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

Combinations

May be combined with

• Development Studies, (TL59 BA/DVSAF)
• Economics, (TL51 BA/ECAF)
• Geography**, (TL57 BA/GEAF)
• History, (VT15 BA/HAF)
• History of Art/Archaeology, (TV53 BA/ASHAA)
• Law (TM51 BA/ASL)
• Linguistics, (TQ51 BA/AFLG)
• Management***, (TN52 BA/AFMG)
• Music, (WT35 BA/MSAF)
• Politics, (TL52 BA/POLAF)
• Social Anthropology, (TL56 BA/SAAF)
• Study of Religions (VT65 BA/SRAF)

** Taught at King’s College London
*** Taught at Birkbeck College, London

Structure

Students must take 4 course units each year. Over the three years they must take at least 5 units from one subject and at least 4 units from the other subject. The subject with the largest number of course units will be named first in the degree.

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

Students may take open option units in a joint degree as long as the required number of units for each of the named subjects is passed at the end of the degree.

Students who fail Language I are not required to continue with Language II in the second year. Students attaining 40-50% in Language I may be exempted, if they wish, from Language II after consultation with their Personal Tutor and/or the Undergraduate Tutor.

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. Note that list A includes both culture courses and language courses. Students who wish to concentrate on language may take more than one African language; please discuss with your Personal Tutor.

Degree title

If a student passes Language in Africa and 4 course units in one language then the language may optionally be named in the degree title, e.g. African Studies (Swahili) and Development Studies. This option is available for Swahili, Hausa and Somali only. One of the four courses may be an Independent Study Project in which the language is used to a large extent. Please discuss it with your Personal Tutor at the end of year 1 or the beginning of year 2 of your degree.

Year 1

Choose one

Choose one of the following courses.

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

Language Course 1

A course unit at a suitable level in an African language.

Other Subject

Take 2 units in the second subject

Year 2

Language Course 2

An African language unit following on from Language I

Optional Course

Choose a course from the list of optional courses

Other Subject

Choose 2 units from the second subject OR 1 unit from the second subject and 1 unit from the list of optional courses.

Year 3

Advanced Language

Take an advanced language course or a course from the list of options.

Optional Course

Choose a course from the list of optional courses

Other Subject

Choose 2 units from the second subject OR 1 unit from the second subject and 1 unit from the list of optional courses.

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 Studies and ...Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 39kb)

Teaching & Learning

Year abroad

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

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 student specialising in the continent of Africa, you will gain 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.  

Choosing to study a joint degree programme will increase the breadth of your knowledge, and will develop additional skills with which to further your studies of the African continent, or to make comparative study with other areas.  African Studies may be combined with a huge range of other disciplines.  For more information on the extra skills you will gain from your second subject, please see the relevant departmental page.  

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

Others have found work in:

• Education
• Government
• Media
• Publishing
• UN Agencies

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