Department of Politics and International Studies
BA Politics and...
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Key information
Key information
- Duration
- 3 or 4 years
- Start of programme
- September
- Attendance mode
- Full-time
- Location
- Russell Square, College Buildings
- Fees
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Home student fees: £9,250
Overseas student fees: £21,160Please note that fees go up each year.
See undergraduate fees for further details. - Entry requirements
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A Levels: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB
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Austria: Reifeprufungszeugnis / Maturazeugnis: four subjects at 1, 1, 2, 2
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Belgium: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs: 80% (8/10, 16/20) overall
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Belgium
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Bulgaria: Diploma za Zavarsheno Sredno Obrazovanie: 5.5 and 5.0 in two State Maturity Exams
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Canada: High School Diploma: 83% with 5 acceptable Grade 12 subjects (most territories).
British Colombia: AAABB in Grade 12 subjects.A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Canada
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China: Senior Secondary Graduation Certificate + Gaokao: 80% overall in Gaokao PLUS 85% overall in Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate (year 11 and 12)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from China
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Croatia: Matura Certificate: 5 overall with 5 in 2 Higher level subjects
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Cyprus: Apolytirion with 2 A-Levels: Apolytirion 18/20 + A-level grades AB
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Czech Republic: Matura Certificate: 1, 1, 2, 2
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Denmark: Studentereksamen; Hojere Forberedelseseksamen; Hojere Handelseksamen; Hojere Teknisk Eksamen: 10 plus 10, 10, 7 in three Level A subjects
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Denmark
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Estonia: Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus with the Riigieksamitunnistus: 4.5 with 85%, 85%, and 80% in 3 state exams
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Finland: Ylioppilastukint / Studentexamen: four subjects at 6, 6, 6, 5
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
France: French Baccalaureat or Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB): 14/20
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from France
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Germany: Abitur: 1.6
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Germany
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Greece: Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio with Pan Hellenic exams: 18.5/20
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Greece
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Hong Kong: Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education: 554 in two electives and one core module (all other subjects grade 3)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Hong Kong
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Hungary: Matura (Erettségi): 5 overall
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Iceland: Stúdentspróf: 8
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
India: Standard XII: 80% (CBSE, CISCE, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra & West Bengal boards), 85% (all other state boards)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from India
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Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate: H1, H1, H2, H2, H3
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Israel: Bagrut: Overall grade of 8-10, 85% with 3 subjects at 5-unit level
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Israel
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Italy: Diploma Consequito con L’Esame di Stato: 85% overall
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Italy
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Latvia: Certificate of General Secondary Education: 88% in four State subject exams
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Lithuania: Brandos Atestatas: 9/10 and 90%, 90%, 85% in three State Exams
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Lithuania
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Malta: Advanced Matriculation Certificate: AA (Advanced) + BBB (Intermediate)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Netherlands: Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs: Overall 7.5 with 8, 8, 8, 7 in four subjects
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Norway: Vitnemål vidergaende opplaering: 4.7 overall
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Norway
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Poland: New Polish Matura: 80% in three Advanced Level subjects
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Poland
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Portugal: Diploma de Ensino Secundario: overall 18/20
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Romania: Diploma de Bacalaureat: 9 overall
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Romania
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Singapore: Polytechnic Diploma (Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Singapore, Temasek and Republic Polytechnic): GPA 3.5
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Singapore
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Slovakia: Maturitná skúška / Maturita / Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške: four subjects at 1, 1, 2, 2
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
South Africa: National Senior Certificate: 77766
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from South Africa
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Spain: Curso de Orientación Universitaria / Título de Bachillerato: 8
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABBInformation for prospective students from Spain
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Sweden: Slutbetyg / Examensbevis från Gymnasieskolan: A in 1500 credits and no grades below D / 18.5 / mainly A overall (MVG/VG)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Switzerland: Federal Maturity Certificate: 4.7
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Tanzania: Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education: ACSE with AAB in 3 principle subjects
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Trinidad and Tobago: CAPE: Six CAPE units with grade 2 (+two double-unit courses = grade 2)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
Turkey: Lise Diplomasi: 80-85% (depending on high school)
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB -
USA: High School Diploma plus ACT, SAT, or AP exams:
- High School Diploma GPA 3.2 plus SAT 1300 or ACT 29 and 2 AP's at 5,4/ 3 AP's at 5,4,4
or - High School Diploma GPA of 3.4 plus 2 AP's at 5,4 or 3 AP's at 5,4,4
or - High School Diploma GPA of 3.5 plus SAT 1340 or ACT 30
or - 2-year Associate degree GPA 3.2
A Level equivalent: AAB
Contextualised offer: ABB - High School Diploma GPA 3.2 plus SAT 1300 or ACT 29 and 2 AP's at 5,4/ 3 AP's at 5,4,4
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See undergraduate entry requirements for international and alternative entry requirements.
Course overview
The BA Politics and…combined honours degree offers you the ability to combine their training in politics with another subject taught at SOAS.
