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

Structure

Core course: This means this unit must be passed before progression to the following year

Compulsory course:  This means this unit must be completed before progression to the following year

Year 1

Core Language Course

A SEA language at an appropriate level

Compulsory Courses

• Introduction to South East Asia - 155901320 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• South East Asia on Film - 155901318 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Optional Course

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List B

Open Option

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List B or an open option unit from another department.

Year 2

Core Language Course

SEA language at an appropriate level

Compulsory Course

These literature courses run in alternate years.

• War, Revolution and Independence in South East Asian Literatures in Translation - 155901316 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• The City and the Countryside in South East Asian Literatures - 155901326 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

Optional Course

Choose a half-unit course from List A.

Optional Course

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List A or List B or List C

Open Option

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List A, List B, or List C or an open option course in another department.

Year 3: Year abroad

For more information please see the Teaching & Learning tab

Year 4

Core Course

• Independent Study Project in South East Asian Studies (Year Abroad) - 155901244 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Compulsory Course

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List D.

Optional Course

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List A or B or D.

Open Option

Choose courses to the value of one unit from List A, List B, or List C or an open option course in another department.

List A

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.

• Thailand on Screen (post '97) - 155901317 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Sex and the City in South East Asian Film - 155901319 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• War, Revolution and Independence in South East Asian Literatures in Translation - 155901316 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• The City and the Countryside in South East Asian Literatures - 155901326 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Cultural Foundations of Indonesia - 155901308 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Indonesian Literature: Literature of the Revolution - 155901309 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Jawi and the Manuscript Tradition - 155901312 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Pre-Modern Historical Texts of Java, Bali and the Malay World in English Translation - 155901313 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Traditional Malay Literature: Adventure Romances in Texts and Film - 155901314 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Indonesia on Screen - 155901354 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Thai Cultural Texts - 155901352 (1 Unit) - Full Year

List B

Before selecting a course, student's must first check that the course is at the correct level. Pre-requisites may be required for these courses and must be taken as an open option. Please contact the relevant faculty office for information.

• Introduction to the Art and Archaeology of South and Southeast Asia - 154900156 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Introduction to Islam - 157400020 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Buddhism: Foundation - 158000110 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Hinduism: Foundation - 158000118 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• World Christianities Foundation - 158000117 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - (Previously called: Christianity Foundation)
• Ethnography of a Selected Region - South East Asia - 151802048 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H150 Introduction to the History of South East Asia - 154800232 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H255 South East Asia During the Cold War 1945-1991 - 154800237 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
• Arts of the Buddha in Southeast Asia - 154900148 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Contemporary Arts in Southeast Asia - 154900149 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Angkor and Khmer Art in Southeast Asia - 154900146 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Southeast Asian government and politics - 153400022 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Economic development of South East Asia - 153400012 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H253 Islamic Reformism in South East Asia 1760s - 1960s - 154800212 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H353 The Creation of Modern Burma 1852-C.1941 (I) - 154800252 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• H453 The Creation of Modern Burma 1852-C.1941 (II) - 154800253 (1 Unit) - Full Year

List C

• Sanskrit Language 1 - 155901303 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Arabic 100 - 155901202 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Basic Pali - 155900948 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Thai Language 1 - 155901366 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Indonesian Language 1 - 155900448 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Burmese Language 1 - 155900910 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Vietnamese Language 1 - 155900704 (1 Unit) - Full Year

List D

• Indonesian Language 4 - 155901024 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Indonesian Literature: Writing in the Age of the New Order - 155901311 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Traditional Malay Literature: History, Politics and Religion in Texts and Film - 155901315 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
• Vietnamese Language and Texts - 155901049 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Thai Language 4 - 155901357 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Programme Specification

• BA South East Asian Studies (including year abroad)- Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 52kb)

Teaching & Learning

Year abroad

Students will take a compulsory year abroad in South East Asia, spent in one or two countries in the region. This is not part of an exchange programme.

If they go to Thailand for a full year they will attend Thammasat University in Bangkok for two semesters, from June-February with an optional government placement for the remainder of their stay.  

Students going to Vietnam will attend the Faculty of Vietnamese Language and Culture at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi from September to May. 

Students who go to Indonesia spend a year studying at two of the best universities in Java - one semester at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Yogyakarta) and one semester at Universitas Muhammadiyah (Malang). 

For students going to Burma (Myanmar) the exact programme of study during the Year Abroad is tailor-made to suit the student and situation in the country at the time. Study is either with private tutors in Yangon and/or Mandalay, or may include tuition at the Yangon University of Foreign Languages, or a combination of both. 

For all the above year abroad programmes students will take an re-entry test into year 4 of the degree in September.  Failure to pass the 4th year entry test will result in students being placed into the final year of the 3 year BA SEA Studies degree programme and the year abroad will NOT count towards this awarded degree.

Destinations

As a student specialising in South East Asia, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of South East Asia.

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 in both business and 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.

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