School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics & Japan and Korea section

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Duration
Two years (full-time), four-year (part-time)
Start of programme
September
Attendance mode
Full-time or part-time
Location
On Campus
Fees

Home: £12,710
International: £26,330

Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

 

See international entry requirements and English language requirements

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This MA is designed to provide intensive language training at different proficiency levels - depending on entry level - within a Masters programme in Japanese Studies

The MA Japanese Studies and Intensive Language programme allows students to:

  • cultivate or further develop a basic expertise in particular aspects of Japanese Studies
  • choose modules that meet their own needs, with respect to their interest in Japan and future career plans
  • develop their abilities to synthesize information, to think critically, to manage a complex research project and to present results in verbal and written form
  • achieve a high level of language proficiency
  • master transferable language and analytical skills in order to prepare for a variety of potential future professional or research careers

You can view all the intensive language options available in the combined courses tool below. 

Why study Japanese and Intensive Language at SOAS?

  • SOAS is ranked 12th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2023).
  • We are ranked 6th in the UK for employability (QS World University Rankings 2023).
  • We are home to the largest concentration of Japan specialists outside of Japan.
  • You will not only learn the essential language skills but also an in depth understanding of the region’s culture covering subjects from literature, history, cinema, and politics.
  • Your command of a language will set you apart from graduates of other universities.

Use our combined courses tool to see a breakdown of course structure

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The MA Japanese Studies and Intensive Language programme allows students to develop in four key areas:

Knowledge

  • Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s past and present, within the parameters of the modules and disciplines chosen, and of her connections to the wider East Asian Region through the core module.
  • Students will acquire an advanced understanding of the theoretical and methodological tools of the relevant disciplines.
  • Students who choose to take language will improve their knowledge of and ability to use Japanese in their everyday life and, depending on the level achieved, professional career.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

  • Students will learn how to assess data and evidence critically from a variety of sources and how to resolve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations.
  • Students will learn the strengths and disciplines of particular disciplinary and theoretical approaches, cultivating their ability to draw on a variety of such approaches.
  • Students will learn how to design and manage an independent research project, formulating the problem to be addressed, identifying the data to be analyzed, and synthesizing the findings to present well-supported conclusions.

Subject-based practical skills

  • Students will learn how to read critically, to participate effectively in seminar discussions, and to present their work in both oral and written form.
  • More specific skills will depend on the particular modules taken.

Transferable skills

  • Students will learn how to access and evaluate electronic and other data effectively and efficiently.
  • Students will learn how to solve complex problems, for example concerning economic development, historical causation, literary interpretation, or political decision-making.
  • Students will learn how to communicate effectively in a variety of settings and formats.

Through your study of language study

  • you will acquire/develop skills in both written and spoken language.
  • develop a procedural knowledge of rules governing both oral and written linguistic usages and of multiple norms regulating intercultural communication, analytical skills (problem solving, formal operations), critical skills and creativity.
  • develop the ability to engage with people or texts from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, understanding the role of different linguistic or cultural frames of reference.

SOAS Library

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. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

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Title Deadline date
Felix Scholarships

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Graduates from the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures develop competencies in intercultural awareness, analysis and communication. Demand for specialists with advanced proficiency in the languages of China, Japan and Korea has significantly increased in recent years, and graduates with these skills are highly sought after by employers.

Recent graduates have been hired by organisations including:

  • Accenture
  • Amazon
  • Bloomberg LP
  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea
  • European Commission
  • Google
  • ITN
  • Japanese Government
  • Korea Trade Centre (KOTRA)
  • KPMG
  • Mizuho Bank
  • Nagahama Board of Education
  • Nanjing Museum
  • Pinsent Masons LLP
  • PwC
  • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Shelterbox
  • UNDP

Find out about our Careers Service.