This is the only Master-level programme in History focusing on the study of Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the UK, and can therefore offer an unrivalled breadth of courses on the history of these regions. The programme provides a sound training in the historical sciences.

It can also be taken with an intensive language pathway over two years, therefore making this programme unique in Europe.

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Who is this programme for?:

The programme would suit students with a keen interest in learning about the historical conditions of the contemporary world, and in particular those who are prepared to look at the world from the perspective of other people and cultures. While the course is open to students from a broad range of backgrounds, the ideal applicant would have an UG degree in History (or a related discipline), some knowledge of foreign, including Asian or African languages, and preferably some relevant background in the region of specialism.  

Graduates will find a wide range of career options open to them, in particular those involving inter-cultural or international contact, such as in international organizations, government institutions, non-profit organizations, and journalism, but also museums, educational institutions, or the publishing sector more generally. It would also be a suitable preparation for students considering embarking on a research degree focusing on one of the regional or topical areas of expertise represented in the department.

The two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language course would enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.

Email: en2@soas.ac.uk

May be combined with:

The following Intensive Language pathways are available with the MA History

• Arabic
• Japanese
• Korean
• Persian
• South East Asian Languages: Burmese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese
• Swahili
• Turkish (available from 2019/20)

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 (10,000 words with a detailed 2,500-word dissertation plan worth 10% of the mark for this module) as outlined below.

There are five regional pathways within the History part of the programme: Africa, East Asia, Near and Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia. If you have any questions about pathway requirements, please contact the programme convenor.

In their first year, 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. In the second year, they take another 30 language credits as well as 60 credits in the discipline; they also complete their dissertation in the discipline. 

For information on the programme structure for the four-year part-time version of the programme, please see the pdf programme specification at the bottom of this page.

Please see the relevant web pages in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics for information on the Intensive Language part of the programme.

Year 1 (two years full time)

Language Component

Students take 60 credits in the selected language.

Discipline Component

AND

A module from List A below to the value of 15 credits

AND

A module from the List of Independent Research Essays in History (IREH1) below

Summer Abroad

Students participate in a Summer School abroad for the selected language.

Year 2 (two years full time)

Language Component

Students take 30 credits in the selected language.

Discipline Component

Choose a module(s) from List A or List B below to the value of 30 credits.

AND

Choose a module(s) from List A or List B below to the value of 30 credits

Or

Choose a module(s) from List A and the List of IREH1 below to the value of 30 credits

Or

Choose a module(s) from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits

Dissertation

Students must complete a Dissertation (10,000 words) see list of Dissertation Module options below.

List of Modules (subject to availability)

Dissertation

Independent Research Essay

Student must do AT LEAST one of these essays; each essay is tied to a specified List A module.

List A

Comparative / Global

Africa

Near and Middle East

South Asia

East Asia

South East Asia

List B

Methodology

Africa

Near and Middle East

South Asia

East Asia

South East Asia

Programme Specification

• MA History & Intensive Language Programme Specification (vnd.ms-excel; 27kb)

Important notice

Year abroad

Yes (summer)

Teaching & Learning

Aims and Outcomes

• An advanced understanding of the historical sciences and its various methodologies and approaches in general, and specialist knowledge of Asian and African history in particular
• Practical research and writing skills, developed through the study of primary and secondary sources related to Asian and African history
• The critical, conceptual, and analytical skills required for historical research as well as for positions of responsibility in all other professions
• In the two-year pathway, the student will also be provided with a near proficient ability in a language.

Knowledge

1. Factual knowledge about the histories of Asian and African societies, the ways they interacted with each other and other world regions of the world, and the major historical forces that shaped our contemporary world.
2. Familiarity with a variety of different approaches to historical research and current scholarly debates, and, on that basis, the ability to formulate a valuable research question.
3. How to locate materials and use research resources (particularly research library catalogues, archival hand lists, and digital resources), assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts, printed, and digital sources, and solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations.  
4. Language skills appropriate to chosen region and field of study (recommended).

Intellectual (thinking) skills

1. Students should be able to synthesize different kinds of information, become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence and understand what the different types of historical sources can and cannot tell us.
2. Students should question interpretations, however authoritative, maintain an open-minded attitude to interpretations that challenge older interpretations, and analyse and reassess evidence and research questions for themselves.
3. Students should be able to think critically about the nature of the historical discipline, its methodology, historiography, and openness for interdisciplinary approaches.
4. Students should be able to reflect about the potential of historical research on non-Western societies and civilizations for the advancement of the historical discipline and human civilization in general.

Subject-based practical skills

1. Effective writing and referencing skills, attention to detail and accuracy in presentation.
2. Effective oral presentation of seminar papers, articulation of ideas, and constructive participation in seminar discussions.
3. Ability to retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources, including relevant professional databases, effective note-taking, record keeping and planning of projects.
4. Ability to formulate research questions and design an independent research project, including the use of primary sources.
5. In the two year intensive language pathway, to acquire/develop skills in a language to Effective Operational Proficiency level, i.e., being able to communicate in written and spoken medium in a contemporary language

Transferable skills

1. Critical thinking.
2. Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written forms.
3. Information gathering skills from conventional and electronic sources.
4. Effective time-management, writing to word limits, and meeting deadlines.

Tuition Fees

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the Registry's Postgraduate Tuition Fees page.

This is a Band 1 tuition fee.

Fees for 2020/21 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. 2 year full-time programmes have 2 years of full-time fees - the fee in the second year will be higher than the fee for the first year (the full time fee below is for the first year only).

Scholarships

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

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