African studies - 155900763 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Directed study of an African language - 155900934 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Black urban studies - 151230001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Introduction to Pan-Africanism - 151230002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Music in Africa - 155800022 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• The World of Cuban Music - 155800058 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Music in the Mande Cultural World - 155800056 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• African Art I: Context and Representation - 154900105 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• African Art II: West Africa & the Atlantic World; History, Historiography and the Visual Arts. - 154900124 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• African Art III: the Art and Architecture of North Eastern Africa - 154900132 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• Africans in the Americas: Identities and Representation - 154900166 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Amharic 1 - 155900832 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Amharic 2 - 155900378 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Hausa 1 - 155900834 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Hausa 2(a) intermediate - 155900324 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Hausa 2(b) survey of hausa literature - 155900818 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Hausa 3(a) advanced - 155900327 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Hausa 3 (b) selected texts - 155900603 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• Somali 1 - 155900831 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Somali 2 - 155900811 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Advanced somali:formal usage - 155901291 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• Advanced somali: literature and culture - 155901292 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• Swahili 1 - 155900985 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Swahili 2a intermediate - 155900986 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Swahili 2b - introduction to Swahili literature - 155900987 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Swahili 3 - 155900635 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Swahili 4 - 155900636 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Theory and practice of Swahili translation - 155901259 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Yoruba 1 - 155900833 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Yoruba 2 - 155900935 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Zulu 1 - 155900840 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Zulu 2 - 155900851 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Programme Specification

• BA African Language and Culture - 2012/13 Programme Specifications (pdf; 48kb)

Teaching & Learning

Year abroad

Please note that at present the year abroad is under review and it may be the case that for students entering the African Language and Culture degree to study Hausa will spend the third year in London.

Students taking Swahili spend the third year studying in East Africa. Students must have passed Swahili IIA and Swahili IIB in order to proceed to the year abroad. They attend the Institute of Swahili and Foreign Languages (TAKILUKI), Zanzibar State University, Tanzania where they take Advanced Swahili Usage and Kiswahili Novel and then the Research Institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa (RISSEA) in Lamu, Kenya where they take Culture and Society and Kiswahili Drama.

Teaching & Learning

Teaching is normally provided by lecture or seminar and students are required to attend such classes. Most courses involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

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.

Destinations

As a graduate who specialised in the continent of Africa, you will have gained 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 and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of Africa. Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in both business and the public sector. 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.

Students from the Africa department have found work in a variety of professions including education, media and publishing.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website.

How to apply

How to apply

• How to Apply
• UCAS website
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts

Scholarships

For further information visit the Scholarships section