Overview and entry requirements
The MA in Japanese Studies at SOAS is the most comprehensive available anywhere in Europe. Students are able to choose modules that cover all of Japan’s historical periods, from the earliest to the present and ranging over the social and political sciences as well as humanities.
Students who take this programme come from many countries and have a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Some have already studied, or lived, in Japan and wish to broaden their knowledge or understanding. Others wish to focus their previous training on the region, while still others will come from Japan or other East Asian countries wishing to study Japan from the perspective of a different culture and academic tradition. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not a requirement of the programme. Language modules, however, are popular options.
SOAS has its own Japan Research Centre and shares the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures with the University of East Anglia. Both can be of great benefit to students.
Prospective students may also be interested in the Dual degree programme in Global Studies between SOAS and Sophia University (Tokyo).
See Japan and Korea Department
Why study Japanese at SOAS
- UK Top 10 in the 2021 QS World University Rankings for Modern Languages
we are home to the largest concentration of Japan specialists outside of Japan
- you will not only learn the essential language skills but also an in-depth understanding of the region’s culture covering subjects from literature, history, cinema, and politics
- your command of a language will set you apart from graduates of other universities
Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings
Start of programme: September intake only
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.
- duration:
- One calendar year (full-time),
Two or three (part-time, daytime only)
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
Q&A with Griseldis Kirsch
Course convenor Griseldis Kirsch discusses how she first became interested in Japanese Studies and what students can expect who decide to join the MA Japanese Studies programme.
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Q&A video with Griseldis Kirsch
Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.
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 Japan) and a maximum of 60 credits from List B which includes language modules, and PGT central options.
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
Students must take a minimum of 45 credits from the list below.
List B: East Asia modules
Students may take a maximum of 30 to 60 credits from the list below.
Language
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 & 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
- Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s past and present, within the parameters of the modules and disciplines chosen.
- Students will acquire an advanced understanding of the theoretical and methodological tools of the relevant disciplines.
- Students who choose to take language will improve their knowledge of and ability to use Japanese in their everyday life and, depending on the level achieved, professional career.
Learning outcomes: Intellectual (thinking) skills
- Students will learn how to assess data and evidence critically from a variety of sources and how to resolve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations.
- Students will learn the strengths and disciplines of particular disciplinary and theoretical approaches, cultivating their ability to draw on a variety of such approaches.
- Students will learn how to design and manage an independent research project, formulating the problem to be addressed, identifying the data to be analyzed, and synthesizing the findings to present well-supported conclusions.
Subject-based practical skills
- Students will learn how to read critically, to participate effectively in seminar discussions, and to present their work in both oral and written form.
- More specific skills will depend on the particular modules taken.
Transferrable skills
- Students will learn how to access and evaluate electronic and other data effectively and efficiently.
- Students will learn how to solve complex problems, for example concerning economic development, historical causation, literary interpretation, or political decision-making.
- Students will learn how to communicate effectively in a variety of settings and formats.
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)
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.
Scholarships
Application Deadline: 2022-01-28 15:00
Application Deadline: 2022-01-28 15:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-31 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-02 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-04-05 00:00
Application Deadline: 2022-05-02 00:00
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
Find out about our Careers Service.
A Student's Perspective
Aside from the incredible library, I would have to say that the commitment to learning that is shared by both students and staff members is a unique aspect of SOAS. Everyone is striving to do their best and to bring out the best in others.
Charlie Orr