The Department of Politics and International Studies offers seven linked masters programmes in politics and the international politics of Asia and Africa.

The MSc African Politics is a regional specialist MSc, aiming to provide students with a detailed specialist understanding of both domestic and international politics (and of the implications of one for the other) in Africa. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work.

Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write substantial papers that often require significant independent work.

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Overview

Students must take 180 credits comprised of 120 taught credits (including core and option modules) and a 60 credit dissertation:

• 15PPOC205 Government & Politics in Africa (core).
• THREE modules from B, C or D, with no more than 30 credits coming from List D, and no more than four x 15 credit modules.
• Dissertation on some aspect of African Politics (compulsory).

Please note that not all option modules may run every year.

Dissertation

This would focus on some aspect of African Politics.

Core Module

Module must be completed successfully for the achievement of an exit award.

AND

Choose modules to the total value of 90 credits from List B, List C and List D, with no more than 30 credits coming from List D, and no more than four 15-credit modules.

List B: Full-Unit Politics Modules

List C: Half-Unit Politics Modules

List D: Modules focused on Africa in a cognate discipline

Courses from this section may only be taken with permission of the programme convenor and relevant course convenor.

Programme Specification

• MSc African Politics Programme Specification 2018/19 (pdf; 164kb)

Important notice

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. 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 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

Learning Resources

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

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the Registry's Postgraduate Tuition Fees page.

This is a Band 3 tuition fee.

Fees for 2020/21 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Fees go up each year, therefore, your tuition fee in your second & subsequent years of study will be higher. Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section

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