Overview and entry requirements

The MA Chinese Studies provides an exceptional opportunity to take advantage of the wide range of disciplinary approaches to the study of Chinese societies available at SOAS. The main emphasis is on modern and contemporary China, although it is also possible to study aspects of pre-Modern China.

Students who take this degree come from many countries and have a wide variety of academic backgrounds. While some wish to broaden their previous studies or experience of China, others approach the course without having a Chinese element to their first degree, but with a desire to focus their previous training on the region.

In addition to the courses on offer, students develop their own particular area of specialisation by writing a dissertation in their major discipline.

When applying, applicants are asked to specify their preferred major subject, and asked to give an alternative as practical considerations such as time tabling and availability of courses may limit freedom of choice. Once enrolled, students have two weeks to finalise their choice of subjects and have the opportunity of sampling a variety of subjects through attending lectures. 

See China and Inner Asia Department

Why study MA Chinese Studies at SOAS

• SOAS is in the UK Top 10 in the 2021 QS World University Rankings for Modern Languages
• we are home to the largest concentration of Chinese specialists outside of China
• with more than 50 experts working on a wide range of disciplines across the School, the MA Chinese Studies programme offers exceptional flexibility in designing a study plan that accommodates students’ interests
• we offer strong interdisciplinary support and have great facilities, such as a multimedia suite, a radio station and a satellite access to a wide range of world television. Our Library houses a major collection of digital and paper resources, with books and journals on China-related issues that scholars from all around the world travel to consult.

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Introducing Postgraduate Chinese Studies

With the increase of economic, political and cultural links between China and Europe, SOAS’s range of China-related degrees seek to dispel some of the stereotypes, which still remain regarding the region, and to provide a comprehensive understanding of this dynamic country.  Dr Cosima Bruno, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, outlines the importance of the MA Chinese Studies course at SOAS University of London.

What does the programme involve?

We provide students at all language levels with a comprehensive training in the exceptionally rich list of China-related disciplines that we are able to offer at SOAS. Your study with us might cover topics ranging from literature, history, film, art, religion, politics, translation, law, and economics. This programme helps you gain a broad knowledge and insights into China.

What kind of students will the programme appeal to?

The MA programme Chinese Studies is particularly popular among students who want to study China with an interdisciplinary approach. They will specialise in a subject of Chinese studies of their choice, while at the same time also develop a critical understanding of the “bigger picture”, through the study of other China-related disciplines. The programme has special appeal for students who want to focus on modern and contemporary China, although it also offers the possibility of studying aspects of pre-modern China. There is no Chinese language requirement, therefore the programme is able to accommodate students from a wide variety of academic background and at any level of Chinese proficiency, from absolute beginners to fluent speakers.

What facilities are available?

SOAS offers strong interdisciplinary support for its students. We have a multimedia suite, a radio station and a satellite access to a wide range of world television. Further, the Library houses a major collection of digital and paper resources, with books and journals on China-related issues that scholars from all around the world travel to consult.

What is special about the programme at SOAS?

With more than 50 experts working on a wide range of disciplines across the School, this programme offers exceptional flexibility in designing a study plan that accommodates students’ interests.

Can you recommend a good book to read on MA Chinese Studies?

Chinese Studies by definition deals with a variety of subjects. The book series Contemporary Chinese Studies, edited by the University of British Columbia Press, provides some good examples of new scholarship on modern and contemporary China.

What do students do after graduating?

Students who graduate from this programme at SOAS have found careers in various sectors. Many have pursued further research at a doctoral level, becoming academics; others have been employed in areas of media, becoming journalists or cultural experts; others still have found career opportunities in the publishing industry, international relations, NGOs, multinational corporations, and tourism. 

Structure

Students take a total of 180 credits, of which 60 credits are a dissertation, 15 credits are allocated to the core module and the remaining 105 credits are chosen from other taught modules.

Students must choose a minimum of 45 credits of modules from List A (modules related to China) and a maximum of 60 credits from List B, which includes language modules, modules related to other regions of East Asia and modules on China offered by other departments. For students opting to take language acquisition modules in more than one language, only one of these can be at an introductory level.

In the first term students will be asked to choose the module on which they will base their dissertation. The convenor of this module will usually be their dissertation supervisor. The module will usually be chosen from List A modules within the department, but after consultation with the programme convenor it may be possible to arrange for a supervisor from another department.

All modules are subject to availability.

Programme

Compulsory Dissertation

Core Module

List A: Guided Options (China)

Choose modules to a minimum value of 45 credits from List A.

List B: Guided Options (East Asia)

Choose modules to a maximum value of 30 to 60 credits from List B.

Language modules

List C: Guided Options

Choose modules to a maximum value of 0 to 30 credits from List C or the central options list.

Programme Specification

• MA Chinese Studies Programme Specification (pdf; 408kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

All Masters programmes consist of 180 credits, made up of taught modules of 30 or 15 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits. 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, revising for examinations and so on. 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

Student will acquire specialist knowledge on the following key areas:

• How to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research sources (particularly research library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources.
• To obtain a theoretical grounding in one of the several disciplines offered as part of degree: Anthropology, art& archaeology ,economics ,history, law,literature,media,music,politics or religion& philosophy.
• To obtain an empirical grounding of the disciplines cited above as they relate specifically to the study of China
• To develop a critical understanding of other disciplines–in their theoretical and empirical dimensions–through Minor courses.
• To acquire/develop skills in Chinese language at any of these levels:Basic1(absolute beginner),Basic2(beginner),Intermediate or Advanced.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

• Critical evaluation of source material: students should become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence, and to understand through practice what document scan and cannot tell us.
• Critical evaluation of previous scholarship: students should question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.
• Critical attitude toward euro-centristic approaches: Students will acquire a sensitivity to non-euro-centric perspectives on a range of intellectual problems in the Anthropology, art &archaeology,economics,history,law,literature,media,music,politics or religion & philosophy of China.

Subject-based practical skills

Subject-specific skills will be in line with the requirements in the academic discipline in which students do their Major and the dissertation.

Practical skills include:

• Communicate effectively in writing
• Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources
• Present seminar papers
• Listen critically to, and discuss, ideas introduced during seminars
• Practice research techniques in a variety of specialized research libraries and institutes

Transferable skills

• Write good essays and dissertations.
• Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
• Understand unconventional ideas.
• Study a variety of written and digital materials, in libraries and research institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.

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.

Tuition fees

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

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.

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section

Employment

Graduates from the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures develop competencies in intercultural awareness, analysis and communication. Demand for specialists with advanced proficiency in the languages of China, Japan and Korea has significantly increased in recent years, and graduates with these skills are highly sought after by employers.

Recent Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures graduates have been hired by organisations including:

• Accenture
• Amazon
• Bloomberg LP
• Department for Work and Pensions
• European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea
• European Commission
• Google
• ITN
• Japanese Government
• Korea Trade Centre (KOTRA)
• KPMG
• Mizuho Bank
• Nagahama Board of Education
• Nanjing Museum
• Pinsent Masons LLP
• PwC
• Seoul Metropolitan Government
• Shelterbox
• UNDP

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