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

Combinations

May be combined with

Structure

The syllabus of the combined-honours degrees varies according to combination. Usually the first two years aim to divide students' time equally between Turkish and the second subject. Depending on location, the year abroad tips the balance in favour of Turkish or the second subject. There is some freedom to redress any imbalance in the fourth year. (For the syllabus in Turkish and Modern Greek Studies, click here.)

NB: The structure for this course has changed for new students who enrolled in (or after) the 2011/12 academic year. Students who enrolled in 2010/11 or earlier, please use the structure directly below. Students who enrol in 2011/12 or later, please use the structure set out at the bottom of this page.

Structure for students who enrolled in 2010/11 or before

Year 1

A typical syllabus

• Year 1: Intensive Turkish language (*core course, 2 units)
• Two units in the second subject

* Core course signifies a course that must be passed before progressing to the following year of study

Year 2

• Intermediate Modern Turkish language(*core course)
• Ottoman Turkish language OR Nation and Nationalism in Middle Eastern Fiction (in translation) OR Twentieth Century Turkish Literature 1
• Two units in the second subject

* Core course signifies a course that must be passed before progressing to the following year of study

Year 3

If there is room for a year abroad and Istanbul is chosen, two semesters are spent at the Boghazici University. There students are expected to attend a minimum of four courses each semester and are required to sit the local examinations. On their return, and no later than September 1, they must in addition submit a project, normally an essay of approximately 10,000 words. The topic of the project is decided in consultation with the subject tutors.

Year 4

• Two appropriate units from the list of options (Lists A, B, B2, B3 and C)
• Two units in the second subject

One of these four units can be replaced with an approved unit in a third subject ("open option")

Structure for students who enrolled in 2011/12 or after

Year 1

Core Course

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

• Intensive Turkish Language - 155901194 (2 Unit) - Full Year

Other Subject

Students take 2 units in their second subject.

Year 2

Core Course

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

• Intermediate Modern Turkish Language - 155900547 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Choose one of the following

• Ottoman Turkish Language - 155900549 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• 20th Century Turkish Literature 1 - 155900745 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Nation and Nationalism in Middle Eastern fiction (in Translation) - 155901380 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Other Subject

Students take 2 units in their second subject.

Year 3: Year Abroad

If there is room for a year abroad and Istanbul is chosen, two semesters are spent at the Boghazici University. There students are expected to attend a minimum of four courses each semester and are required to sit the local examinations. On their return, and no later than September 1, they must in addition submit a project, normally an essay of approximately 10,000 words. The topic of the project is decided in consultation with the subject tutors.

Year 4

Compulsory Course

• Advanced Turkish/English/Turkish Translation - 155900913 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Optional Course

A course from List A, B2, B3, or C. Alternatively, students may take a course in their second subject if they spent their 3rd year in Turkey.

Other Subject

Students take 2 units in their second subject.

List A: Turkish courses

• Ottoman Turkish Language - 155900549 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Turkish Literature Of The Tanzimat And Later 19th Century - 155900552 (1 unit Unit) - Not Running 2012/13
• 20th Century Turkish Literature 1 - 155900745 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• 20th Century Turkish Literature 2 - 155900746 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Classical Ottoman Literature - 155900744 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• The History and Development of the Turkish Language - 155900992 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Independent Study Project (Turkish Literature) - 155901052 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Extended Essay in Turkish Studies a - 155901340 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Extended Essay in Turkish Studies b - 155901341 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

List B1: Introductory courses in Turkish and Middle Eastern-related 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.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East

• Introduction to Arabic Culture - 155901205 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of History

• H130 Introduction to the History of the Near and Middle East - 154800230 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of the Study of Religions

• Introduction to Islam - 157400020 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Religions of East and Central Asia - 158000100 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Department of the History of Art and Archaeology

• Introduction to the Art and Archaeology of the Near and Middle East - 154900101 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Department of Politics and International Studies

• States, people, and power in Asia and Africa - 153400056 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Comparative and international politics - 153400063 (1 Unit) - Full Year

List B2: Intermediate courses in Turkish and Middle Eastern-related courses

Some courses require successful attendance of a relevant introductory course; students are advised to check the relevant course descriptions for prerequisites and consult the relevant course tutor before selecting units.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East

• The Muslim World: Unity in Diversity - 155901258 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Classical Persian Prose Texts - 155900334 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Classical Persian Poetry - 155901372 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of History

• H248 The Making of the Modern Middle East - 154800227 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H241 The Middle East in the Period of the Crusades, 1050-1291 - 154800254 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H247 Turks, Mongols and Mamluks 1054-1500 - 154800222 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of the Study of Religions

