African Languages, Cultures and Literatures Section

MA African Studies and Intensive Swahili (2022 entry)

Select year of entry: 2022 2021

Overview

Overview and entry requirements

The MA African Studies and Intensive Swahili from SOAS provides students with 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, history, cinema, politics, economics or law.

Students on this postgraduate degree programme will develop their ability to engage with and explore relationships between indigenous African aesthetics and contemporary literary theories.

See African Languages, Cultures and Literatures department

Why study African Studies and Intensive Swahili at SOAS

SOAS ranks 1st in London in the Complete University Guide 2021 for Middle Eastern and African Studies, and 6th in UK
we are specialist in the studies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia
gain in-depth understanding of one these key world regions, grounded in the study of one or more languages of the region
access SOAS’s comprehensive cross-regional expertise and gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of these regions in an increasingly globalised world
solid methodological and interdisciplinary foundation
students have an opportunity to develop a holistic and integrated approach to the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East through their languages and cultures

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

Please see our 'postgraduate entry requirements' page for Overseas and EU qualifications and equivalencies.

Featured events

duration:: Two calendar year (full-time); Four years (part-time)

Fees 2022/23

Home students fees:: £11,980

Overseas students fees:: £23,400

Fees for 2022/23 entrants. This is a Band 1 fee. The fees are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. Further details can be found on the Postgraduate tuition fees page

Convenors

Dr Ida Hadjivayanis Convenor

Structure

Students must take 315 credits in total, comprised of 255 taught credits (45 of which are taught abroad as part of a Summer School) and a 60-credit dissertation as outlined below.

Year 1: students on the two-year Intensive Language programmes take 60 credits of intensive language instruction and 60 credits in the discipline. During the summer, they participate in a Summer School abroad.

Year 2: students take another 30 language credits as well as 60 credits in the discipline; they also complete their dissertation in the discipline.

The Swahili component can be taken either at beginner or at intermediate level.

Please note that:

a maximum of 60 credits can be taken in any one subject area
a minimum of three subject areas must be covered.

Please see 'Programme specification' below to download the PDF pathways specifications of the four-year part-time version of the programme.

Programme

Two Years Language Beginner

Year 1 (two years full time)

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list below to the value of 60 credits.

Language Component

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Swahili 1 A (PG)	15PAFH029	15	Term 1
Swahili 1 B (PG)	15PAFH030	15	Term 2

Plus

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Language, Society and Communication (Masters)	15PLIH004	15	Term 1

Summer Abroad

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Intermediate Swahili Summer Abroad	15PAFC149	45	Full Year

Year 2 (two years full time)

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list below to the value of 60 credits.

Or

A module(s) from the list below to the value of 30 credits.

Plus

A module(s) from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits.

Language Component

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Swahili 3 (PG)	15PAFC142	30	Full Year

Dissertation

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Dissertation in African Studies	15PAFC990	60	Full Year

Two Years Language Intermediate

Year 1 (two years full time)

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list below to the value of 60 credits.

Language Component

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Intermediate Swahili 2A (PG)	15PAFC141	30	Full Year

Plus

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Language, Society and Communication (Masters)	15PLIH004	15	Term 1

Summer Abroad

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Upper Intermediate Swahili Summer Abroad	15PAFC150	60	Full Year

Year 2 (two years full time)

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list below to the value of 60 credits.

Or

A module(s) from the list below to the value of 30 credits.

Plus

A module(s) from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits.

Language Component

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Practical Translation Swahili into English	15PAFH014	15	Term 1
Translation Theory	15PLIH047	15	Term 1

Dissertation

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Dissertation in African Studies	15PAFC990	60	Full Year

List of Modules (subject to availability)

Anthropology (minor only)

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Culture and Society of West Africa	15PANH068	15	Term 2
Culture and Society of East Africa	15PANH063	15	Term 2

Art

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Modern and Contemporary Arts in Africa	15PARH048	15	Term 2

Economics

History

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Race, Segregation, and Apartheid in Twentieth-century South Africa (PG)	15PHIH003	15	Term 1
Slavery in West Africa in the 19th and 20th Centuries	15PHIH028	15	Term 2
Historical Perspectives on Gender in Asia, Africa and the Middle East	15PHIH029	15	Term 2

Language (minor only)

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Amharic 2 (PG)	15PAFC131	30	Full Year
Hausa 2 (PG)	15PAFC138	30	Full Year
Somali 2 (PG)	15PAFC133	30	Full Year
Advanced Somali: Literature (PG)	15PAFH018	15	Term 2
Yoruba 2 (PG)	15PAFC135	30	Full Year
Zulu 2 (PG)	15PAFC129	30	Full Year

Law

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Islamic Law (MA/LLM)	15PLAC121	30	Full Year

Linguistics

Literature

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Advanced Somali: Literature (PG)	15PAFH018	15	Term 2
African Philosophy (PG)	15PAFH008	15	Term 1
Philosophy and Decolonisation (PG)	15PAFH009	15	Term 2

Media

Politics

Module	Code	Credits	Term
The Politics of Africa	15PPOC257	30	Full Year

Religions & Philosophies

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Religions and Development	15PSRH049	15	Term 2

Programme Specification

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching & Learning

One-year Masters programmes consist of 180 credits. 120 credits are taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks); the dissertation makes up the remaining 60 units. The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework and revising for examinations. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others. At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar every week, but this does vary.

More information is on the page for each module.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

Students will acquire knowledge and critical awareness of current issues and/or insights into Africa from the perspective of at least two social sciences and/or humanities disciplines.
The student will have the opportunity of gaining knowledge or further knowledge of an African language.
The student will gain specialized and in - depth knowledge in one particular area of the study of Africa and from disciplinary perspective.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

Students will develop a critical and analytical approach to issues relating to Africa in the disciplinary areas chosen.
Students will develop skills of synthesizing materials from a variety of sources and presenting these in writing and orally in an academic context.
Students will have the opportunity of researching topics which have been little commented on in the secondary literature and thus develop research skills by working on primary sources.

Subject-based practical skills

Students will gain specific knowledge of aspects of African life, which will prepare them for working in Africa.
The specialist knowledge developed in the individual courses will allow students to add an academically grounded perspective to their particular subsequent work context.
If a student takes an African language they will have a strong practical skill, which will help them in any context where the language is used and which will also be of benefit if they need to learn another language in the future.

Transferable skills

Through managing their studies students will develop the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility.
In researching and writing coursework and the dissertation students will develop research and writing skills.
Students will develop the skills of independent learning required for continuing onto a research degree or for professional development.

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.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for 2022/23 entrants, per academic year (Band 1 tuition fee)

Full-time		Part-time 2 Years		Part-time 3 Years
Home Students	Overseas Students	Home Students	Overseas Students	Home Students	Overseas Students
£11,980	£23,400	£5,990	£11,700	£3,955	£7,725

Fees go up each year, therefore, your tuition fee in your second and subsequent years of study will be higher.

Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

For full details of postgraduate tuition fees see our postgraduate tuition fees page.