Director of the Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art & Senior Lecturer in Arts Education
SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art
SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art
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Key information
Key information
- Start of programme
- October, January or April
- Attendance mode
- Full-time, in-person or online
- Location
- Russell Square, College Buildings
- Course code
- PGOF0001
Course overview
The SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art at SOAS University of London offers a unique programme renowned for its excellence.
We lead you on a journey of object-based study through lectures and contributions from a wide range of leading scholars, curators, and art market professionals. We have a formal association with the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, which allows us to offer exceptional access to the collections and curatorial expertise of both institutions.
The Postgraduate Diploma will appeal to all those with a serious interest in Asian art, regardless of your personal, professional or academic background. It is also a proven pathway to further postgraduate study in Asian art and careers in museums, the commercial art world and academia.
Students can study with us in-person, online or a combination of the two.
For more information, please view our prospectus:
SOAS-Alphawood Prospectus 2024-25
PDF document, 19.28MB
Minimum entry requirements
Candidates are expected to hold a good undergraduate degree in any subject or equivalent experience. Prior knowledge of Asian art history or archaeology is not a requirement, though candidates are expected to have an interest in the area.
Language requirements
All international applicants must be able to show that their English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete the course.
Find out more about SOAS' English language requirements including details regarding exemptions and alternative forms of evidence.
Application procedure
Please apply by completing our online application form. You must also submit:
- Your undergraduate degree transcript or certificate
- Evidence of proficiency in English language (where applicable)
- Copy of the photo page of your passport
Contact us
- Email: asianart@soas.ac.uk
- Phone: +44 (0)20 7898 4445
- Dr Malcolm McNeill, Programme Director (mm133@soas.ac.uk)
- Mr Patrick Monger, Programme Manager (pm50@soas.ac.uk)
Structure
The SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art offers nine immersive modules, each eleven weeks in length, either in-person or online.
You can take any number or combination of modules and you can begin the programme in October, January or April.
Our in-person modules require full-time attendance in London and feature on-site visits to museum galleries and reserve collections.
Our online modules are accessible from anywhere in the world and also allow you to study alongside other commitments. They feature bespoke contributions from museum curators bringing the artworks of museum galleries and reserve collections to you virtually.
We also offer three supporting courses. Analysing & Exploring the Arts and an Independent Study Project in Asian Art History are available both in person and online and run alongside each term. Asian Art in the Museum is an intensive two-week, in-person immersion in object-based study of Asian art run during SOAS’ Summer School each July, based at our London campus.
Upcoming Modules
| In-Person Modules | Module Dates | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Arts of the Islamic World | 22 Apr- 10 Jul 2024 (biennially) | 30 Credit Points |
| Arts of Southeast Asia | 22 Apr - 10 Jul 2024 (biennially) | 30 Credit Points |
| Arts of India | 30 Sep - 18 Dec 2024 (annually) | 30 Credit Points |
| Arts of China | 6 Jan - 26 Mar 2025 (annually) | 30 Credit Points |
| Arts of Japan & Korea | 21 Apr - 9 Jul 2025 (biennially) | 30 Credit Points |
| Arts of the Buddhist World | 21 Apr - 9 Jul 2025 (biennially) | 30 Credit Points |
| Online Modules | Module Dates | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Asia’s Art Histories | 30 Sep - 18 Dec 2024 (annually) | 30 Credit Points |
| Curating Asian Art | 6 Jan - 26 Mar 2025 (annually) | 30 Credit Points |
| Arts of Southeast Asia (online) | 21 Apr - 9 Jul 2025 (biennially) | 30 Credit Points |
| Supporting Courses | Dates | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| Analysing and Exploring the Arts | Runs termly, in-person and online | 15 Credit Points |
| Independent Study Project in Asian Art History | Runs termly, in-person and online | 15 Credit Points |
| Asian Art in the Museum | Runs annually in July, in-person | 15 Credit Points |
Academic qualifications and credit points
The SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art programme offers two qualifications:
| Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art | Requires 120 Credit Points |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate Certificate in Asian Art | Requires 60 Credit Points |
- The award of Postgraduate Diploma is made on the successful completion of three modules and two supporting courses within 3-years
- The award of Postgraduate Certificate is made on the successful completion of one module and two supporting courses within 1-year
The supporting course Analysing and Exploring the Arts is compulsory for both qualifications and will be taken alongside your first module. You can select either the Independent Study Project in Asian Art History or Asian Art in the Museum as your second supporting course.
Teaching and learning
Programme learning outcomes
- Acquire a contextualised understanding of diverse artistic traditions, and visual and material cultures from multiple regions across Asia
- Develop skills and confidence in object-led visual and material analysis
- Reflect critically on the contexts in which you encounter objects studied on this course
- Engage critically with current and past scholarship in relevant fields
- Develop rigorous academic skills for postgraduate study, research, writing and argumentation, moving toward autonomous, independent study
- Relate your newly developed skills and knowledge to global opportunities for vocational and voluntary contributions to the arts
Scholarships
Fees and funding
Fees
| In-Person | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Certificate (with Asian Art in the Museum) | £5,660 (£6,610) | £3,315 (£4,265) |
| Postgraduate Diploma (with Asian Art in the Museum) | £16,980 (£17,930) | £9,945 (£10,895) |
Fees are calculated based on a single in-person module fee of £5,660 and a single online module fee of £3,315 and can be paid on a module-by-module basis.
A single module fee includes the two supporting courses, Analysing and Exploring the Arts and an Independent Study Project in Asian Art History.
Selecting Asian Art in the Museum as a supporting course, as an alternative to the Independent Study Project, requires a supplementary fee of £950.
It can be possible to combine online modules with in-person modules as part of this programme. This will result in a variation to the above stated total fees, which we will be happy to discuss with you prior to or on receipt of an application.
The above fees are accurate for the 2024/25 academic year. Fees may be subject to annual increases.
Deposits and Payment Schedules
Successful applicants must secure their place on each module by making a £500 deposit payment, which will be credited towards your module fee.
The remaining module fee must be paid four weeks prior to each module start date.
If you are beginning your studies with Asian Art in the Museum, you will be required to pay a £2,250 fee towards this course (the cost of taking it independently). This will be credited to your total fee and deducted from your initial module balance so that only the £950 supplementary fee is applied.
Alumni discount
A 20% reduction in tuition fees is available to all students who have an Undergraduate degree in any subject from SOAS, but no higher qualification. (Please note that you cannot receive the SOAS Alumni discount if you have already received another discount / scholarship from the University.)
Auditing
We also offer spaces on the programme to those who are not seeking an academic qualification. Those who choose to audit the course enjoy full access as a SOAS student but are not required to complete the assessments. Auditors pay the full module fee.
Scholarships
We are currently offering the following scholarship opportunities:
- Alphawood Scholarship - this scholarship covers full tuition fees for the Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art and an allowance to cover living costs during term time for the 2023/24 academic year.
