SOAS University of London

Department of the Languages and Cultures of the Near and Middle East

BA Turkish (2018 entry)

Please note this programme is not accepting applications for 2019/20

  • Structure
  • Teaching and Learning
  • Employment

Overview

Please note this programme is not accepting applications for 2019/20.

Students may be interested in applying for the BA Turkish and ... combined degree programmes. Single-honours BA Turkish is a four-year programme of study covering both classical and modern Turkish literature and language. At the completion of their studies students should have attained a high level of fluency in Modern Turkish, including familiarity with earlier forms of Turkish, and a solid command of Turkish literature, including broad knowledge of the historical and cultural background. A specialization in Ottoman language and literature is also available.

Programme Code: T680 BA/T

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September annually

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

Entry requirements

  • Subjects Preferred: A good pass in a foreign language at A-level, or equivalent, is preferred.
  • Interview Policy: Candidates with "non-standard" qualifications may be invited for interview.
A Levels:
AAB - ABB
A Level language preferred
IB:
35 (6/6/5)

View alternative entry requirements

BTEC: DDM

Access to HE: Minimum of 30 Level 3 Credits at Distinction

Scottish Highers: AAABB

Scottish Advanced Highers: AAB

Irish LC: 340 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above

Advanced Placement: 4 4 5 (Two semesters - UCAS Group A) plus US HSGD with GPA 3.0

Euro Bacc: 80%

French Bacc: 14/20

German Abitur: 2.0

Italy DES: 80/100

Austria Mat: 2.0

Polish Mat: Overall 75% including 3 extended level subjects

Featured events

duration:
4 years

Convenors

Structure

Learn a language as part of this programme

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.

The degree is an intensive four-year programme of 120 credits per year.  In the first year the student begins the study of the Turkish language and takes a survey module in literature. A module in Turkish culture or one other appropriate module complete the year. The second year is spent at the Boghazici University in Istanbul, where a full programme of study is scheduled. In the third year the student continues to learn the modern Turkish language and usually begins the study of Ottoman Turkish or modern Turkish literature. In the fourth year the student may choose from a wide range of options, as available. These options permit students to steer the syllabus towards their interests.
Year 1 (Students without previous knowledge of Turkish)
Core Module

This module must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Compulsory Module
Module Code Credits Term
Literatures of the Islamic Near and Middle East 155900991 15 Term 2
OR

A department-wide introductory course with the value of 30 credits

AND
Guided Option

Choose a module from List B1 or B2 below to the value of 30 credits

OR
Open Option

Choose related Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits

Year 1 (Students with previous knowledge of Turkish)
Core Module

This module must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Module Code Credits Term
Ottoman Turkish Language A 155900549 15 credits
Compulsory Module
Module Code Credits Term
Literatures of the Islamic Near and Middle East 155900991 15 Term 2
OR

A department-wide introductory course with the value of 30 credits

AND
Guided Option

Choose a module from List B1 below to the value of 30 credits

AND
Guided Option

Choose a module from List B1 or B2 below to the value of 30 credits

OR
Open Option

Choose related Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits

Year 2

Year Abroad at Boğaziçi University with the value of 120 credits

Year 3
Core Module

This module must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Module Code Credits Term
Turkish 3 155900548 30 Full Year
Compulsory Module

Choose ONE of the following modules

Module Code Credits Term
Ottoman Turkish Language A 155900549 15 credits
Contemporary Middle East Fiction A: Identity and Belonging 155906727 15 Term 1
OR

Choose a genre-based department-wide literature module to the value of 30 credits

AND
Guided Option

Choose a module from List B1, B2, C below to the value of 30 credits OR choose one of the two compulsory options above not already selected to the value of 30 credits

AND

Choose a module from List B1, B2, C below to the value of 30 credits

OR
Open Option

Choose related Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits

Year 4
Compulsory Module
Module Code Credits Term
Practical Translation Turkish to English 155900913 15 credits
AND
Compulsory Module

Choose a module from List A below to the value of 30 credits

AND

Choose a module from List A, B2, B3 or C below to the value of 30 credits

OR
Open Option

Choose related Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits

List of Modules (subject to availability)

Not all options are available every year; students are advised to consult the Turkish tutors before selecting units

List A: Turkish modules
Module Code Credits Term
Ottoman Turkish Language A 155900549 15 credits
Classical Ottoman Texts 155900744 15 Term 2
Twentieth Century Turkish Literature 155901405 30 Full Year
Extended Essay in Turkish Studies a 155901340 15 Term 1
Extended Essay in Turkish Studies b 155901341 15 Term 1
List B1: Introductory modules in Turkish and Middle Eastern-related modules
Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East
Module Code Credits Term
Introduction to Arabic Culture 155901205 15 Term 1
Department of History
Module Code Credits Term
H130 Introduction to the Early History of the Middle East 154800230 15 Term 2
Department of the Study of Religions
Module Code Credits Term
Islam: Religion and Rationality 158000189 15 Term 2
Department of the History of Art and Archaeology
Module Code Credits Term
Themes in the Art and Archaeology of the Near and Middle East 154900101 15 Term 2
Department of Politics and International Studies
List B2: Intermediate modules in Turkish and Middle Eastern-related moduless