This combination will allow you to learn about political phenomena or regions of their interest from multiple disciplinary angles. Alternatively, you can also combine Politics with a language which opens up the possibility of deep engagement with one of the regions or countries you are interested in, including a Year Abroad for language studies.
At the end of this joint degree, you will have developed the ability to analyse domestic political questions and current affairs across the world in their various dimensions.
For the Politics component of the joint degree, students will take the core module in Political Analysis in their first year together with Political Theory or Comparative Politics. In year 2 and 3, they will have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of regional and disciplinary modules and open options.
Students taking BA Politics with another subject must satisfy the requirements of both departments.
Why Study Politics and… (combined degree) at SOAS?
- ranked 5th in the UK for Politics (QS World University Rankings 2022)
- as well as 3rd globally for academic reputation (QS World University Rankings 2022)
- 5th in the UK (Guardian League Table 2023)
- combined training in politics with another subject or a language
- the opportunity to spend a Year Abroad for language studies
- a non-Western, global perspective on the key issues of domestic and international politics
Degree combinations
May be combined with
- Arabic +, LT26 BA/PLOA
- Chinese +, LT21 BA/POLCH
- Development Studies , LL92 BA/POLDVS
- Economics , LL12 BA/POLEC
- East Asian Studies
- History , LV21 BA/POLH
- International Relations
- Japanese , LT22 BA/POLJ
- Korean +, LTFL BA/POLKO
- Languages and Cultures
- Law , LM21 BA/POLLW
- Linguistics
- Social Anthropology , LL62 BA/SAPOL
- World Philosophies , L200, BA/POLWP
Key information set data
Structure
The BA Politics and… is a two subject three-year degree programme.
The information below describes the Politics component of the degree.
Over the course of a three-year degree, students must complete 360 credits. These can be split evenly between both subjects (180/180), or be varied between the two subjects if the programme structure gives scope for this. Students must have at least 150 credits in one subject (with a maximum of 240 credits being possible) and 120 credits in the other subject (with a maximum of 210 credits being possible) in order to be awarded a two-subject degree. The subject in which the higher amount of credits has been passed will be named first on the final degree awarded.
Please note: Students taking BA Politics with another subject must satisfy the requirements of both Departments
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
Compulsory module
Students will take the following compulsory module
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Political Analysis | 30 |
And 30 credits from the first year options list below
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Political Theory | 30 |
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | 30 |
Second subject
Students will take modules to the value of 60 credits from their second subject.
Year 2
Credits must be taken in the following combination;
- 30 credits from disciplinary options
- 30 credits from regional options
- 60 credits from second subject
Disciplinary options
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Politics of Development | 15 |
| Politics of Nationalism | 15 |
| Concepts in Political Theory | 15 |
| Performance and Politics | 15 |
| Political Parties and Elections | 15 |
Second subject
Students will take modules to the value of 60 credits from the second subject.
Year 3
Credits must be taken in the following combination;
- A minimum of 30 credits from list A
- Remaining 60 credits can be taken from lists A, B, or open options (maximum of 30 credits from the open options list) language open options, non-language open options.
- A minimum of 30 credits from the second subject
List B
Second subject
Students will take modules to the value of 60 credits from their second subject.
Teaching and learning
The programme provides methodological and skills training throughout and allows final year students to undertake an independent research project, such as a dissertation, supervised by an academic member of staff.
By the end of the programme students will have acquired a range
Contact hours
Most of our modules are taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials. Lectures (50 minutes) provide broad overviews of the topic. They are accompanied by tutorials (50 minutes) that give students the opportunity to discuss readings and key issues in small groups.
In the final year, modules may also take the form of two-hour seminars allowing for deeper engagement with more specialised topics. of transferable skills. This includes the ability to collect and synthesise information, read and evaluate complex materials, assess the evidence for a range of different positions, construct arguments, exercise independence of judgement and communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Year abroad
If Politics is combined with a language in a 4-year degree course, students spend a study year abroad.
Learning resources
Students also benefit from the vibrant learning environment SOAS provides more broadly. The 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. Moreover, every year there is a lively events programme that attracts renowned speakers from around the world, allowing students to engage with cutting edge debates on contemporary politics.
Scholarships
| Title | Deadline date |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Research Awards |
Fees and funding
Fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year
| Programme | Full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Home students | Overseas students | |
|
BA, BSc, LLB |
£9,250 |
£20,160 |
| BA/BSc Language year abroad | £1,385 | £10,580 |
Please note that fees go up each year.
See undergraduate fees for further details.
Employment
SOAS Politics and International Relations students leave SOAS not only with a knowledge and understanding of the complex political and cultural issues of our time, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers.
Recent graduates have been hired by:
- BBC World Service
- Bloomberg
- British Red Cross
- British Council
- Center for International Peace Operations
- Channel 4
- Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA)
- Department for International Development (DfID)
- Eversheds LLP
- Financial Times
- Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
- Global Policy Institute
- Go East Consulting
- Grassroot Diplomat
- Palestine Red Crescent Association
- Save the Children
- UNICEF Ethiopia
- United Nations
Find out about our Careers Service.
