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BA Sanskrit and...

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Duration: Combined Honours - 3 years

Overview

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Entry Requirements

  • A Levels: ABB
  • A Level language desirable but not essential
  • IB: 34 (5/5/5)
  • BTEC: DDM
  • Scottish Highers: AABBB
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: ABB
  • Irish LC: 320 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
  • Advanced Placement: 4 4 4 (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: A foreign language at A-level or equivalent is preferred but not essential. The department offers a complete ab initio training in the language and its cultural background.

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

Interview Policy: Candidates with ‘non-standard’ qualifications are usually invited to interview.

Degree Profile
Sanskrit has functioned for over two thousand years as the basic vehicle of classical Indian literature. It is the key to a first-hand understanding of the vast field of classical Hindu religion and philosophy, being the language of the Vedas and Upanishads, the great epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and the texts of Vedanta and Yoga.
It is also an important language for the study of Buddhism, Indo-European comparative philology, and the achievements of the classical civilisation of India in such wider fields as aesthetic theory, linguistics, law and political theory, medicine, mathematics and astronomy.
Sanskrit is most frequently taken in combination with Study of Religions. It may also be taken with Development Studies, Economics, Geography, History, History of Art & Archaeology, Law, Linguistics, Music, Politics, and Social Anthropology. Individual courses in Sanskrit may also be taken within BA South Asian Studies and BA Study of Religions.

Combinations

May be combined with
Sanskrit is most frequently taken in combination with Study of Religions VTQ3 BA/SASSR.
It may also be taken with the following: 
Development Studies TLH9 BA/SASDVS
Economics TLH1 BA/SASEC
Geography** TLHR BA/SASGE
History VT1J BA/SASH
History of Art/Archaeology VTH3 BA/HAASAS
Law TMH1 BA/SASLW
Linguistics TQH1 BA/LGSAS
Management*** TNH2 BA/SASMG
Music WTH3 BA/SASMS
Politics TLFH BA/SASPOL
Social Anthropology TL3Q BA/SASSA
Individual courses in Sanskrit may also be taken within BA South Asian Studies and BA Study of Religions.
** Taught at King's College, London
*** Taught at Birkbeck College, London

Structure

Combined Honours
Year 1

Year 2
  • Sanskrit 2
  • One approved unit in Sanskrit or Prakrit
  • Two units in second subject

Year 3
  • 2 approved units in Sanskrit or Prakrit
  • Two units in second subject

Programme Specification

Teaching & Learning

Teaching & Learning

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

Most units are taught in small classes. A few non-language units are taught by formal lecture. Many language units are assessed by written examination only. Some units are assessed by a combination of written examination and coursework.

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.

Graduate Destinations

This BA is a good starting point for any career because mastery of the complex Sanskrit language is likely to be recognised a unique skill and a sign of great potential. Graduates have chosen a wide range of professions, including curator, computer programmer and teacher, and opportunities are also likely to arise in libraries, museums and the legal sector. Many opt for taking up Masters or research-level degrees, and graduates with a research degree including Sanskrit are usually more eligible for academic posts in Religious Studies (Indian Religions) than candidates without such knowledge.
SOAS Careers Services

The School has a careers service available to all SOAS students while they are at the school, free of charge.
The Careers Service will help with job listings, interviews during 'milk rounds', putting together CV's, and even organising postgraduate study.

How to apply

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