Overview and entry requirements

The BA East Asian Studies combines the study of both East Asian languages and East Asia-related subjects in various disciplines. Compared to the existing single-subject BA Chinese, BA Korean and BA Japanese degrees, there is a greater emphasis on gaining a broader understanding of East Asia as a region, across a wide range of disciplines. 

In addition to the disciplinary modules, you will be able to study a Chinese, Japanese or Korean language module each year too. The flexible structure of the degree allows you to study a different language each year or to progress through a sequence of levels in just one language. We can accommodate complete beginners or more experienced learners. Progression through a total of four levels is offered, whereas for those who exceed the highest level, language-based modules in literature and film, as well as a language-based dissertation, are available.

Note that the BA East Asian Studies does not include a year abroad.

See Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Why study East Asian Studies at SOAS

• Ranked 8th in the UK in the 2021 Complete University Guide for East Asian Studies and UK Top 10 in 2021 QS World Universities Rankings
• SOAS is home to the largest concentration of East Asian specialists in Europe
• gain a broad understanding of East Asian culture covering subjects including history, popular culture, literature, society, history, and cinema
• study either one East Asian language or several different languages as part of the degree
• flexibly structure your programme using our central options modules to take advantage of the expertise of our other departments

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

Email: eastasia@soas.ac.uk

Structure

• Year 1: students take 30 credits of East Asian history, 15 credits of academic writing, 30-60 credits of language, and 15 to 45 credits of popular culture.
• Year 2: student continue with language learning, either on the same langauge as studied in Year 1 or on another East Asian language module at an approved level.  Modules on culture, history, literature are also available this year.
• Year 3: student continue with language learning, either on the same langauge studies previously or on another East Asian language module at an approved level. Student will write an Independent Study Project in their final year. Further modules on culture, history, literature are also available this year.

Programme

Year 1

Year 1: Core Module

AND

Year 1: Compulsory Module

AND

Language Modules

Sudents will take 30-60 credits of Language Modules form the list below.
Students may take the 60 credit language in year 1 only. This will enable them to transfer to the language programme and go on a year abroad.

AND

Guided Options

Students will take 15-45 credits from the Year 1 Options list below

Year 2

Year 2: Compulsory Modules

Students will take the following compulsory modules

AND

Year 2: Language Modules

Students will take modules to the value of 30 credits from the Language List below

AND

Year 2: Guided Option Module

Students will take a 15 credit module from either the Guided Options List A, Central Options or the Language lists below

Year 3

Year 3: Compulsory Modules

Students will take the following compulsory modules

AND

Year 3: Language Modules

Students will take modules to the value of 30 credits from the Language List below

AND

Year 3: Guided Option Modules

Students will take 15 credit module from List B or language list below.  

Students must also take a further 30 credits from List B/Language List/central options list.

Year 1 Guided option modules

List A Guided option modules

Please note: Introduction to Pre-Modern Japanese; Classical and Literary Chinese 1; and Introduction to Hanja can only be taken with the relevant modern language component (and permission).

List B Guided option modules

(some modules below may have a language requirement)

Language Modules

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

All full-time undergraduate programmes consist of 120 credits per year, in modules of 60, 30 or 15 credits. They are taught over 10 or 20 weeks. The programme structure shows which modules are taught over one term or the full year. It also shows which modules are compulsory and which are optional.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study (see Approaches to teaching and learning at SOAS). 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.

More information is on the page for each module.

Year abroad

The BA East Asian Studies does not include a year abroad.

Learning resources

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 2021/22 entrants per academic year

Please note that fees go up each year. 

For full details of undergraduate tuition fees, see our Registry's undergraduate tuition fees page.

Scholarships

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

Employment

As a graduate who specialised in East Asia, you will have gained competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a study of language in combination with literature, development studies, economics, geography, history, history of art and archaeology, law, linguistics, music, politics, social anthropology or religion.

Skills gained

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, both in business and in the public sector. These include:

• written and oral communication skills
• attention to detail
• analytical and problem-solving skills
• ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

Employers

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

• Allen and Overy LLP
• BBC
• China-Eu School of Law
• ChinaContact Consulting
• Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Dah Sing Financial Holdings Ltd
• Embassy of Belgium
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• German Embassy Tokyo
• Goldman Sachs International
• Halo Associates (Asia) Ltd
• Independent Power Corporation PLC
• Oxford University Press
• SiChuan WenJun Spirits Company
• The International Herald Tribune
• The University of Hong Kong
• United Nations Population Fund
• University of Cambridge
• Washington State House of Representatives.

Roles

The types of roles that graduates have gone on to do are very wide and include:

• Editor and Translator
• Under Secretary
• Director of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Solicitor
• Medical Secretary
• Press Attache
• Regional Chief of Photography
• Project Manager
• Economic Counsellor
• Lecturer
• Professional Translator
• Director of Research for China
• Social Worker
• Head, Asia Programme
• Photographer
• Professorial Research AssociateSenior Lecturer in Chinese Archaeology
• Energy Consultant
• Independent Columnist and Reporter
• Art Curator

Find out more on our Careers Service website.

• How to Apply
• UCAS website
• Request a prospectus
• Got a question - use our enquiry form (opens a new window)
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts