South Asian Area Studies - MA

Studying South Asia at SOAS was the best decision I made….. A two year MA would be ideal as you would have even more time to take courses, learn new things, research and write your dissertation, and spend time in a South Asian country. My time at SOAS went by too quickly -- I would have liked to have another year there! The courses I took were so interesting, and I even audited another two because I could not decide which ones to take. One of my favourite classes was my Bengali class, as I got to learn a language not frequently taught, though one of the most spoken languages world wide. I started out auditing the Bengali 1 class, and ended up putting a lot of time and effort into the course, did well on all the tests, and ended up taking it for credit the second term. It was a great opportunity to learn the language of my grandfather, and if it were not for SOAS I don't know if I would have had the chance to take up Bengali! The professors I had were all high quality, and willing to spend the extra time going over concepts, or taking time during class to have in depth discussions. I guess what I'm trying to say is...I miss studying at SOAS!

It’s not difficult to fall in love with SOAS at first sight! It is very welcoming, has a multi-cultural, multi-lingual setting and is always abuzz with interesting activities. The teaching faculty is par excellence….. SOAS rightfully boasts of an exceptionally resourceful library, a paradise of sorts for bookworms and students alike! ….. SOAS has a special place in my heart. It is where I fine-tuned my academic abilities, pushed my limits and constantly found myself growing each day.

I made some wonderful friends for life at SOAS. I will always remember it as the place which gave me back much more than I ever anticipated when I first landed in London.

I gained very professional academic training by following the professors of the South Asian Department and got the opportunity to figure out what I am really interested in around South Asian academic circles. Especially in the course ‘The Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia’, I got multi-dimensional knowledge about the area, from India to Pakistan, from Nepal to Bhutan, from Bangladesh to Sri Lanka. The course touched different topics and it opened my mind to diversified South Asian cultures, social issues and literature, etc. For me, as a student with language skills in Bengali, the South Asia department is an ideal place to pursue further study in both Bengali language and literature under the guidance of professional tutors from Britain and India….. SOAS changed my life, especially my academic career. I learn to deal with people from different cultures and gain an open mind that is very helpful in my future life.

I found the flexibility of South Asian Studies very useful, it enabled me to pick a broad range of courses, across anthropology and cultural studies, which suited my personal and professional interests.

Overall as an older (some might say mature) student with over 15 years of work experience as a journalist, South Asian Studies was an absolutely fantastic course - it provided me with fresh perspectives and ways of seeing, as well as developing my analytical, critical thinking and research skills beyond measure. The MA, course tutors and overall SOAS experience invigorated and inspired me more than I could ever have imagined.