• Eastern Christianity - 158000132 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Orthodox Christianity - 158000131 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Messianic Movements in Islamic History - 158000149 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East - 158000163 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity - 158000147 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Islam in Britain - 158000169 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of the History of Art and Archaeology

• Islamic Architecture - 154900107 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• The Sources of Islamic Art and Architecture - 154900108 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• The Decorative Arts of Islam - 154900109 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Art and Material Culture of the Islamic World: 7th to 14th Centuries - 154900138 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Mosaics, Manuscripts, and Wall Painting in Islamic Art - 154900134 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013

Department of Music

• Music of the Middle East and North Africa - 155800068 (1 Unit) - Full Year

School of Law

• Islamic law - 155200037 (1 Unit) - Full Year

List B3: Advanced courses in Middle Eastern history, politics and economics

Some courses require successful attendance of a relevant introductory course; students are advised to check the relevant course descriptions for prerequisites and consult the relevant course tutor before selecting units.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East

• Politics and Aesthetics in Modern Arabic Literature - 155901382 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Reading Classical Arabic historians - 155901334 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Arabic Cinema (1) - 155901208 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Arabic Cinema (2) - 155901209 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Modern Persian Prose Literature - 155900336 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Modern Persian Poetry - 155901379 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of History

• H343 Reform, Resistance and Revolution: the Ottoman Empire 1876-1909 (I) - 154800197 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of Politics and International Studies

• Islam and democracy - 153400065 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Department of Economics

• Economic development of the modern Middle East - 153400031 (1 Unit) - Full Year

List C: Optional language courses

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East

• Arabic 100 - 155901202 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Arabic 200 - 155901203 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Arabic 300 - 155901204 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Arabic 2 - 155900897 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Arabic 4 - 155900899 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Elementary Written Persian - 155901053 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Elementary Persian Texts - 155901155 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Persian Language 2 - 155900801 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Persian Language 3 - 155900802 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Elementary Georgian - 155900813 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Intermediate Georgian - 155900814 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Elementary Hebrew - 155900916 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Modern Hebrew Language: Intermediate - 155900713 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Modern Hebrew Language: Advanced - 155900714 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Intercollegiate language courses

Please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details on intercollegiate courses in Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Croatian, Hungarian and Romanian.

Programme Specification

• BA Turkish and ... Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 59kb)

Teaching & Learning

Year abroad

Teaching & Learning

Intercollegiate Courses

Modern Greek (KCL)

• Modern Greek language I 4AABL001
• Modern Greek language II 5AABL002
• Modern Greek language III 6AABL003

Russian (UCL; http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/russunit.htm)

• Foundation Russian
• Intermediate Russian

Ukrainian (UCL)

• SEEU1001 Ukrainian Language
• SEEU2001 Ukrainian Language 2a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEEU2002 Ukrainian Language 2b - Production (0.5)
• SEEU4001 Ukrainian Language 3a - Comprehension (0.5) SEEU4002 Ukrainian Language 3b - Production (0.5)

Bulgarian (UCL)

• SEEB1001 Bulgarian Language Level 1
• SEEB2001 Bulgarian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEEB2002 Bulgarian Language Level 2b - Production (0.5)
• SEEB4001 Bulgarian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEEB4002 Bulgarian Language Level 3b - Production (0.5)

Serbian/Croatian (UCL)

• SEEY1001 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 1
• SEEY2001 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEEY2002 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 2b - Production (0.5)
• SEEY4001 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEEY4002 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 3b - Production (0.5)

Hungarian (UCL)

• SEEH1001 Hungarian Language Level 1
• SEEH2001 Hungarian Language Level 2a - Comprehension(0.5)
• SEEH2002 Hungarian Language Level 2b - Production (0.5)
• SEEH4001 Hungarian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEEH4002 Hungarian Language Level 3b - Production (0.5)

Romanian (UCL)

• SEER1001 Romanian Language Level 1
• SEER2001 Romanian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEER2002 Romanian Language Level 2b - Production (0.5)
• SEER4001 Romanian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (0.5)
• SEER4002 Romanian Language Level 3b - Production (0.5)

Pre Entry Reading

• Zuercher, Erik J.: Turkey, A Modern History. London: I B Tauris, 1993
• Fergar, Feyyaz Kayacan (ed.), Modern Turkish Poetry. The Rockingham Press, 1992

Destinations

As a graduate who specialised in Turkish, 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 Turkish 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 found employment in the Foreign Office, in education, the media with the BBC or the Turkish Radio station, in the press, in multinational business companies. Others have chosen non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International.

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