A reimagined online degree portfolio at SOAS, launching September 2026
Overview
SOAS University of London is launching a reimagined portfolio of online degrees for September 2026 entry, opening up new ways to study with one of the world’s leading institutions for global, interdisciplinary education.
Designed for ambitious learners around the world, the new offer combines SOAS’s distinctive academic expertise with flexible, high-quality online learning - enabling students to build future-ready skills, engage with cutting-edge research, and study on pathways that fit their lives.
Wherever you are in the world, we want students to be able to access the expertise of SOAS academics and experience a rich and uniquely SOAS student experience.
Our new online learning portfolio reflects SOAS’s distinctive mission and strengths. It is designed around unique graduate attributes that combine global perspectives, critical thinking and practical expertise, while offering stackable and flexible pathways that fit around the realities of modern professional life. By aligning learning with the skills most valued by employers and embedding direct access to the latest SOAS research, we are enabling learners to progress with confidence, relevance and impact in an increasingly complex global economy.
Flexible learning, designed around you
Your current and future career aspirations
Every module and assessment has been designed to enhance your career
Unique graduate attributes
Connect your studies with your careers and showcase the skills you have gained
Impactful assessment that adds value
We don't use exams. Our assessment approach prioritises innovative methods to meet your needs
Our 6 module structure
All modules comprise structured, live and directed individual learning-based using our new online platform
Frontiers in Research module
Study alongside SOAS academics as you explore live research shaping global debates, policy and professional practice
Recognising the trust you place in us
Your trust in us shapes everything we do to deliver an outstanding educational experience
Our new portfolio
Express your interest
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Key changes and features
Structure
Each of our part-time online programmes will have a 2-year (accelerated version) and a standard 3-year version, making it easier to fit study into busy lives. All programmes comprise six 30-credit modules: two subject-specific ones and the third, a choice from within your specific subject or from across any of our programmes. Additionally, there are three compulsory SOAS-wide modules. This allows you to engage in deep learning in your chosen subject alongside the skills and attributes to put this knowledge into practice.
The three compulsory SOAS-wide modules comprise 90-credits, which are focused on advanced research skills drawing for SOAS’s expertise in understanding the political, social, economic, historical and cultural dynamics of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and their diasporas. This interdisciplinary approach affords new opportunities to network and learn from our global community through the lens of your chosen subject.
- Advances Skills in Research Design: explores research paradigms, methodologies, methods, ethics and approaches. We believe it is essential for you to have a strong understanding of multiple research paradigms, methods and methodologies so you can choose the best approach to meet your needs. You will engage in discussions about how research choices intersect with power, privilege and hidden bias, and how design decisions can reinforce or challenge power imbalances and dominant viewpoints.
- Frontiers in Research: showcases the research undertaken by SOAS staff—you will be able to engage with those at the cutting edge of knowledge creation, thought leadership and professional practice. You can choose topics aligned with your subject of choice or explore a topic from our menu spanning all our programmes.
- Capstone Dissertation/Project: in which you design, conduct, and present an independent piece of research or an applied project which looks to solve a real-world, practical problem. This can be a dissertation or a piece of professional practice, including using a project from your current work or employment.
Teaching and delivery
Each module is 14 weeks long (including a reading week), with a dedicated 300 hours teaching and learning: 100 hours for all student assessment-related work and 200 hours for structured learning, teaching activities and independent study.
Modules teaching comprises a mixture of synchronous (live, real-time online learning) and asynchronous (flexible, self-paced learning) approaches, with a focus on discussion, application, and co-creation of learning. Modules will typically have five ‘live’ online sessions which will be interactive – explicitly designed for engagement.
To support attendance, all online sessions, will be published well in advance – if you cannot make a session, the content will be recorded for future ‘on demand’ use. Tutor support is available throughout all our modules and can be booked with the module team. You will also have an academic advisor to support you with your studies.
Employability
We recognise you may be taking one of our programmes to broaden your career opportunities or advance within their chosen field. As such, developing your employability is a key feature of SOAS Online and we have applied approaches to identify and embed these:
- Aligning SOAS Graduate Attributes to all modules. Our attributes describe what makes a SOAS graduate, enabling graduates to connect their studies to their careers and showcase the skills they have gained. These attributes align with SOAS’s values and demonstrate our commitment to equality, diversity and reimagining social inclusion.
- Aligning employability skills with assessment modalities: key employability skills are integrated into the module documentation and embedded into the learning, teaching and assessment approach.
- Individual module employability skill mapping: each module will be based upon specific teaching and learning approaches as part of the learning design and vision for graduate success.