Masters Degrees in Chinese History, United Kingdom

The Programme focuses on the study and research of the ancient religions, languages and great texts of China. Students will study the ‘ancient wisdom’ of China, which is of great cultural significance and is increasingly seen as relevant to contemporary concerns, such as personal and societal well-being and sustainability.

Course Overview

This Programme will focus on advanced-level engagement with (Classical Chinese) Buddhist texts and the spiritual, cultural and political values and practices that they embody.

Modules will focus on enhancing understanding of Classical Chinese and methodologies such as textual criticism, commentary, and textual analysis, also aspects of Sanskrit and the communication of Buddhist texts through Sanskrit.

This will be followed by modules which are thematically organised around the study of key texts from within The Complete Library of the Four Branches Literature and The Essence Encyclopaedia of the Four Branches of Literature. Textual study modules are thematically focused, and will consider the issues such as the origins and content of key texts, and the history and developments in translation, commentary and reception of them.

Chinese Buddhist Scriptural Studies: the Sutras (SICH7005) will focus upon the value systems and philosophical ideas contained within the (Chinese) Buddhist Sutras, and translations and annotations of and on key texts. Engaging with the Chinese Buddhist Eight Schools (SICH7007) will focus on selected texts from the Eight Schools, concentrating in any given year on one or two Schools and the ideas they contain. Interpretation of The Four Books (SICH7002) will focus on the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Confucian Analects, and the Book of Mencius. Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China (SICH7003) will focus on the key Sinological texts.

An additional module, namely, Classical Chinese Texts in English (SICH7004), enables students to engage in a detailed study of the reception of Buddhism and its different traditions in the West and particularly in the English-speaking world, and to develop translation, annotation and commentary skills on Classical Chinese texts in English.

Building on the taught part of the Programme, the Dissertation (SICH7015) element allows the student to complete a detailed critical commentary of a Classical Chinese text; or to complete a shorter textual commentary Project (SICH7016) and to deliver and reflect upon a ‘teaching placement’ activity derived from this textual work.

Modules

-SICH7001 Research Methodologies for the Study of Sinology
-SICH7002 Interpretation of The Four Books
-SICH7003 Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China
-SICH7005 Chinese Buddhist Scriptural Studies: the Sutras
-SICH7007 Engaging with the Chinese Buddhist Eight Schools
-SICH7004 Classical Chinese Texts in English
-SICH7015 Dissertation
-SICH7016 Project

Key Features

The MA in Chinese Buddhist Textual Studies will have a special appeal to those students who wish to study ancient Chinese texts, to develop a rich and deep knowledge of traditional Chinese Classical texts; and to apply this knowledge to their own lives and those of others.

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the subject and to study using the unique pedagogic approach derived from the 'Royal Great Learning’ (皇家太学) educational model, which relies upon intensive textual study and reflection.

Students will study at the Academy of Sinology at UWTSD, a newly established Academy in Lampeter which focuses upon training for Sage teachers, who through example will have a real impact on society via their own daily moral practices and teaching activities.

Studying at UWTSD Lampeter:
-The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest in England and Wales after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge
-His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales became our royal patron in 2011
-The university’s campus, situated in the rural town of Lampeter, has a friendly environment created by staff and students
-The region of South West Wales, where our campus is based, is a much lower cost of living than some of the larger UK cities and London.

Assessment

An MA degree in Chinese Buddhist Textual Studies involves a wide range of assessment methods. Assessment will be both English medium and in the medium of Ancient Chinese, dependent on the particular module being studied.

Assessment methods include essays, translation into modern Chinese or English, translation with annotation or critical commentary, oral presentation, teaching placement portfolio and, of course, the dissertation.

This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

Possible employment roles for graduates from this programme include:
-Teachers and educators in a range of settings in both China and the UK
-Academic researchers in traditional texts and ancient Chinese texts
-Translation work
-Educational administration and policy
-Ethical business and commercial ventures
-Community work and initiatives
-Voluntary and travel industries
-Heritage conservation; archive and museum work
-Corporate and personal coaches/trainers in ancient Chinese ‘wisdom’ and life skills

The expected employability skills gained by graduates from these programmes are: advanced information handling and communication skills; high levels of self and project management; the practical application of high level skills in textual analysis and interpretation.

