Comparative Literature (Africa and Asia)

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The opportunity to move from the familiar Euro-American literary canons into the fresh but less well known worlds of African and Asian literature is what attracts most students to this popular MA.

At SOAS, students benefit from the unique expertise in this vast field possessed by the schools faculty.

This expertise is available to students interested in studying these literatures through English - including both original English language literatures of Africa and Asia and literature written in African and Asian languages presented through English translations.

While exploring new horizons and breaking out of the Euro-centric space in which comparative literature has developed so far, the course covers the major theoretical contributions made by Western scholars.

In doing so, it constructs a unique multi-cultural domain for the study of literature and its location in culture and society.

A prior knowledge of an African or Asian language is not a requirement for admission to this degree.

All students are required to take the core course in their first year. Two other courses, one major, one minor, plus a dissertation of 10,000 words must also be completed.

Core Course

* Theory And Techniques Of Comparative Literature - 15PCLC279 (1 unit Unit)

English Based Options

* Japanese Traditional Drama (Masters) - 15PEAH013 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Modern Japanese Literature (Masters) - 15PEAH012 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
* Modern Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (MA) - 15PCHH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
* Modern Film from Taiwan and the Chinese Diaspora - 15PCHH002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC004 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Literatures in African languages - 15PAFC124 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Travelling Africa: Writing the Cape to Cairo - 15PAFC139 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Aspects of African film and video 1 - 15PAFH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Aspects of African film and video 2 - 15PAFH007 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Literary Traditions and Culture of Korea (Masters) - 15PJKH005 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Trajectories of Modernity in 20th Century Korean Literature (Masters) - 15PJKH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
* Literatures of South Asia - 15PSAC284 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Postcolonial Theory and Practice - 15PSAC019 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Post-crisis Thai Cinema (1997-2007) - 15PSEH008 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
* War, Revolution and Independence in South East Asia Literatures in Translation (Masters) - 15PSEH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film - 15PSEH011 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Modern Arabic Literature and the West - 15PNMC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* 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
* Indian Cinema: Its History and Social Context - 15PSAH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Indian Cinema: Key Issues - 15PSAH002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Research Methods In Translation Studies - 15PLIH046 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Language Based Options:

* Readings in Korean Literature (Masters) - 15PJKC016 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* The novel in Swahili - 15PAFC014 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
* Social and Political Trends in 19th Century Turkish Literature - 15PNMC373 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Selected Topics in 20th Century Turkish Literature - 15PNMC374 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Social and Political Dimensions of Modern Arabic Literature - 15PNMC347 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Modern Palestinian Literature (Postgraduate) - 15PNMC379 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
* Sanskrit Literature - 15PSAC003 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Directed Readings in the Literature of a Modern South Asian Language - 15PSAC016 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Literature & Colonialism in North India - 155901295 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
* Narratives of Mobility in Contemporary Hindi Literature (Masters) - 15PSAH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* The Thai Novel - 15PSEC013 (1 unit - 45 CATS Unit)
* Contemporary Vietnamese Prose Fiction - 15PSEC016 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013
* Modern Vietnamese Poetry - 15PSEC017 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2012/2013

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.

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Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

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)