MSc Politics of Asia

MSc Politics of Asia (2022 entry)

Select year of entry: 2022 2021

Overview

Overview and entry requirements

The SOAS MSc Politics of Asia fosters close analysis of politics in Asia — both South Asia and East Asia, with additional options covering Southeast Asia and Central Asia. How do globalization, nationalism, nuclear rivalry, and urban development affect political life in Asia?

What drives the politics of ethnicity, religion, and gender? How should we understand the specific characteristics of politics (both formal and informal) in India, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, as well as Indonesia, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and many other countries in the region?

See Department of Politics and International Studies

Why study MSc Politics of Asia at SOAS

We’re ranked 5th in the UK for Politics, as well as 3rd globally for academic reputation (QS World University Rankings 2022).

The MSc Politics of Asia is organised along two pathways (South Asia / East Asia) with the option to combine courses from both whilst exploring courses covering other parts of the region. The degree examines the politics of Asia from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including political sociology, comparative politics, political theory, and international relations.

Explore

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with a 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher in a relevant subject. 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.

Featured events

duration:: One calendar year (full-time); Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)

Fees 2022/23

Home students fees:: £14,270

Overseas students fees:: £23,800

Fees for 2022/23 entrants. This is a Band 2 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

Convenors

Dr Rochana Bajpai Convenor
Dr Tat Yan Kong Convenor

Structure

Students take taught modules to the value of 120 credits PLUS a 10,000 word dissertation (15PPOC999) worth 60 credits.

Credits must be taken in the following combination;

Dissertation (15PPOC999)(60 credits)
Frameworks of Political Analysis (15PPOH055) (15 credits) AND
Methodology in the Social Sciences (15PPOH060) (15 credits) AND
A minimum of 60 credits from List B (East Asia OR South Asia pathway)
A maximum of 30 credits from List C (East Asia OR South Asia pathway) including language open options

Dissertation

This would focus on some aspect of Asian Politics.

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Dissertation in Politics and International Studies	15PPOC999	60	Full Year

List A

Compulsory modules

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Frameworks of Political Analysis	15PPOH055	15	Term 2
Methodology in the Social Sciences	15PPOH060	15	Term 1

List B

East Asia Pathway

Module	Code	Credits	Term
China and International Politics	15PPOH049	15	Term 1
Comparing Democracies in North East Asia	15PPOH050	15	Term 2
Elections, Social Movements and Gender in Taiwan	15PPOH054	15	Term 1
International Security Politics in East Asia	15PPOH059	15	Term 2
Political Economies of Northeast Asia: Japan, Korea and Taiwan	15PPOH061	15	Term 2
State and Society in the Chinese Political Process 1	15PPOH071	15	Term 1

List B

South Asia Pathway

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Geopolitics and Security in Central Asia and the Caucasus	15PPOH023	15	Term 2
Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia	15PPOH052	15	Term 2
International Relations of South Asia	15PPOH058	15	Term 2
Politics of South Asia: Beyond India	15PPOH068	15	Term 2

List C

East Asia Pathway: A maximum of 30 credits from List C (including language open options)

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Research	15PPOH035	15	Term 2
Taiwan in International Politics	15PPOH073	15	Term 2
East Asian Cinema (PG)	15PCHH051	15	Term 1
Economic development in the Asia Pacific region	15PECC030	15	Term 2
China and World Development	15PECH023	15	Term 1
Nationhood and Competing Identities in Modern China	15PHIH022	15	Term 1
The Two Koreas since 1953	15PJKH033	15 Credits
Law and Justice in Contemporary China	15PLAH071	15
Chinese 1 A (PG)	15PCHH031	15	Term 1
Chinese 1 B (PG)	15PCHH032	15	Term 2
Japanese 1 A (PG)	15PJKH035	15	Term 1
Japanese 1 B (PG)	15PJKH036	15	Term 2

List C

South Asia Pathway: A maximum of 30 credits from List C (including language open options)

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Approaches to Comparative Political Thought	15PPOH028	15	Term 1
Islamic/Democratic Political Thought	15PPOH046	15	Term 2
Queer Politics in Asia, Africa and the Middle East	15PGNH007	15	Term 2
Community, Religion, and Conflict in South Asian History	15PHIH041	15	Term 2
Law, Religion, and the State in South Asia	15PLAC129	30	Full Year
Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia - A	15PSAH034	15	Term 1
Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia - B	15PSAH035	15	Term 2
Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives	15PSRC052	30	Full Year
Hindi Language 1 A (PG)	15PSAH022	15	Term 1
Hindi Language 1 B (PG)	15PSAH023	15	Term 2

Programme Specification

MSc Politics of Asia Programme Specification 2020/21 (pdf; 806kb)

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

Teaching & Learning

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects. The MSc programme consists of three taught modules (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

Lectures

Most modules involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work taking place in two-hour sessions. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

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.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for 2022/23 entrants, per academic year (Band 2 tuition fee)

Full-time		Part-time 2 years		Part-time 3 years
Home Students	Overseas Students	Home Students	Overseas Students	Home Students	Overseas Students
£14,270	£23,800	£7,135	£11,900	£4,710	£7,855

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

Felix Non- Indian Scholarship

Application Deadline: 2022-01-28 15:00