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All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Once admitted into the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies), applicants will have the option of studying one of two streams:

Modern and contemporary Chinese Studies; or
Pre-modern Chinese Studies
With the consent of their supervisor and the relevant teacher(s), applicants may combine papers from both streams. Students can expect to receive one-to-one supervisions four times per year.

Students are required to choose three papers – courses usually run over two terms – in addition to doing a 15,000-word MPhil dissertation under the supervision of a supervisor. The dissertations are submitted no later than mid-August following the start of the course.

Visit the website: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpchs

Course detail]

Students admitted for the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies) will have the option to choose from one of the following programmes of study:

(1) Modern and Contemporary Chinese Studies or (2) Pre-Modern Chinese Studies.

With the consent of their supervisor and relevant teachers, students may be permitted to combine papers from options (1) and (2).
Students taking the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies) choose three papers from either:

(1) Modern and Contemporary Chinese Studies:

REQUIRED: Asia in Theory - [Team taught; theoretical and methodological approaches]

Students then choose TWO optional papers from the following list:

- War and Modern China
- The Anthropology of China
- Japanese Imperialism in East Asia
- Chinese Linguistics
- Advanced Readings in Chinese on a relevant subject [e.g. Qing and Republican historical documents, Modern Literary texts etc.]
- Alternative Exercise (to be arranged with specific instructors).

or from:

(2) Pre-Modern Chinese Studies:

For pre-modern Chinese Studies, students need to choose THREE of the following papers:

- Classical and Literary Chinese Texts (received and excavated texts, manuscripts)
- Early China, specified topic - Medieval China, specified topic
- Asia in Theory [team-taught; theoretical and methodological approaches: with the supervisor's permission as the focus of this paper is on the modern period]
- Japanese for Sinologists [reading Japanese scholarship on pre-modern China]
- Alternative Exercise (to be arranged with specific instructors).

Most papers are assessed by long essays and research projects. Some advanced text papers are assessed through examination. Please note that not all papers will be available every year and are subject to modifications if necessary.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:
- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Classical Chinese;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Pre-Modern Chinese culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Louis Cha Scholarship in Pre-Modern Chinese Studies at St John's College -

St John's College at the University of Cambridge is offering a Louis Cha Scholarship, which will commence in October 2015 to help financially assist students to undertake their research in the fields of Chinese Literature, Chinese History and/or the Culture of Early and Dynastic China (Pre-1912). The successful applicant will be selected from those who have secured a place at St John's College in Cambridge to read for the MPhil or PhD degree in a relevant subject. The scholarship will be available for the duration of the student's course and given for us up a maximum of three years. The scholarship will comprise of (a) a maintenance grant of up to £13,500 per annum and (b) approved College and University fees. Applicants applying for this award should note payments which they have secured from other sources. For further information, please refer to the following webpage on the Faculty's website:

http://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/other

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This one-year programme is intended for graduates of Chinese Studies programmes and native Chinese speakers who wish to gain further understanding and develop expertise in a range of subjects concerned with Chinese health and wellbeing and the impact of China, historically and in the present day, on health around the world.

About this degree

This MA offers an interdisciplinary approach to health in China including history of medicine in China, population studies, the built and natural environment, climate change, law and medical ethics, public health and policymaking. Intensive training in academic English and translation for publication online is provided.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of one core module (15 credits), direct reading and translation modules (60 credits), dissertation (60 credits) and three options or elective modules (45 credits).

Core modules

• Core Course: An Interdisciplinary Approach to China: Health and Humanity
• Translation and Direct Reading
• Dissertation (see below)

Optional modules

• Classical Chinese Medicine
• Chinese Film and the Body
• Chinese Law and Health
• Chinese Nutrition: History, Culture, and Society
• Suitable elective module from other departments at UCL
• Elective modules within SOAS, UCL Institute for Global Health, and UCL Anthropology

NB: Not all options will be available every year.

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of up to 12,000 words.

Teaching and learning

The programme is taught by specialists in the field and is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, presentations, workshops and direct reading. Assessment is through examination, presentations, essays and the dissertation.

Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Chinese Health and Humanity MA

Careers

This programme aims to train the next generation of professionals in the interdisciplinary approaches and skills necessary for understanding and improving population and individual health in China and internationally. It will be invaluable for all those intending to work in professions with an interest in Chinese health including: health systems and reform, the health environment, integrated health, in NGOs and multilateral organisations as policymakers, administrators, and workers in the field. It will also prepare students to work in art and media where Chinese health issues are concerned.

Recent career destinations for this degree

• TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Teaching Assistant, Meten English
• PhD in Chinese Language Education

Employability

Graduates from the MA will be well prepared to take advantage of job opportunities that are also available to graduates from the UCL Institute for Global Health and UCL Anthropology, but with the added advantage of expertise in China: health administration policy and consultancy, health law, in bilateral and multiliteral organisations, NGOs, built and natural environment, climate change, health research in China and the UK. The programme also aims to create new expertise in China's health culture that will open up job opportunities as China begins a rapid programme of developing private healthcare partnerships.

Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL History enjoys an outstanding international reputation for its research and teaching.

The department is strongly committed to the intellectual development of all our students; if you come to UCL, you will receive individual supervision from leading academics.

Located in Bloomsbury, UCL History is just a few minutes' walk away from the exceptional resources of the British Library, the British Museum and the research institutes of the University of London, including the Warburg and the Institute of Historical Research.

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.

The following REF score was awarded to the department: History

82% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)

Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.

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This programme is based at the University’s Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, which has an international reputation for research excellence in modern Chinese literature, media and mass culture.

It provides you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of cultural issues of modern China, and allows you to develop analytical skills as you apply cultural and literary theories to the context of modern China.

You will be trained in the study of Chinese texts, and learn to assess them in the context of current academic discourse in Chinese studies, leading to an understanding of changing perceptions of key issues in Chinese cultural studies.

Programme structure

Over two semesters, you will take compulsory and option courses, plus research skills courses. You will then complete an independently researched dissertation.

Compulsory course:

• Keywords of Chinese Modernity

Option courses may include:

• Contemporary Chinese Literature
• Chinese Silent Cinema: 1920-1935
• Gender, Revolution and Modernity in Chinese Cinema
• Introduction to Chinese Society and Culture
• Literary Criticism and History in Modern China
• Chinese Religions: Confucianism, Daoism and 'Popular Religion'
• Theories and Methods of Literary Study

Learning outcomes

You will be thoroughly trained in studying modern Chinese texts and in assessing them in the context of current academic discourse in Chinese Studies. You will be able to understand changing perceptions of key issues in Chinese cultural studies and reflect critically on your own academic research.

Career opportunities

You will gain a foundation on which you may choose to pursue doctoral studies, potentially leading to an academic career. Your skills will also be suited to a career in a number of fields that are concerned with Chinese issues.

Alternatively, you may choose to apply the transferable skills you gain in project management, research and communication to an unrelated career.

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The Programme focuses on the study and research of the ancient religions, languages and great texts of China. Students will study the ‘ancient wisdom’ of China, which is of great cultural significance and is increasingly seen as relevant to contemporary concerns, such as personal and societal well-being and sustainability.

Course Overview

This Programme will focus on advanced-level engagement with Classical Chinese Daoist texts and the spiritual, cultural and political values and practices that they embody.

Modules will focus on enhancing understanding of Classical Chinese and methodologies such as textual criticism, commentary, and textual analysis.

This will be followed by modules which are thematically organised around the study of key texts from within The Complete Library of the Four Branches Literature and The Essence Encyclopedia of the Four Branches of Literature. Textual study modules are thematically focused, and will consider issues such as the origins and content of key texts, as well as history and developments in translation, commentary and reception of them.

Daoist Text Studies (SICH7008) will enable students to engage in detailed study of the key Daoist text the Dao De Jing. Interpretation of The Four Books (SICH7002) will focus on the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Confucian Analects, and the Book of Mencius.

Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China (SICH7003) will focus on the key Sinological texts. Readings from The Compilation of Books and Writings on the Important Governing Principles (SICH7010) will focus on key Daoist texts from the Compilation, for example the Book of Zhuangzi and the Book of Liezi.

