Chinese Studies

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Students who take this degree come from many countries and have a wide variety of academic backgrounds. While some wish to broaden their previous studies or experience of China, others approach the course without having a Chinese element to their first degree, but with a desire to focus their previous training on the region.

The MA Chinese Studies provides an exceptional opportunity to take advantage of the wide range of disciplinary approaches to the study of Chinese societies available at SOAS.The main emphasis is on modern and contemporary China, although it is also possible to study aspects of pre-Modern China.In addition to the courses on offer, students develop their own particular area of specialisation by writing a dissertation in their major discipline.

When applying, applicants are asked to specify their preferred major subject, and asked to give an alternative as practical considerations such as time tabling and availability of courses may limit freedom of choice. Once enrolled, students have two weeks to finalise their choice of subjects and have the opportunity of sampling a variety of subjects through attending lectures etc.

Students take three taught courses, one of which is considered a major, and complete a 10,000-word dissertation related to the major. As the emphasis in the Regional Studies programmes is on interdisciplinary study, students are required either to select
their three courses from three different disciplines OR two minor courses from the same discipline and the major from a different one.

China and Inner Asia

* Modern Film from Taiwan and the Chinese Diaspora - 15PCHH002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Society and Culture in Taiwan - 15PCHH003 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Modern Chinese Literature (MA) - 15PCHC003 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Modern Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Traditional Chinese Language and Literature - 15PCHC005 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC004 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (MA) - 15PCHH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Available as a minor only

* Modern Documentary Texts - 15PEAC007 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Language (minor only)

Only one language course may be taken.

* Special Course in Chinese 1 (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC008 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Special Course in Chinese II (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC011 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Special Course in Chinese 3 (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC009 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Special Course in Chinese IV (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC012 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classical and Literary Chinese (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC010 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Special Chinese: Advanced Chinese for Business and Management - 15PCHH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Elementary spoken Hokkien (Minnanyu, Taiwanese) (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC007 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Practical Translation: Chinese to English - 15PCHH004 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Practical Translation: English to Chinese - 15PCHH005 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
* Intensive Elementary Tibetan (Postgraduate) - 15PCHC018 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Styles of Modern Chinese Literary Language - 15PCHC016 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Art and Archaeology

* Art and Archaeology of the Silk Road - 15PARC032 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Ancient Chinese Civilisation - 15PARC026 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Available as a minor only

* Ceramics in Chinese Culture: 10th - 18th Centuries - 15PARH046 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

Anthropology and Sociology (minor only)

* Culture and Society of China - 15PANC089 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Media and Film Studies

* Japanese Transnational Cinema: From Kurosawa to Asia Extreme and Studio Ghibli - 15PMSH017 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Japanese Post-War Film Genres and the Avant-Garde - 15PMSH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Development Studies

* East Asia and globalisation - 15PDSH025 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

Economics

* Economic problems and policies in modern China - 15PECC035 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Economic development of modern Taiwan - 15PECH002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
* Economic dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region - 15PECC334 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Politics and International Studies

* Taiwan's politics and cross-strait relations - 15PPOC252 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* State and society in the Chinese political process - 15PPOC012 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* China and international politics - 15PPOC018 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* International politics of East Asia - 15PPOC251 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Available as a minor only

* Northeast Asian politics: Japan, Korea and Taiwan - 15PPOC253 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Law

* Modern Chinese law and human rights - 15PLAC139 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Chinese commercial law - 15PLAC106 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Foundations of Chinese law - 15PLAC110 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Music

* Pop and Politics in East Asia (Masters) - 15PMUH014 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Musical Traditions of East Asia (Masters) - 15PMUH016 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Religion

* African Missionaries - 15PSRH043 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* East Asian Buddhist Thought - 15PSRH018 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Chinese Buddhism in the Pre-Modern Period - 15PSRC160 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
* The Great Tradition of Taoism - 15PSRH036 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Chinese Religious Texts: A Reading Seminar - 15PSRH038 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Locating China I: China and other Worldviews before 'Westernization' - 15PSRH025 (0.5 Unit) - Not Running 2012/13
* Locating China II: Missionaries and Misfits in the British Construction of China - 15PSRH026 (0.5 Unit) - Not Running 2012/13

History

* Knowledge and Power in Early Modern China - 15PHIH024 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
* Nationhood and Competing Identities in Modern China - 15PHIH022 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

Minimum Entry Requirements: Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent)English language requirementsIn order to ensure that SOAS students have a sufficient standard of English to study effectively, we require overseas students to submit evidence, during the application process, of their current level of proficiency.Score for Unconditional Entry * IELTS: Overall 7+ with at least 7 in all sub scores * TOEFL: iBT105+ with at least 25 in all sub scores * Pearson Test of English - Academic: Score of 75 or above with at least 70 in all sub scores English Language Requirements IELTS band: 7 TOEFL iBT® test: 105 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Scholarships and Bursaries

There are some scholarships and bursaries available for postgraduate students. These are very competitive and early application is advised.

· The Ahmad Mustafa Abu-Hakima Bursary (programme must include studying the history of the modern Arab world)

· AKS Postgraduate Bursary (in Korean Studies)

· Bernard Buckman Scholarship (MA Chinese Studies, for UK/EU fee paying students)

· The Canon Collins Scholarships at SOAS. There are two scholarships available available in 2013-14 for study at SOAS. These scholarships are for Masters study in any subject field. Open a national of and resident in one of the following countries:
Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The application process normally opens in December and closes in February, for study commencing in September the following year. Please go to the Canon Collins website and click "Apply for A Scholarship" and then "Canon Collins Scholarship for Masters Study in the UK" for further information on how to apply.

· Commonwealth Shared Scholarship (for students from African Commonwealth countries)

· D.G.Hall Scholarship (Taught Masters programmes at SOAS, for applicants holding a Burma/Myanmar passport)

· Felix Scholarships (for Indian students)

· Ferguson Scholarships (for African nationals from an African Country)

· HSBC SOAS Scholarships (MA Sinology & MA Chinese Literature, for UK/EU fee paying students)

· Kamran Djam Scholarships (MA Iranian Studies)

· Professor Stuart Wilson Scholarship (MA South East Asian Studies)

· Standard Chartered Scholarships (for a range of full-time Taught Masters programmes. The programmes relate to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East/NorthAfrica)

· Tibawi Trust Awards (for Palestinian students currently enrolled in a programme at SOAS)

· SOAS Master's Scholarships - Faculty of Arts & Humanities - (for any full-time taught masters programme in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities)

· SOAS Master's Scholarships - Faculty of Language & Cultures (for the full-time MA Gender Studies, MA Postcolonial Studies, MA Linguistics, MA Applied Linguistics & Language Pedagogy, MA Language, Documentation and Description, MA Translation Theory and Practice (Asian and African Languages)

· SOAS Master's Scholarships- Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (for any full-time master's programmes in the Department of Development Studies, Economics, Law, Politics & International Studies and Financial & Management Studies)

· Tallow Chandlers and M. W Beer scholarship (MA) (MA Anthropology of Food, for UK/EU fee paying students)

· William Ross Murray Scholarship (LLM, for students from a developing country)