MA South Asian Studies and Intensive Language

Structure

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 in the selected discipline.

In their first year, students take 30 credits of intensive language instruction in Hindi, Sanskrit or Urdu AND 60 credits in the disciplines and 15 credits open option. These modules should be chosen in close consultation with the programme convenor. They also take 15PLIH054 Intercultural Communication and Interaction OR 15PLIH004 Language, Society and Communication (Masters) (15 credits).

Over the summer between year 1 and 2 students study at one of our partner institutions in India (Study Abroad module - worth 45 credits), before returning to take another 30 language credits as well as 60 credits in the discipline; they also write their 10,000-word dissertation (15PSAC997 Dissertation in South Asian Studies - worth 60 credits).

Year 1

Taught Component

All students will take language modules in Hindi, Sanskrit or Urdu to the value of 30 credits from the list below.

• Bengali Language 1 A (PG)
• Bengali Language 1 B (PG)
• Bengali Language 2 (PG)
• Hindi Language 1 A (PG)
• Hindi Language 1 B (PG)
• Hindi Language 2 (PG)
• Hindi Language 3 (PG)
• Hindi Language 4 (PG)
• Nepali Language 1 A (PG)
• Nepali Language 1 B (PG)
• Nepali Language 2 (PG)
• Prakrit Language 1 (PG)
• Punjabi Language 1 A (PG)
• Punjabi Language 1 B (PG)
• Readings in Contemporary Hindi (PG)
• Sanskrit Language 1 A (PG)
• Sanskrit Language 1 B (PG)
• Sanskrit Language 2 (PG)
• Urdu Language 1 A (PG)
• Urdu Language 1 B (PG)
• Urdu Language 2 (PG)
• Urdu Literacy A (PG)
• Urdu Literacy B (PG)

Language [one language option as minor only]

• Persian 3 (PG)
• Elementary Written Persian A (PG)
• Elementary Written Persian B (PG)
• Intensive Persian Language
• Intermediate Persian Language (PG)
• Tibetan (Classical) 1 A
• Tibetan (Classical) 1 B

and

• Language, Society and Communication (Masters)
• Intercultural Communication and Interaction

and

Intensive Summer abroad studies worth 45 credits.
Students will take optional modules to the value of 60 from the list below (subject to availability).

Anthropology (minor only)

• African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern World
• Culture and Society of South Asia

Art and Archaeology

• The Indian Temple
• Arts of the Tamil Temple

Cinema

• Indian Cinema: Its History and Social Context
• Indian Cinema: Key Issues

Culture

• The Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia
• Culture and Conflict in Nepal

Development Studies

• Contemporary India: Issues, Methods and Approaches

Economics

• Political Economy of Development and Change in South Asia
• Topics in the Political Economy of Contemporary South Asia

History

• Colonialism and Nationalism in South Asia
• Environmental History of Asia
• Gender, law and the family in the history of modern South Asia
• Islam in South Asia

Law

• Law and Society in South Asia

Literature

• Directed Readings in the Literature of a Modern South Asian Language
• Literature & Colonialism in North India (Masters)
• Literatures of South Asia
• Narratives of Mobility in Contemporary Hindi Literature (Masters)
• Postcolonial Theory and Practice
• Sanskrit Literature
• Sanskrit Texts from the Hindu Tradition
• Theory and techniques of Comparative Literature

Music

• Indian vocal music: Styles and histories
• Sacred Sound in South Asia

Politics

• Government and politics of modern South Asia

Study of Religions & Philosophies

• Buddhism in Tibet
• Buddhist Meditation in India and Tibet
• Imag(in)ing Buddhahood in South Asia (1)
• Imag(in)ing Buddhahood in South Asia (2)
• Issues in Religion and Media
• Religions and Development
• The Origins and Development of Yoga in Ancient India

Year 2

Taught Component

All students will take language modules in Hindi, Sanskrit or Urdu to the value of 30 credits from the list above.

Students will take optional modules to the value of 60 from the list above (subject to availability)

and

• Dissertation in South Asian Area Studies

and

Intensive Summer abroad studies worth 45 credits.

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.

Why study South Asia and Intensive Language at SOAS?

• SOAS is ranked 1st in London and 9th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for Asian Studies.
• We are ranked 6th in the UK for employability (QS World University Rankings 2023).
• We are ranked top 10 in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for African and Middle Eastern Studies.
• Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

• How can data and evidence be assessed critically from printed and digital sources, problems of conflicting sources and interpretations be solved, materials be located, and research sources (particularly research library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources be used
• Subject-specific skills, for instance, familiarity with a South Asian language and the ability to read texts in that language, or advanced study of South Asian literature in its original language
• Aspects of South Asian history, economics, politics, management and legal systems, art and archaeology, literature, visual and popular culture, anthropology and music.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

• Students should become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence.
• Students should question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.
• Apply language learning skills to new linguistic challenges, or to new oral or written texts.

Subject-based practical skills

• Communicate effectively in writing.
• Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources.
• Present seminar papers.
• Participate constructively in the discussion of ideas introduced during seminars.
• Work to strict deadlines.
• Use and apply foreign language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Transferrable Skills

The programme will encourage students to:

• Write good essays and dissertations.
• Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
• Understand unconventional ideas.
• Study a variety of written and digital materials, in libraries and research institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
• Present (non–assessed) material orally.
• Communicate in a foreign language.

Graduates of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with skills in written and oral communication, analysis and problem solving.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

• Africa Matters
• Amnesty International
• Arab British Chamber of Commerce
• BBC World Service
• British High Commission
• Council for British Research in the Levant
• Department for International Development
• Edelman
• Embassy of Jordan
• Ernst & Young
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Google
• Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
• Middle East Eye
• Saïd Foundation
• TalkAbout Speech Therapy
• The Black Curriculum
• The Telegraph
• United Nations Development Programme
• UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
• Wall Street Journal

Two-year Masters programmes consist of 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 in the selected discipline.

The 215 credits taught at SOAS are taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks); The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which are optional.