An additional module, namely, Classical Chinese Texts in English (SICH7004), enables a detailed study of key Doaist texts, notably the Dao De Jing, and the reception of Daoism and its different traditions in the West and particularly in the English-speaking world, and to develop translation, annotation and commentary skills on Classical Chinese texts in English.

Building on the taught part of the Programme, the Dissertation (SICH7015) element allows the student to complete a detailed critical commentary of a Classical Chinese text; or to complete a shorter textual commentary Project (SICH7016) and to deliver and reflect upon a ‘teaching placement’ activity derived from this textual work.

Modules

-SICH7001 Research Methodologies for the Study of Sinology
-SICH7002 Interpretation of The Four Books
-SICH7003 Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China
-SICH7010 Readings from The Compilation of Books and Writings on the Important Governing Principles
-SICH7008 Daoist Text Studies
-SICH7004 Classical Chinese Texts in English
-SICH7015 Dissertation
-SICH7016 Project

Key Features

The MA in Chinese Daoist Textual Studies will have a special appeal to those students who wish to study ancient Chinese texts, to develop a rich and deep knowledge of traditional Chinese Classical texts; and to apply this knowledge to their own lives and those of others.

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the subject and to study using the unique pedagogic approach derived from the 'Royal Great Learning’ (皇家太学) educational model, which relies upon intensive textual study and reflection.

Students will study at the Academy of Sinology at UWTSD, a newly established Academy in Lampeter which focuses upon training for Sage teachers, who through example will have a real impact on society via their own daily moral practices and teaching activities.

Studying at UWTSD Lampeter:
-The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest in England and Wales after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge
-His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales became our royal patron in 2011
-The university’s campus, situated in the rural town of Lampeter, has a friendly environment created by staff and students
-The region of South West Wales, where our campus is based, is a much lower cost of living than some of the larger UK cities and London.

Assessment

An MA degree in Chinese Daoist Textual Studies involves a wide range of assessment methods. Assessment will be both English medium and in the medium of Ancient Chinese, dependent on the particular module being studied.

Assessment methods include essays, translation into modern Chinese or English, translation with annotation or critical commentary, oral presentation, teaching placement portfolio and, of course, the dissertation.

This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

Possible employment roles for graduates from this programme include:
-Teachers and educators in a range of settings in both China and the UK
-Academic researchers in traditional texts and ancient Chinese texts
-Translation work
-Educational administration and policy
-Ethical business and commercial ventures
-Community work and initiatives
-Voluntary and travel industries
-Heritage conservation; archive and museum work
-Corporate and personal coaches/trainers in ancient Chinese ‘wisdom’ and life skills

The expected employability skills gained by graduates from these programmes are: advanced information handling and communication skills; high levels of self and project management; the practical application of high level skills in textual analysis and interpretation.

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This two-year programme combines the strengths of the MA History of Art and Archaeology of East Asia with intensive language training in Japanese or Korean. Students study the arts of China, Korea and Japan, exploring a wide range of East Asian arts, from Chinese archaeology to Japanese prints, Korean installation works to Buddhist monuments, in historical and contemporary periods. Instruction in the language of their choice is provided by teachers in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures. By the end of the programme, which includes a summer language school abroad, students have received sufficient instruction to reach near-proficiency in the language.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in the art history and archaeology of East Asia, whose ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as East Asian Music, Film and Media, as well as the expertise of specialist language teachers.

A Masters from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with expertise in the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our postgraduates progress to work in arts, culture and heritage roles, including in galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing and arts administration. The large portfolio of transferable skills they acquire enables them to forge careers in a range of other fields across the world. Our Masters programmes are also an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/art/programmes/ma-art-and-archaeology-of-east-asia-and-intensive-language/

Structure

Students take two intensive language units and one East Asian History of Art and Archaeology unit in their first year. During the summer, they participate in a summer school abroad. Upon their return, they take one intensive language unit in their second year and two East Asian History of Art and Archaeology units. The dissertation is written on East Asian History of Art and Archaeology and submitted in September of year 2.

Teaching

Teaching consists of a combination of lectures and seminars. Classes are normally between two and three hours per week for each course. Teaching methods include lectures with discussion, seminars (at which students present papers) and museum visits. Students at all levels are expected to take an active part in class presentations. A particularly important element is the training of the student's visual memory.

