MA History of Art and/or Archaeology at SOAS, University of London

Overview

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Minimum Entry Requirements: Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent)

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full Time or Part Time

The Department of Art and Archaeology at SOAS provides a uniquely broad range of courses in the history of art, architecture and material culture of Africa and Asia, from their origins to modern times. The regions covered include China, Japan, Korea, the Islamic world, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa (including the African Diaspora). Our aim is to enable students to investigate the cultures of this immensely diverse area, while giving them the opportunity to specialise in fields of their choice.

Students tailor the degree to suit their own interests by selecting three taught courses from a list of twelve or more (the number and content of the courses which are available vary slightly from year to year). The title of the degree reflects the fact that some of the courses deal with painting, sculpture, architecture or the decorative arts - the conventional subject-matter of the History of Art - while others, in both subject-matter and approach, are courses in Archaeology. Obviously there is some overlap, and this conventional separation of disciplines has less relevance in the study of Asia and Africa; but it should be stressed that students make their own choices about whether the emphasis lies on the History of Art or on Archaeology.

In addition to the three taught courses, the fourth component of the degree is a 10,000 word dissertation. Students undertake independent research on a topic of their own choosing, generally related to the area of one of their taught courses, and supervised by a member of the department.

The MA has two main purposes. First, it can be used as a training programme for those who hope to go on to higher independent research (for a PhD), especially if their BA background lies in another field (such as the History of Western Art, or Asian/African area/language studies). For such students, the MA provides the necessary grounding in the material and techniques in the study of Asian and African art or archaeology. Secondly, for those who already have some background in this field, it provides an opportunity to broaden or deepen their knowledge at a higher level.

Entry requirements

The normal qualification for admission to the MA programme is an upper second class honours degree. Other qualifications, however, may be acceptable and the Department welcomes mature students. Students taking the MA degree may or may not have previous experience of our subjects. While knowledge of a relevant Asian or African language is not a requirement, for some courses it is an advantage for admission (see individual course descriptions for details). It is possible to include an element of language training within the MA programme by taking an Asian or African language as one of the two ‘minor’ courses. This option may be particularly desirable for those intending to progress to the PhD, who do not already have the necessary language skills.

Teaching

Classes are normally two hours per week for each course. Teaching methods include lectures with discussion, seminars (at which students’ present papers) and museum visits. Students at all levels are expected to take an active part in class presentation. A particularly important element is the training of the student's visual memory.

Assessment

For each of the three taught courses, the student will be expected to submit two or three pieces of written work usually around 3,000 to 4,500 words – for a total of 9,000 words per course. The emphasis is thus on developing essay skills during the session in preparation for the dissertation. In some courses the assessment is 100% on written work. On other courses, assessed course work forms 75% of the student’s final grade; an additional 25% is in some cases determined by slide quizzes, projects, or other forms of assessment (correct information will be distributed to students during the first few weeks of teaching). The 10,000 word dissertation must be submitted no later than 15 September.

Part-time study

Students may, under certain circumstances, be allowed to study for the MA on a part-time basis. The MA can be taken over two years, in which case the student takes two taught courses in the first year, and one taught course and the dissertation in the second. Alternatively, it can be taken over three years, in which case the student takes one taught course in each year. The dissertation can be written in any year, but it is strongly recommended that this be undertaken in the final year of the programme. It must be submitted by 15 September of the year in which the student registers for it.

Email: crispin.branfoot@soas.ac.uk

Phone: 020 7898 4450

Structure

Structure Detail

The following is a complete list of courses in the programme, not all of which are offered in any single year. Please note that some courses may be taught in other departments of the School.

