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BA Korean and ...

Duration: 4 years

Overview

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2013 Entry Requirements

  • A Levels: AAB
  • A Level language preferred
  • IB: 36 (6/6/6)
  • BTEC: DDM
  • Access to HE: Minimum of 30 Level 3 Credits at Distinction
  • Scottish Highers: AAABB
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: AAB
  • Irish LC: 340 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
  • Advanced Placement: 4 4 5 (Two semesters - UCAS Group A) plus US HSGD with GPA 3.0
  • Euro Bacc: 80%
  • French Bacc: 14/20
  • German Abitur: 2.0
  • Italy DES: 80/100
  • Austria Mat: 2.0
  • Polish Mat: 75%

Minimum Entry Requirements: No prior knowledge of the language or the region is required.

Subjects Preferred: A foreign language at A level, or equivalent, is preferred

Interview Policy: In principle all mature students, candidates with ‘non-standard’ qualifications, Korean nationals, and 'heritage speakers' (i.e., Koreans raised abroad) are invited for interview.

In recent years Korean studies has developed into a viable and multi-faceted scholarly discipline. SOAS is committed to ensuring that, as the major centre for African and Asian studies in the UK, it provides an environment in which the full range of Korean studies can be consolidated and encouraged to expand further.

Degree Profile

The combined honours degree in Korean is designed to provide a comprehensive overview and understanding of Korea and Korean culture by combining instruction in language, literature, and history. At the completion of their studies, students should have a high level of competency in both spoken and written forms of Korean. In addition to thorough training in the language, the degree aims to impart to its students knowledge of Korean traditions and modern Korean society.

The degree offers a wide range of courses that include language modules (including mixed script Korean, composition, conversation, and translation), literature, pre-modern history, and modern culture and society. Students also have access to other Korea-related courses offered in other departments including art history and music.

Korean can be combined with:

  • Chinese*
  • Development Studies
  • Economics
  • Geography (with King's College)
  • History
  • History of Art/Archaeology
  • Indonesian
  • Japanese*
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management (with Birkbeck College)
  • Music
  • Politics
  • Social Anthropology
  • Study of Religions.

 *Korean may be studied only as a minor subject with BA Chinese or BA Japanese.

Key Information Set Data

The information for BA, BSc, or LLB programmes refer to data taken from the single subject degrees offered at SOAS; however, due to the unique nature of our programmes many subjects have a separate set of data when they are studied alongside another discipline.  In order to get a full picture of their chosen subject(s) applicants are advised to look at both sets of information where these occur.

Combinations

May be combined with

• Chinese, TTC4 BA/KOCH
• Development Studies, TL49 BA/KODVS
• Economics, LTCL BA/KOEC
• Geography **, LT7L BA/KOGE
• History, TVL1 BA/KOH
• History of Art/Archaeology, VT34 BA/HAAK
• Indonesian, TT34 BA/KOI
• Japanese, TTG4 BA/KOJ
• Law, MTDL BA/LWKO
• Linguistics, QTCJ BA/KOLG
• Music, TWLJ BA/MSKO
• Politics, LTFL BA/POLKO
• Social Anthropology, LTPL BA/SAKO
• Study of Religions TVLP BA/SRKO

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

Structure

Learn a language as part of this programme

Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.

In the first year, students concentrate on language study complemented by introductory courses on Korean history and culture. They are required to spend their second year at Korea University in Seoul, where they focus on intensive language training which is essential to any further study of the subject. The third and fourth years are devoted to applying and furthering their language skills through courses that involve reading and analysing advanced texts and literary works, through which they gain a deeper understanding of Korean culture and society.

Students need to take a minimum of 8 units in Korean, and 5 units in their other subjects.

Two-subject Degree Students (BA Korean and ...)

(For information on the Korean degree structure for BA Chinese & Korean or BA Japanese & Korean, please see attached document).

Students must take a total of four units each year

1st Year
Core Course
Compulsory Courses
1 Other Unit

Choose 1 unit in the other degree subject

2nd Year- Year Abroad

For more information on the year abroad in Korea, please see the Teaching & Learning tab.

3rd and 4th Year- For students who enrolled in 2010/2011 or before

Choose one or two Korean units from the following list. The remaining units are from the other subject.

3rd Year- For students who enrol in 2011/12 or later
Language Course

Choose at least one unit of Korean language courses from the list below.

Other Subject

The remaining units are taken in the other subject if required. Students may also choose to take Korean courses from the list of Korean Optional Courses, or up to 1 Open Option unit as long as this fits in with the other half of their degree.

4th Year -For students who enrol in 2011/12 or later
Language Course

Choose at least one unit of Korean language courses from the list below.

Other Subject

The remaining units are taken in the other subject if required. Students may also choose to take Korean courses from the list of Korean Optional Courses, or up to 1 Open Option unit as long as this fits in with the other half of their degree.

Korean Optional Courses
These courses are available to year 3 and year 4 students
Courses taught in other Departments, which count as Korean units

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.

Programme Specification

Teaching & Learning

Year abroad

Compulsory Language Year Abroad in Korea

Students will be required to enrol in the Korean Regular Course each term for three terms (Fall, Winter, and Spring quarter sessions), fulfil coursework requirements and sit the local examinations at Korea University. Students will also be required to write and submit a Year Abroad Project (an essay of approximately 5,000~10,000 words) upon their return, but no later than 1 September. The project can be on any topic related to Korea, and students can consult different subject tutors for reading suggestions and advice if so required.

(NB: BA Chinese/Japanese and Korean students spend their year abroad in China and Japan respectively, not in Korea.)

Teaching & Learning

Department Teaching Quality Assessment Score: 23/24
Research Assessment Exercise Score: 5

Most units are taught in small classes. Modern language teaching involves classroom work and independent study. A few non-language units are taught by formal lecture. The single and combined degree courses are examined through oral and written examinations and coursework or reports.

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 graduate who specialised in Korean, you will have gained competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a study of language in combination with literature, development studies, economics, geography, history, history of art and archaeology, law, linguistics, music, politics, social anthropology or religion.

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, both in business and in 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 region, or to make comparative study with other areas. The study of Korean 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.

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

How to apply

How to apply
Scholarships

For further information visit the Scholarships section

Undergraduate Research Awards

Application Deadline: 2013-04-26 00:00

A Student's Perspective

Studying Japanese and Korean at SOAS has been an excellent experience for me. Apart from learning about the languages, I have also had great opportunities to study a wide range of topics in the fields of Japanese and Korean literacy, history and society.

Alice Yuen