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

Combinations

May be combined with

Structure

The structure and contents of courses reflect the importance given to conceptual and methodological clarity, and to the independent interests of students. Particular importance is given to the training of student’s visual memory through the study of visual images.

One purpose of the introductory year is to provide a basis for the student's selection of courses in the second and third years. In the first year, students must take three compulsory first year Art and Archaeology course units, including four half-unit courses introducing the arts of Asia and Africa, and a core course unit introducing theoretical issues about how and why art and archaeology are studied and discussed. In addition, students must take a fourth ‘open option’ course unit in another department.

In the first year, students are normally required to take courses to the value of four course units as follows:

• Introduction to the art and archaeology of Africa
• Introduction to the art and archaeology of the Near and Middle East
• Introduction to the art and archaeology of South and South East Asia
• Introduction to the art and archaeology of East Asia
• Theory and Method in the study of Asian and African art
• A fourth ‘open option’ course unit
  
(students are required to choose a fourth course unit from another department).

Further details of all courses are set out in the pages that follow.

Students who wish to take the BA History of Art and Archaeology must in their second and third years accumulate at least four units from the courses designated as having
archaeological content (selected from the list of second and year courses listed below). Other courses can be selected from the History of Art programme.

Any student who passes at least four units from the courses designated as having archaeological content will automatically be placed in the History of Art and Archaeology programme, while those who do not will be placed in the History of Art programme.

The selection of units in the third year is normally intended to develop the chosen specialisations of the second year. In addition, all third year students are encouraged to either write a 10,000 word essay (on a subject of their choice) or to take the ‘Selected Sites in Asia and Africa’ unit. Each counts as one unit.

Year 1

• Theory and Method in the Study of Asian and African Art - 154900104 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Introduction to the Art and Archaeology of Africa - 154900155 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Introduction to the Art and Archaeology of East Asia - 154900163 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Introduction to the Art and Archaeology of South and Southeast Asia - 154900156 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Introduction to the Art and Archaeology of the Near and Middle East - 154900101 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Years 2 and 3

• African Art I: Context and Representation - 154900105 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• African Art III: the Art and Architecture of North Eastern Africa - 154900132 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• Angkor and Khmer Art in Southeast Asia - 154900146 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Architecture of Tibet & the Himalayas - 154900165 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Archaeology of Early Imperial China - 154900142 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Art & Archaeology Essay On An Approved Topic - 151900031 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Art and Archaeology of Ancient China - 154900143 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Art and Culture in Modern China - 154900141 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Art and Empire in Early Modern South India - 154900153 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Art and Ritual in Buddhist South Asia - 154900147 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Arts of the Buddha in Southeast Asia - 154900148 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Arts of Tibet - 154900164 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Buddhist Arts of Korea - 154900158 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2013/2014
• Contemporary Korean Arts in East Asia - 154900150 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Global Cultures of Chinese Ceramics - 154900170 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Independent Study Project in Archaeology - 154900169 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Court arts in Mughal and Rajput North India - 154900171 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Independent study project in History of Art - 154900123 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Islamic Architecture - 154900107 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Islamic Painting - 154900009 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2013/2014
• Japanese Art - 154900110 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Royal Arts of Korea - 154900152 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• The Sources of Islamic Art and Architecture - 154900108 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Programme Specification

• Programme Specification 2012/2013 (pdf; 30kb)

Teaching & Learning

Materials

Students have access to an unrivalled range of art-historical and archaeological resources:

• SOAS Library
  
• The Courtauld Institute
  
• The Institute of Archaeology
  
• The History of Art Department at University College London
  
• The Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art
  
• The British Museum

Teaching & Learning

All 1st year course units involve a weekly lecture and tutorial; in the 2nd and 3rd year, where student numbers may be lower, a seminar may replace the lecture.

For most course units, assessment involves course work and an unseen examination.

In the 1st year, course work entails short, concentrated pieces of work; in the 2nd and 3rd years, course work emphasis shifts to longer papers.

In the final year, students are normally required to complete an independent study project on a subject of their choice.

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

A degree from the department of History of Art & Archaeology provides students with a number of transferrable skills that can be applied to other types of professions.  These include: research skills; written and oral communication skills; visual awareness; and specialist subject knowledge of Asian and African art.  Former History of Art & Archaeology students have gone on to employment in a range of professional roles in business and public sectors, as well as continuing in the field of research either at SOAS or other institutions.

Careers include employment in museums, galleries, conservation organisations, commercial galleries, auction houses and art journalism. Other areas include the heritage industry, specialist travel companies, NGOs with cultural programmes such as UNESCO, UNOP, ICOMOS and the World Monuments Fund.

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