Japan and Korea section & Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

BA Japanese and...

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Key information

Duration
4 years
Start of programme
September
Attendance mode
Full-time
Location
Russell Square, College Buildings
Fees

Home student fees: £9,250
Overseas student fees: £21,160

Please note that fees go up each year. 
See undergraduate fees for further details.

Course code
T210
Entry requirements

A Levels: ABB

Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Austria: Reifeprufungszeugnis / Maturazeugnis: four subjects at 1, 2, 2, 2 

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Belgium: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs: 75% (7.5/10, 15/20) overall

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Belgium

 

Bulgaria: Diploma za Zavarsheno Sredno Obrazovanie: 5.3 and 5.0 in two State Maturity Exams

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Bulgaria

Canada: High School Diploma: 80% with 5 acceptable Grade 12 subjects (most territories).
British Columbia: AABBB in Grade 12 courses.

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Canada

 

China: Senior Secondary Graduation Certificate + Gaokao: 78% overall in Gaokao PLUS 85% overall in Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate (year 11 and 12)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from China

 

Croatia: Matura Certificate: 4.5 overall with 5 in 1 Higher level subject

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Cyprus: Apolytirion with 2 A-Levels: Apolytirion 18/20 + A-level grades BB

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Czech Republic: Matura Certificate: 1, 2, 2, 2

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Denmark: Studentereksamen; Hojere Forberedelseseksamen; Hojere Handelseksamen; Hojere Teknisk Eksamen: 7 plus 10, 7, 7 in three Level A subjects

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Denmark

 

Estonia: Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus with the Riigieksamitunnistus: 4.0 with 85%, 80%, and 80% in 3 state exams

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Finland: Ylioppilastukint / Studentexamen: four subjects at 6, 5, 5, 5

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

France: French Baccalaureat or Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB): 13/20

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from France

 

Germany: Abitur: 1.8

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Germany

 

Greece: Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio with Pan Hellenic exams: 18/20

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Greece

 

Hong Kong: Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education: 544 in two electives and one core (all other subjects grade 3)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Hong Kong

 

Hungary: Matura (Erettségi): 4.5 overall

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Iceland: Stúdentspróf: 7.5

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

India: Standard XII: 75% (CBSE, CISCE, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra & West Bengal boards), 80% (all other state boards)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from India

 

Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate: H1, H2, H2, H3, H3

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Israel: Bagrut: Overall grade of 7, 80% with 3 subjects at 5-unit level

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Israel

 

Italy: Diploma Consequito con L’Esame di Stato: 80% overall

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Italy

 

Latvia: Certificate of General Secondary Education: 88% in four State subject exams

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Lithuania: Brandos Atestatas: 8.5/10 and 90%, 85%, 85% in three State Exam

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Lithuania

 

Malta: Advanced Matriculation Certificate: AB (Advanced) + BBB (Intermediate)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Netherlands: Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs: 7.5 overall with 8, 8, 7, 7 in four subjects

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Norway: Vitnemål vidergaende opplaering: 4.3 overall

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Norway

 

Poland: New Polish Matura: 75% in three Advanced Level subjects

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Poland

 

Portugal: Diploma de Ensino Secundario: overall 17.5/20

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

Romania: Diploma de Bacalaureat: 8.5 overall

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Romania

 

Singapore: Polytechnic Diploma (Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Singapore, Temasek and Republic Polytechnic): GPA 3.3

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Singapore

 

Slovakia: Maturitná skúška / Maturita / Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške: four subjects at 1, 2, 2, 2

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

 

South Africa: National Senior Certificate: 77666

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from South Africa

 

Spain: Curso de Orientación Universitaria / Título de Bachillerato: 7.5

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Spain

 

Sweden: Slutbetyg / Examensbevis från Gymnasieskolan: A in 1200 credits and no grades below D / 18 / mainly B overall (MVG/VG)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Sweden

Switzerland: Federal Maturity Certificate: 4.5

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Switzerland

Tanzania: Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education: ACSE with BBB in 3 principle subjects

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Tanzania

Trinidad and Tobago: CAPE: Six CAPE units with grade 2 (+two double-unit courses)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Turkey: Lise Diplomasi: 78-83% (depending on high school)

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from Turkey

USA: High School Diploma plus ACT, SAT, or AP exams:

  • High School Diploma GPA 3.0 plus SAT 1280 or ACT 27 and 2 AP's at 4,4
    or

  • High School Diploma GPA of 3.2 plus 2 AP's at 4,4
    or

  • High School Diploma GPA 3.4 plus SAT 1300 or ACT 29
    or

  • 2-year Associate degree GPA 3.1

A Level equivalent: ABB 
Contextualised offer: BBB

Information for prospective students from the USA

See undergraduate entry requirements and English language requirements for international and alternative entry requirements.

Course overview

The BA Japanese and… programme provides you with the highest level of competence in all aspects of the written and spoken language, as well as an introduction to both classical and modern Japanese culture in combination with another subject. 

From the study of contemporary Japanese society, film and popular culture to pre-modern literature and history, the BA Japanese is suitable for both absolute beginners as well as those with some prior knowledge of the Japanese language. If you already have prior knowledge of Japanese, you must sit a placement test in welcome week which will determine your entry level. Further information about these placement tests will be sent out to successful applicants before the start of the academic year.  

Students will spend the third year of study in Japan furthering their language proficiency and understanding of Japanese society and culture. 

Why study Japanese Combined Honours at SOAS?

