Overview and entry requirements

Students on the BA Languages and Cultures combined degree will be introduced to the cultures and societies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia, through the study of languages, film, literature and cultural studies. This joint degree can be combined with a number of disciplines at SOAS, including Linguistics, History, Anthropology, Development Studies, Music and Politics or International Relations.

In the first year, students are equipped with a broader understanding of these regions (Africa, Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia) in order to gain a vital comparative perspective. 

Language is crucial to the understanding of culture and therefore all students will be required to choose from a range of languages in their first year of study. We encourage students to further develop their language skills as the degree progresses. Students will have the option to spend a year abroad to gain cultural and linguistic fluency in languages including Swahili, Turkish, Hebrew, Persian, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit, Indonesian and Vietnamese. 

Students will have the opportunity to explore particular regional interests through their language study, their selected optional modules and in their course work throughout the degree, culminating in the final year Study Project where, guided by lecturers, they will draw on skills gained over the course of the degree to produce their own original research.

Key critical thinking, project management and study skills are built into the programme to ensure that students graduate with a range of transferable skills ensuring they are prepared for a range of careers.

See School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics

Combine Languages and Cultures with other subjects

• Other disciplines: Development Studies, Economics, History, History of Art, International Relations, Law, Linguistics, Music, Politics, Social Anthropology, World Philosophies.
• Languages: Arabic, French

Why study Languages and Cultures Combined Honours at SOAS

• SOAS is ranked 1st in London in the Complete University Guide 2021 for Middle Eastern and African Studies, and 6th in the UK
• Ranked 8th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2021 for South Asian Studies
• we are specialists in the studies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia
• gain an in-depth understanding of these key world regions and take the opportunity to study one or more of these regions’ languages of your choice
• access SOAS’s comprehensive cross-regional expertise and gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of these regions in an increasingly globalised world
• opportunity to develop a holistic and integrated approach to the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East through their languages and cultures, complemented by another subject.
• students taking the two-subject degree take a combination of modules from BA Languages and Cultures, and also from their other subject, allowing for a programme tailored to their skills and interests

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

May be combined with:

• Arabic, TT62 LC/AR
• Development Studies, TT26 LC/GD
• Economics, TTL2 LC/EC
• French
• History, TTV1 LC/Hi
• History of Art, TTV3 LC/HoA
• International Relations, TTG2 LC/IR
• Law, TTM1 LC/La
• Linguistics, TR44 LCL 
• Music, TTW3 LC/Mu
• Politics, TT44 LC/Pol
• Social Anthropology, TTL4 LC/SA
• World Philosophies, TT63 LC/WP

Structure

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

Teaching is normally provided by lecture or seminar and students are required to attend such classes. Most modules involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

All full-time undergraduate programmes consist of 120 credits per year, taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks). 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 (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.

In the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, undergraduate modules take various forms. Modules may be taught through 1 or 2 hours of lectures a week, and some may have an additional 1-2 hours of weekly seminars. Languages classes may be 4-5 hours per week in the first and second year, typically less at higher levels.

More information is on the page for each module.

Year abroad

For students who choose to take a year abroad, the resulting improvement in all-round language skills will allow students to work at a more advanced range of linguistics competence in their final year work back at SOAS. The culturally immersive experience of the year abroad equips students with key skills which are invaluable for those wishing to go on to work in the region.

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.

Employment

Graduates of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with skills in written and oral communication, analysis and problem solving.

Recent School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics graduates have been hired by:

• Africa Matters
• Amnesty International
• Arab British Chamber of Commerce
• BBC World Service
• British High Commission
• Council for British Research in the Levant
• Department for International Development
• Edelman
• Embassy of Jordan
• Ernst & Young
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Google
• Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
• Middle East Eye
• Saïd Foundation
• TalkAbout Speech Therapy
• The Black Curriculum
• The Telegraph
• United Nations Development Programme
• UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
• Wall Street Journal

Find out about our Careers Service.