This programme provides students with exceptional opportunities for advanced study of one of the world’s most diverse and important regions, with an opportunity to pick and choose to intensively study from a variety of South East Asian language options. Language module options include: Burmese, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese.

Students on the programme come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some come into the programme having acquired an interest in South East Asia during their undergraduate career or as a result of travelling in the region.

The programme also attracts mature students: some take the MA as a partial preparation for employment in the region; others, having lived in South East Asia for a number of years, seek to place their experience and impressions into a more structured, analytical framework.

Knowledge of a South East Asian language is not a pre-requisite for admission to this programme.

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

The MA South East Asian Studies & Intensive Language is offered for four languages: Burmese, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai. For each of these, there are two pathways: Beginners and Intermediate.

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. 

Please note that on all Area Studies degrees, including South East Asian Studies:

• a maximum of 60 credits can be taken in any one subject area
• a minimum of three subject areas must be covered.

For information on the programme structure for the four-year part-time version of the programme, please see the pdf programme specification at the bottom of this page.

Two Years Language Beginner

Year 1 (two years full-time)

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list of Area Studies modules below to the value of 60 credits.

Language Component

30 credits in one of the following South East Asian languages:

Plus

Summer Abroad

Students participate in a Summer School abroad for the selected language.

Year 2 (two years full-time)

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list of Area Studies modules below to the value of 60 credits.

Language Component

30 credits in the relevant language:

Dissertation

Two Years Language Intermediate

Discipline Component

Module(s) from the list of Area Studies modules below to the value of 60 credits.

Language Component

30 credits in one of the following South East Asian languages:

Plus

Summer Abroad

Students participate in a Summer School abroad for the selected language.

Year 2 (two years full-time)

Language Component

30 credits in the relevant language:

Burmese

Indonesian

Choice of module depending on ability.

Thai

Choice of module depending on ability.

Vietnamese

Dissertation

List of Area Studies modules (subject to availability)

Anthropology

Art and Archaeology

Cinema

Economics (Major only)

Economics (Minor only)

Requires module convenor approval

History

International Studies and Diplomacy

Law (minor only)

Literature (appropriate language skills required)

Literature (no language requirement)

Music (minor only)

Politics

Programme Specification

• MA South East Asian Studies and Intensive Burmese Programme Specification (pdf; 194kb)
• MA South East Asian Studies and Intensive Indonesian Programme Specification (pdf; 202kb)
• MA South East Asian Studies and Intensive Thai Programme Specification (pdf; 201kb)
• MA South East Asian Studies and Intensive Vietnamese Programme Specification (pdf; 200kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

Contact Hours

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.

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.

More information is on the page for each module.

Knowledge

• How to locate and evaluate data from a variety of sources.
• Knowledge of aspects of the region, such as its history, politics, economics, arts, religions etc.
• Subject specific skills, such as an awareness of current critical thinking in a specific field, and the acquisition of language skills.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

• Development of precision and caution in assessing evidence.
• Development of critical awareness and independence of thought.
• Sensitivity to the existence of non-Eurocentric views and an awareness of the limitations of purely Eurocentric interpretations.
• Awareness of the value of a South East Asian language in understanding the culture of a specific country within the region.

Subject-based practical skills

• Development of written communication skills.
• Development of oral communication skills.
• Development of research skills.
• Development of language skills.

Transferrable skills

• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to access and assess information from both traditional and electronic sources.
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Ability to interact with native speakers of the language at an appropriate level.

Tuition Fees

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

This is a Band 1 tuition fee.

Fees for 2020/21 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. 2 year full-time programmes have 2 years of full-time fees - the fee in the second year will be higher than the fee for the first year (the full time fee below is for the first year only).

Scholarships

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

A postgraduate degree in South East Asian studies from SOAS provides its students with competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature, history, cinema, politics, economics or law.

Postgraduate students are equipped with linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research, along with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in
many professional and management careers in business, public or charity sectors. 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. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

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

• How to Apply
• Online Application
• Request a prospectus
• Got a question - use our enquiry form (opens a new window)
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts