Overview and entry requirements
The MA in Middle Eastern Studies provides exceptional opportunities for studying this diverse and fascinating area at the postgraduate level through a variety of disciplinary approaches. The main emphasis of the programme is on the modern period through the modules in history, geography, politics, economics and anthropology. Some exposure is provided, however, to the pre-modern culture and society of the area through modules in religious studies, Islamic art and archaeology, and history.
The MA Middle Eastern Studies with Intensive language programme has many language modules for students to pick and choose from, inlcuding introduction, intermediate, advance Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish. Students will also spend the summer taking an Advanced Study Abroad module, worth 45 credits, while also having a choice of studying two years full-time or four years part-time.
See Near and Middle East Department
Combine Middle Eastern Studies with a language
Languages to choose from: Arabic, Persian, Turkish.
Why study Middle Eastern Studies and Intensive Language at SOAS
- SOAS is ranked 1st in London in the Complete University Guide 2021 for Middle Eastern and African Studies, and 6th in UK
- Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
- We've also been ranked 4th for research environment - with 100% of our research ranked as 'internationally excellent' and 85% as 'world-leading' - and 8th for research outputs in the REF 2021
- SOAS has an unrivalled reputation as the foremost provider of Asian, African and Middle East studies
- Students have an opportunity to develop a holistic and integrated approach to the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East through their languages and cultures
Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings
Start of programme: September
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:
- Two years (full-time), or four years (part-time, daytime only)
Fees 2021/22
- UK fees:
- £11,520
- Overseas fees:
- £22,500
Fees for 2021/22 entrants. This is a Band 3 fee. The fees are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. Further details can be found in the Fees and Funding tab on this page or in the Registry's Postgraduate Tuition Fees page
May be combined with:
MA Middle Eastern Studies can be combined with the following Intensive Language pathways:
Structure
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 as outlined below.
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.
On the MA Middle Eastern Studies and Intensive Language:
- a maximum of 60 credits can be taken in any one subject area
- a minimum of three subject areas must be covered.
Programme
2 years full-time
Year 1
Select 30 credits from the list of minors below plus 60 credits of language modules and the two compulsory modules below:
Summer Abroad
Students participate in a Summer School abroad for their selected language equivalent to 45 credits at one of our partner institutions.
Year 2 - (for students taking a 30 credit major)
Select 30 credits in the chosen language plus 30 credits from the major list or open options and the dissertation.
Year 2 - (for students taking a 15 credit major)
Select 30 credits on the chosen language, 15 credits from the major list, 15 credits from the minor list plus another 30 credits from the lists below or an open option and the dissertation
4 years part-time
Year 1
Select 60 credits in the chosen language, students then participate in the summer abroad module (45 credits) at one of our partner institutions.
Year 2
Select 60 credits in the chosen language and take the 2 compulsory modules below:
Year 3
(Discipline Component) select 30 credits from the minor list plus another 30 credits from the lists or open options.
Year 4 - (for students taking a 30 credit major)
(Discipline component) select 30 credits fom the list of majors and the dissertation.
Year 4 - (for students taking a 15 credit major)
(Discipline component) select 15 credits from the major list plus 15 credits from the minor list and the dissertation
Guided Options - Major and Minor list
Anthropology and Sociology
Available as minors only
Art and Archaeology
Available as majors or minors
Development Studies
Available as a major or minor
Available as minors only
Economics
Available as a major or minor
Available as a minor only
Gender
Available as minors only
History
Available as majors or minors
Available as a minor only
Languages - (School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics)
Languages are offered as minors only, students may take any of the language modules offered in any given year (select 60 credits).
Law
Available as majors or minors
Available as minors only
Media
Available as a major or minor
Music
Available as majors or minors
School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics (Near and Middle Eastern Studies)
Areas covering Culture, History, Literature, Politics
Available as majors or minors
Politics
The two 15 credit modules below together constitute the major option for Politics of the Middle East
Available as minors only
Study of Religions
Available as majors or minors
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 & Learning
One-year Masters programmes consist of 180 credits. 120 credits are taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks); the dissertation makes up the remaining 60 units. 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 and revising for examinations. 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.
There are ten weeks of teaching and a Reading Week in each of Term 1 and 2, and two weeks of revision teaching in Term 3, the rest of which is dedicated to exams. 15-credit modules are taught over ten weeks in either Term 1 or Term 2.
More information is on the page for each module.
Part-time studies
Part-time students divide their workload of the required modules evenly between the number of years of part-time study, with the dissertation module taken in the last year of study. It is also best practice to take the Major module in the last year of study. However, different arrangements are possible with the approval of the convenor of the Major module.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
- How to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research-sources (particularly research-library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources.
- Subject-specific skills are an amalgam of the skills described for each of the three options chosen by candidates from the cross-department/faculty choices available in the relevant course-descriptors.
Intellectual (thinking) skills
- Students will learn to become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence and should also come to understand through practice what documents can and cannot tell us.
- Students will learn to question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.
Communicate effectively in writing.
Subject-based practical skills
- Language-students will learn the chosen language at the appropriate level.
Present seminar-papers.
- Listen and discuss ideas introduced during seminars.
- Practise research-techniques in a variety of specialised research-libraries and institutes.
Transferrable skills
- Writing good essays and dissertations.
- Structure and communicate ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Study a variety of written and digital materials in libraries and research-institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
- Present (non-assessed) material orally.
Linguistic skills (two-year Intensive Language pathways)
- To acquire/develop skills in a language spoken in the Near and Middle East to Effective Operational Proficiency level
- To demonstrate awareness of the conceptual and communicative underpinnings of that language and through this interlinguistic and intercultural understanding.
- Communicate in written and spoken medium in a relevant language.
- Engage with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, understand the role of different frames of reference.
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 2021/22 entrants, per academic year (Band 3 tuition fee)
Full-time |
Part-time 2 Years |
Part-time 3 Years |
Part-time 4 Years Intensive Language only |
UK Students |
Overseas Students |
UK Students |
Overseas Students |
UK Students |
Overseas Students |
UK Students |
Overseas Students |
£11,520 |
£22,500 |
£5,760 |
£11,250 |
£3,840 |
£7,500 |
£5,760 |
£11,250 |
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%.
Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the postgraduate tuition fees page.
Scholarships
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
For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section
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.
A Student's Perspective
Nothing can truly describe your own personal SOAS experience, but one thing I can say is that it will be something you will remember for a lifetime and learn from not only your classes, but through life experience while being here.
Farkhanda Mohiyuddin