School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, China and Inner Asia Section & Centre of Taiwan Studies

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Start date
Duration
1 year
Attendance mode
Full-time or part-time
Location
On Campus
Fees

Home: £12,710
International: £26,330

Course code
Y4T4
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 MA Taiwan Studies programme is the first and only postgraduate degree focussing on contemporary Taiwan in the English-speaking world. It provides an unrivalled programme of advanced interdisciplinary courses on Taiwan’s politics, society and culture, cinema, political economy, and international relations.

SOAS is the world’s leading centre for Taiwan Studies teaching, academic events and publications. Each year the Centre of Taiwan Studies runs a very vibrant series of academic events, film screenings, workshops and conferences that are designed to create a unique environment for the study of Taiwan. 

Why study Taiwan Studies at SOAS?

  • We are ranked 15th in the UK for Arts and Humanities (QS World University Rankings 2023)
  • We are ranked 12th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2023)
  • SOAS offers the most extensive Taiwan Studies teaching programme of any European or American university.  
  • The SOAS Centre of Taiwan Studies is the most active Taiwan Studies programme in the world, holding a rich programme of Taiwan related events. These include the popular Taiwan Summer School, film screening programmes, annual Taiwan Lectures, as well as student dialogue events with cultural and political practitioners. Over the year students will get the chance to meet many of the key figures on their Taiwan class reading lists on our events programme.  
  • SOAS is also the world’s leading centre for Taiwan Studies publications, hosting the Routledge Research on Taiwan book series and International Journal of Taiwan Studies. Therefore, each year students will be able join a number of Taiwan book launch events.  

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Students take 180 credits, 60 of which are a dissertation and a 120 from taught modules.

Students will take 60 credits of core modules from List A. A further 60 credits can be selected from List B (with a maximum of 30 credits in language) or from the postgraduate open option list.

All modules are subject to availability. 

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. 

Core

Compulsory

Guided options - List B

Guided options - List C

Open options

Students can take a maximum of 30 credits from the School-wide open options list, including languages.

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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.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

  • Students will learn how to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research sources(particularly research library catalogues)and other relevant traditional sources.
  • Student will be knowledgeable in  Aspects of Taiwan’s history, economics, political, education and legal systems, literature, visual and popular culture , and anthropology.

Intellectual (thinking) Skills

  • Students should become precise and cautious and critical in their assessment of evidence.
  • Students should question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.
  • Apply language learning skills to new situations to work out meanings in new oral or written texts.

Subject-based Practical skills

The programme aims to help students with the following practical skills:

  • Communicate effectively in writing.
  • Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources.
  • Present seminar papers.
  • Listen and discuss ideas introduced during seminars.
  • To work effectively within time restraints.
  • Practice research techniques in a variety of specialized research libraries and institutes.

Transferable Skills

The programme will encourage students to:

  • Write good essays and dissertations.
  • Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
  • Understand unconventional ideas.
  • Study a variety of written and digital materials, in libraries and research institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
  • Present (non-assessed) material orally.

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
SOAS Master's Scholarships (Home)

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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

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