  • SOAS is ranked 12th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2023).
  • We're ranked 6th in the UK for employability (QS World University Rankings 2023).
  • We are home to the largest concentration of Japan specialists outside of Japan.
  • You will not only learn the essential language skills but also an in depth understanding of the region’s culture covering subjects from literature, history, cinema, and politics.
  • You will spend your third year in Japan furthering language and cultural proficiency. 
  • We are specialists in the delivery of more that forty African and Asian languages. Your command of a language will set you apart from graduates of other universities.
  • Choosing to study a Combined Honours programme will allow you take advantage of the expertise of one of our other departments allowing you create a specialist niche for yourself.

Degree combinations

May be combined with

+ 4-year degree with (compulsory) 1-year abroad
++ 3 or 4-year degree with option of 1-year abroad

Key information set data

Structure

Students take a total of 120 credits each year which are equally split between the two courses, so 60 credits in East Asian Studies and 60 credits in the respective other subject.  

  • Year 1: students normally take 60 credits of language and 60 credits from their second subject. 
  • Year 2: students continue with language learning while adding the study of history and culture. The remaining 60 credits will be taken from the second subject. 
  • Year 3: students will spend the year abroad at one of the Japanese universities with which we have exchange partnership agreements. Please note that not all Japanese universities listed below are available every year and that some of them have entry requirements. 
  • Year 4: student continue with higher level language learning and choose modules on culture, history/literature/ISP available within the Japanese syllabus to the value of 60 credits. The remaining 60 credits will be taken from the second subject. 

Important notice 

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Year 1

Core module

Module Credits
J100: Elementary Japanese 60

Note

If you are placed in a higher-level language module, you must take an additional 30 credits of guided options 

Either

30 credits of language from the list below 

Or 

Module Credits
East Asian Civilizations 30

And

Second subject 

Modules to the value of 60 credits in accordance with the published course requirements of the second subject.  

Year 2

Core module

Module Credits
J200: Intermediate Japanese (30Cr) 30

Compulsory modules

Module Credits
East Asian Imperialisms 15
Contemporary Japanese Society 15

And

Second subject 

Modules to the value of 60 credits in accordance with the published course requirements of the second subject. 

.

Year 3

Year 3 is commonly spent at one of our Japanese partner universities. While in Japan, you will be subject to their degree regulations, including attendance requirements. 

Year 4

Compulsory modules

 

 

Module Credits
J400: Advanced Japanese 15
History and Memory in East Asian Cultures 15

Guided options

Modules from List A, List B or Open Options (at the relevant FHEQ level for your academic year of study) to the value of 30 credits.  

And

Second subject 

Modules to the value of 60 credits in accordance with the published course requirements of the second subject. 

Year 4 - List A
Guided option modules

FHEQ Level 5/6

Module Credits
Japanese Traditional Drama 15
Identity and social relations in Japanese 15
Independent Study Project in East Asian Studies 30
J401: Japanese-English Translation 15
Japanese Cinema (UG) 15
Modernity, Nation and Identity in Japanese History (1853-1945) 15
Writing from the Margins: Minority and "Outsider" Texts in Modern Japanese Literature 15

List B

Language option modules

FHEQ Level 5/6

Module Credits
Chinese 1 A 15
Chinese 1 B 15
Chinese 3 30
Chinese 4 30
Chinese 5 15
Chinese for Business 15
Korean 1 A 15
Korean 1 B 15
Korean 2 30
Korean 3 30
Korean 4 30

Teaching and learning

All full-time undergraduate programmes consist of 120 credits per year, in modules of 60, 30 or 15 credits. They are taught over 10 or 20 weeks. The programme structure shows which modules are taught over one term or the full year. It also shows which modules are compulsory and which are optional.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study. 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.

Year abroad

All students spend their third year in Japan at one of the Japanese universities listed below, following successful completion of their second year. Please note that not all universities will have places available every year.

Tokyo

Nagoya

Kyoto

Osaka

Kobe

Hokkaido

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.

Pre-entry reading

  • B. Frellesvig, A History of the Japanese Language (Cambridge University Press, 2011)
  • K. Friday, Japan Emerging: Premodern History to 1850 (Westview Press, 2012)
  • C. Gerteis and T.S. George, Japan Since 1945: From Postwar to Post-bubble (Bloomsbury, 2013)
  • C. Goto-Jones, Modern Japan: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2009)
  • J. Hendry, Understanding Japanese Society (Routledge, 2012)
  • M.B. Jansen, The Making of Modern Japan (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2000)
  • H. Shirane, T. Suzuki, and D. Lurie (eds.), The Cambridge History of Japanese Literature (Cambridge University Press, 2015)
  • P. Varley, Japanese Culture (University of Hawai’i Press, 2000)

Fees and funding

Fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year

Programme Full-time
Home students Overseas students

BA, BSc, LLB

£9,250

 £21,160
BA/BSc Language year abroad £1,385 £10,580

Please note that fees go up each year.

See undergraduate fees for further details.

Employment

Graduates from the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures develop competencies in intercultural awareness, analysis and communication. Demand for specialists with advanced proficiency in the languages of China, Japan and Korea has significantly increased in recent years, and graduates with these skills are highly sought after by employers.

Recent graduates have been hired by organisations including:

  • Accenture
  • Amazon
  • Bloomberg LP
  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea
  • European Commission
  • Google
  • ITN
  • Japanese Government
  • Korea Trade Centre (KOTRA)
  • KPMG
  • Mizuho Bank
  • Nagahama Board of Education
  • Nanjing Museum
  • Pinsent Masons LLP
  • PwC
  • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Shelterbox
  • United Nations Development Programme

Find out about our Careers Service.

Key staff

Apply now
Watch a taster lecture
Book an Open Day
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