Near & Middle East

Arab Painting - 15PARH054 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Art and Architecture of Egypt and Syria 13th to 16th Centuries - 15PARC033 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Art and Architecture of the Fatimids - 15PARH035 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Islam and the West: Artistic and Cultural Contacts - 15PARH034 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
Ottoman Architecture in Istanbul: 15th-19th Century - 15PARH045 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Ottoman Art - 15PARC011 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
Persian Painting - 15PARH053 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
Studies in Early Islamic Art and Archaeology - 15PARC001 (1 Unit) - Full Year

South and South East Asia

Arts of contemporary and modern Southeast Asia - 15PARH050 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Art of monumental Southeast Asia - 15PARH049 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Esoteric Buddhist Art of Asia - 15PARHO57 (0.5 Unit)
The Indian Temple - 15PARC034 (1 Unit) - Full Year

East Asia

Ancient Chinese Civilisation - 15PARC026 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Art and Archaeology of the Silk Road - 15PARC032 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Arts of Koryo and Chosen Korea - 15PARH059 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Ceramics in Chinese Culture: 10th - 18th Centuries - 15PARH046 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Japanese Ceramics Past and Present - 15PARH047 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
Modern and Contemporary Korean Art - 15PARH060 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Painting and Visual Culture in China - 15PARC043 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
Popular Practice in the Edo Period Arts - 15PARH008 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Sacred Art and Architecture of Ancient Korea - 15PARH056 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
Shogunal Iconography in the Edo Period - 15PARH007 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Visual Arts of Dynastic China (to 1800) - 15PARH051 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

Minor Options in Other Departments

Anthropology

Culture and Society of China - 15PANC089 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of East Africa - 15PANC084 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of Japan - 15PANC086 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of South Asia - 15PANC087 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of South East Asia - 15PANC088 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of West Africa - 15PANC083 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of the Near & Middle East - 15PANC097 (1 Unit) - Full Year

History

Origins and Development of Islam in the Middle East: Problems and Perspectives - 15PHIC040 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Islam in South Asia - 15PHIC042 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Study of Religions

Readings in Japanese religion - 15PSRH041 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013

Music

Indian Classical Music - 15PMUC027 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
Music in South Asian Culture (Masters) - 15PMUC005 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Pop and Politics in East Asia (Masters) - 15PMUH014 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Music of the Near and Middle East and North Africa - 15PMUC033 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2012/2013 (pdf; 114kb)

Teaching & Learning

Lectures and Seminars

Teaching consists of a combination of lectures and seminars. Classes are normally between two and three hours per week for each course. Teaching methods include lectures with discussion, seminars and museum visits.

Students at all levels are expected to take an active part in class presentation. A particularly important element is the training of the student's visual memory.

In addition to their studies on the MA programme, students at SOAS are able to participate in a wide range of research seminars, lectures and conferences that regularly take place in the School and in the University of London.

Dissertation

The 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic linked with one of the taught courses.

Learning Resources

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 Masters in the History of Art and/or Archaeology from SOAS equips students with linguistic and cultural expertise, enabling them to continue in the field of research or to seek professional roles. Art and Archaeology postgraduates very often continue to work in arts, culture and heritage roles and also forge careers in a wide range of fields across the world, including international development, diplomacy, banking and finance, language services, the legal sector, education and policy research. They leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek including research skills; written and oral communication skills; visual awareness; and specialist subject knowledge of Asian and African art. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

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

Asia House
Bonhams
British Museum
Christie's Hong Kong
Design Museum
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum
Hong Kong Museum Of Art
India Foundation For The Arts
Museum of East Asian Art
National Gallery

National Museum of Singapore
People Projects Culture & Change
Schoeni Art Gallery
Sotheby's
Taiwan Embassy
The Alliance for Global Education
The British Embassy
The Chester Beatty Library
The National Museum Of Korea
The Royal Collection

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

Manager of Communications
Culture Programme Coordinator
Research Assistant
Social Anthropology Lecturer
Specialist - Indian Art
Architect
Art Historian
Development Specialist
Archivist
Gallery Director

Innovation Programmes Learning Manager
Creative Director
Organisational Consultant
Travel writer
Art Collector
Chinese Painting Specialist
Professor of Silk Road History
Rights and Reproductions Officer
Public Education Coordinator
Senior Curator of Photographs

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

How to apply

Scholarships

For further information visit the Scholarships section

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

Department of the History of Art and Archaeology