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

Structure

Structure, duration and requirements for gaining an award

SOAS has standard requirements relating to the structure and duration of taught postgraduate programmes and for the award and classification of these programmes.
Details can be found at http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/file60379.pdf

Programme structure 

Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units + dissertation:
1. ALL half-units from A (compulsory)
2-3. Choose THREE half-units units from B.
4. Dissertation on some aspect of Conflict, Rights & Justice (compulsory).

A. Compulsory Courses:

The course ‘Conflict, Rights and Justice’ is the core course for the degree. Students must complete all three compulsory courses, worth a total 67.5 points.

• Conflict, rights and justice - 15PPOH018 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Violence, justice and the politics of memory - 15PPOH019 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Sociology of International Norms - 15PPOH024 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

B. Choose THREE from the following:

You must choose three half-units, worth a total of 67.5 points, from the following list.

• Foreign policy analysis - 15PPOH013 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• International migration and diaspora politics - 15PPOH012 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Security governance - 15PPOH015 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Power in world politics - 15PPOH017 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Comparative International Political Thought - 15PPOH021 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Islam and politics - 15PPOH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Queer Politics in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - 15PPOH020 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Political violence - 15PPOH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Transitional Justice in Asia - 15PLAH036 (0.5 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• International law and international relations - 15PLAH037 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• International laws on the use of force - 15PLAH020 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Security - 15PDSH020 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

C: Dissertation

This would be focused on some aspect of Conflict, Rights & Justice.

• Dissertation in Political Studies - 15PPOC999 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Programme Specification

• MSc Politics of Conflict, Rights & Justice Programme Specification 2012 (pdf; 117kb)

Teaching & Learning

Teaching & Learning

Knowledge

Learning outcomes acquired in the following ways:

1. Students are required to attend all classes (lectures and seminars), study extensively on their own and prepare assessed as well as non-assessed work regularly.
2. Through core course lectures and seminars as well as through assessed work including group discussions.
3. Through teaching in core and optional courses

Assessment: Through unseen examinations, assessed coursework essays and a dissertation.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

Learning outcomes as above acquired in the following ways:

1. These are fostered in all courses offered in the program where the information students receive needs to be assessed critically and conflicting interpretations arising from the same information discussed.
2. Students are encouraged not simply to summarise evidence and arguments but through application of critical questioning to develop their own assessments of the relative value of a range of arguments/sources of evidence.
3. Through the structure and content of the core course in conflict, rights and justice and other program and optional courses.
4. Students will prepare class presentations on topics selected from the core course and options reading lists.
5. They also carry out individual, independent dissertation work, including refining a broad ‘topic’ into a narrower, manageable and more precise research question/hypothesis.

Assessment: Through unseen examinations, assessed coursework essays and a dissertation.

Subject-based practical skills

Learning outcomes as above acquired in the following ways:

1. Through independent work for dissertations and preparation for class presentations.
2. Through work on own, departmental dissertation guidance notes and meetings, meetings with supervisor.
3. Through required regular readings for weekly seminar discussions.
4. Through demonstration in lectures, through discussion in seminars, through questions in exams.

Assessment: Through unseen examinations, assessed coursework essays and a dissertation..

Transferable skills

Learning outcomes as above acquired in the following ways:

1. Through seminar presentations, discussions, group work and essays.
2. Through essays, project and dissertation
3. Through group project work.
4. Through classroom participation in seminars

Assessment: Through unseen examinations, assessed coursework essays and a dissertation.

How to apply

How to apply

• How to Apply
• Online Application
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts

Scholarships

For further information visit the Scholarships section