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

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Duration
2 years
Start of programme
September
Attendance mode
Full-time or part-time
Location
SOAS and Sophia University
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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The Department of Japan and Korea at SOAS University of London and Sophia University's Graduate Program in Global Studies (GPGS) have launched this Dual Degree Programme (DDP) which allows students to benefit from the combined resources of two of the world's leading institutions in Japanese Studies, located in two major global cities – Tokyo and London.

Students making use of this possibility widen their intellectual horizons by taking classes at two of the world’s leading institutions in Japanese Studies. Supervision of student theses or graduation projects by prominent scholars at both institutions encourages multiple perspectives on Japanese Studies.

The MA Japanese Studies dual degree is based at Sophia University – Japanese Master’s programmes are typically two years long, and SOAS contributes to it by offering its MA in Japanese Studies as an option for students originally enrolled at Sophia University. For SOAS students there is the opportunity to continue studying in Japan for a further year after first completing the MA in Japanese Studies at SOAS. Students proceeding to Sophia University can add any one degree within the GPGS at Sophia University, while students coming from Sophia must choose the MA Japanese Studies from SOAS.

Students will study 1-year at GPGS and 1-year at SOAS. Only upon successful completion of both the MA Japanese Studies at SOAS and the corresponding 1-year element at Sophia will students receive two MA degrees, one from each institution.

Global Partnerships

This programme can be offered as part of a dual masters degree with Sophia University.

Through the dual masters, students can spend the first year studying at Sophia on the Graduate Programme in Global Studies and second year at SOAS studying MA Japanese Studies or vice versa and gain a masters from each institution. For more information on the dual masters, please see the SOAS-Sophia partnership on the Global Partnerships website.

Enrolment through SOAS

Applications to the 1-year MA Japanese Studies programme are made at SOAS. The continuation at Sophia is an optional add-on that has no impact on how the MA Japanese Studies is taught at SOAS and its normal rules and regulations apply. For students considering enrolment through SOAS, this is an opportunity to add 1-year of study at Sophia University, after they have completed the taught elements of their MA in Japanese Studies with SOAS.

However, students should indicate interest in the possibility to continue to Sophia University upon the point of application. Only upon being accepted by Sophia University in a separate application procedure (please see below), can the students proceed to Japan. The fees for the MAs are to be paid separately to each institution.

Application procedure

Prospective students should begin to apply for the MA programme at the institution where they intend to commence their studies. Applicants for the MA must fulfil the criteria for acceptance adopted by both institutions:

After having been accepted by one of the two institutions, applicants must then make a formal application to the partner institution, indicating that they wish to be considered for the Dual Degree Programme.

Application deadlines

Different deadlines apply for both institutions

For SOAS students applying for entrance into Sophia University, the deadline will be in April (the application period is normally from 1-27 April). Students are permitted to apply during the spring break and before having completed the dissertation, but in order to qualify for the degree, the requirements for the completion of the MA Japanese Studies still need to be fulfilled by the appropriate SOAS deadlines

For Sophia students applying to SOAS the deadline is 30 June, though the earlier the application is made, the easier it will be to facilitate acceptance and arranging a visa, accommodation, etc.

Once students have met the requirements and been accepted onto the second half of the programme, the receiving institution will liaise with the student concerning visa issues, accommodation etc.

Students entering the Graduate Program in Global Studies (GPGS) at Sophia University in April typically apply for admission to SOAS during their 1st semester, spend their 2nd and 3rd semesters at SOAS, and return to Sophia in their 4th semester to complete their GPGS requirements.

Students entering the GPGS at Sophia University in September typically apply for admission to SOAS in their 2nd semester, spend their 3rd and 4th semesters at SOAS, and return to Sophia in their 5th semester to complete the GPGS requirements.

Students entering SOAS can only do so in September.

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Students must fulfil all the requirements for the MA Japanese Studies at SOAS as published on the MA Japanese Studies page.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes.

However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

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All Masters programmes consist of 180 credits , made up of taught modules of 30 or 15 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits . The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework, revising for examinations and so on. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others. At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar every week, but this does vary.

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
Tibawi Trust Award
Felix Non-Indian Scholarship
Felix Scholarships

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Students entering the MA via SOAS will have to pay the appropriate band of fees for the MA Japanese Studies at SOAS and have to check with Sophia University about the additional cost for the second half of the MA.

Students entering the MA via Sophia University will have to pay the appropriate band of fees for the MA Japanese Studies to cover their year of tuition at SOAS.

Home students applying for student loans

This MA Japanese Studies dual degree programme is not normally fully covered by UK postgraduate loans. Please check with the organisation granting your loan before applying.

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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.

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