Some modules require successful attendance of a relevant introductory module; students are advised to check the relevant module descriptions for prerequisites and consult the relevant module tutor before selecting modules.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East
Module Code Credits Term
Classical Persian Poetry 155901372 15 Term 1
Department of History
Module Code Credits Term
H248 Nationalism and Revolution in the Modern Middle East, 1914-1979 154800227 15 Term 2
Department of the Study of Religions
Module Code Credits Term
Messianic Movements in Muslim History 158000149 15 credits (0.5 unit)
Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 30 credits
Islam in Britain 154800312 15 Term 1
Department of the History of Art and Archaeology
Module Code Credits Term
Islamic Art and Architecture of Medieval Iran and Central Asia (10th-13th centuries) 154900188 15 Term 2
Ottoman Art and Architecture (14th-17th centuries) 154900185 15 Term 1
Mosque and Palace in the Muslim World 154900187 15 Term 1
Islamic Art Theories and Aesthetics 154900205 15 Term 2
Sound, Text, and Image in South Asian Arts 158100005 15 Term 2
Department of Music
Module Code Credits Term
Music, Religion and Society in the Middle East and North Africa 155800092 15 Term 1
Department of Politics and International Studies
Module Code Credits Term
Issues in Turkish Politics 153400076 15 Term 1
Government and politics of the Middle East 153400060 30 Full Year
International Relations of the Middle East 153400081 30 Full Year
School of Law
Module Code Credits Term
Islamic Law 155200037 30 Full Year
List B3: Advanced modules in Middle Eastern history, politics and economics

Some modules require successful attendance of a relevant introductory module; students are advised to check the relevant module descriptions for prerequisites and consult the relevant module tutor before selecting modules.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East
Module Code Credits Term
Politics and Aesthetics in Modern Arabic Literature 155901382 15 Term 2
Reading Classical Arabic historians 155901334 15 Term 2
Cinemas of the Middle East and North Africa 1 155905000 15 Term 1
Cinemas of the Middle East and North Africa 2 155905001 15 Term 2
Department of History
Module Code Credits Term
H343 Reform, Resistance and Revolution: the Ottoman Empire 1876-1909 (I) 154800197 30 Full Year
Department of Politics and International Studies
Module Code Credits Term
Islam and Democracy 153400065 30 Full Year
Department of Economics
List C: Optional language modules
Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East
Module Code Credits Term
Persian 3 155900802 30 Full Year
Hebrew 4 155900714 30 Full Year
Intercollegiate language modules

Please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details on intercollegiate modules in Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Croatian, Hungarian and Romanian.

Programme Specification

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 and Learning

Year abroad

Two semesters are spent at Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey in the third year (http://www.boun.edu.tr/en-US/Index). There students are expected to attend a minimum of four modules each semester and are required to sit the local examinations at Boğaziçi University.

All students need to submit an application to Boğaziçi University by May of the previous year and they are assisted by the BA Convenor in doing so.  A detailed Briefing Document  is also provided in advance.

It is possible to apply for university accommodation at Boğaziçi University (details provide in the Briefing Document), though most students prefer to make their own arrangements even though Istanbul is no longer a cheap city.  Rents and cost of living in Istanbul are almost comparable to London, though still a little cheaper.

The SOAS BA convenor determines progression to the final year on the basis of performance and, if required,  following consultation with colleagues at Boğaziçi. Students are expected to pass at least 6 semester-long modules or their equivalent.  If they do not, then they need to submit an Independent Project to be agreed with the SOAS BA convenor, normally an essay of approximately 10,000 words in English, by  September 1.  The topic of the project is decided in consultation with the subject tutors at SOAS.

Teaching & Learning

Contact Hours

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.

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.

Intercollegiate Modules

Modern Greek (KCL)
  • Modern Greek language I 4AABL001
  • Modern Greek language II 5AABL002
  • Modern Greek language III 6AABL003
Russian (UCL; http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/russunit.htm)
  • Foundation Russian
  • Intermediate Russian
Ukrainian (UCL)
  • SEEU1001 Ukrainian Language
  • SEEU2001 Ukrainian Language 2a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEU2002 Ukrainian Language 2b - Production (15 credits)
  • SEEU4001 Ukrainian Language 3a - Comprehension (0.5) SEEU4002 Ukrainian Language 3b - Production (15 credits)
Bulgarian (UCL)
  • SEEB1001 Bulgarian Language Level 1
  • SEEB2001 Bulgarian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEB2002 Bulgarian Language Level 2b - Production (15 credits)
  • SEEB4001 Bulgarian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEB4002 Bulgarian Language Level 3b - Production (15 credits)
Serbian/Croatian (UCL)
  • SEEY1001 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 1
  • SEEY2001 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEY2002 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 2b - Production (15 credits)
  • SEEY4001 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEY4002 Serbian and Croatian Language Level 3b - Production (15 credits)
Hungarian (UCL)
  • SEEH1001 Hungarian Language Level 1
  • SEEH2001 Hungarian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEH2002 Hungarian Language Level 2b - Production (15 credits)
  • SEEH4001 Hungarian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEEH4002 Hungarian Language Level 3b - Production (15 credits)
Romanian (UCL)
  • SEER1001 Romanian Language Level 1
  • SEER2001 Romanian Language Level 2a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEER2002 Romanian Language Level 2b - Production (15 credits)
  • SEER4001 Romanian Language Level 3a - Comprehension (15 credits)
  • SEER4002 Romanian Language Level 3b - Production (15 credits)

Employment

As a graduate who specialised in Turkish, 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.

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, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources. Graduates have found employment in the Foreign Office, in education, the media with the BBC or the Turkish Radio station, in the press, in multinational business companies. Others have chosen non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website.

A Student's Perspective

Here you have the possibility not only to read about other cultures, you can experience them.  Besides that, SOAS offers such a wide choice of exciting courses with interesting teachers, you will find nowhere else in the world and all that in the heart of London.

Sonja Bartsch, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg

Find out more