In addition to their studies on the MA programme, students at SOAS can participate in a wide range of research seminars, lectures and conferences that regularly take place in the School and in the University of London.

Assessment

For each of the three taught courses, the student will be expected to submit two or three pieces of written work usually around 3,000 to 4,500 words – for a total of 9,000 words per course. The emphasis is on developing essay skills during the session in preparation for the dissertation. In some courses the assessment is 100% on written work. On other courses, assessed course work forms 75% of the student’s final grade and an additional 25% is determined by slide quizzes, projects or other forms of assessment. The 10,000 word dissertation is submitted in September of year 2.

Learning Resources

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.

Destinations

A Masters from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with expertise in the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our postgraduates progress to work in arts, culture and heritage roles, including in galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing and arts administration. The large portfolio of transferable skills they acquire enables them to forge careers in a range of other fields across the world. Our Masters programmes are also an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

Asia House
Bonhams
British Museum
Christie's Hong Kong
Design Museum
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum
Hong Kong Museum Of Art
India Foundation For The Arts
Museum of East Asian Art
National Gallery National Museum of Singapore
People Projects Culture & Change
Schoeni Art Gallery
Sotheby's
Taiwan Embassy
The Alliance for Global Education
The British Embassy
The Chester Beatty Library
The National Museum Of Korea
The Royal Collection

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

Manager of Communications
Culture Programme Coordinator
Research Assistant
Social Anthropology Lecturer
Specialist - Indian Art
Architect
Art Historian
Development Specialist
Archivist
Gallery Director Innovation Programmes Learning Manager
Creative Director
Organisational Consultant
Travel writer
Art Collector
Chinese Painting Specialist
Professor of Silk Road History
Rights and Reproductions Officer
Public Education Coordinator
Senior Curator of Photographs

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The MPhil programme in Chinese Studies is offered as a one-year programme which aims to give graduate students an opportunity to develop their analytical, research and writing skills in preparation for further academic research or entry to professions requiring such skills.

This MPhil programme is taken by dissertation only. This entails working closely with one supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation to be submitted in mid-August.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpchr

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Classical Chinese;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Pre-Modern Chinese culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Format

The MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Chinese Studies) is studied entirely by research.

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Chinese Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 25,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

Students who take the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Chinese Studies) must have a viva examination, which is normally held in September.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- University Composition Fee Waivers 2016-2017 for the 1-Year MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies) -

The Department of East Asian Studies proposes to award one or two University Composition Fee waivers at Home and EU rates for the academic year 2016-2017. These awards will be made to applicants who intend to take the one-year MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Chinese Studies). Candidates should indicate their wish to be considered for this award in the Personal Statement section which they submit as part of their GRADSAF (graduate application). For further information, please contact Professor Roel Sterckx: [email protected]

- Louis Cha Scholarship in Pre-Modern Chinese Studies at St John's College -

St John's College at the University of Cambridge is offering a Louis Cha Scholarship, which will commence in October 2015 to help financially assist students to undertake their research in the fields of Chinese Literature, Chinese History and/or the Culture of Early and Dynastic China (Pre-1912). The successful applicant will be selected from those who have secured a place at St John's College in Cambridge to read for the MPhil or PhD degree in a relevant subject. The scholarship will be available for the duration of the student's course and given for us up a maximum of three years. The scholarship will comprise of (a) a maintenance grant of up to £13,500 per annum and (b) approved University fees. Applicants applying for this award should note payments which they have secured from other sources. For further information, please refer to the following webpage on the Faculty's website:

http://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/other

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This programme is an unrivalled opportunity to study the arts of China, Korea and Japan. Students consider a wide range of East Asian arts, from Chinese archaeology to Japanese prints, Korean installation works to Buddhist monuments, exploring their specificity and the links between them, in historical and contemporary periods. In many parts of East Asia archaeological evidence is key to understanding early societies. The programme therefore relates excavated materials to the history of art.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in the art history and archaeology of East Asia, whose ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as East Asian Music, Film and Media. They can also select from courses in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the languages, history, religions and cultures of East Asia.

A Masters from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with expertise in the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our postgraduates progress to work in arts, culture and heritage roles, including in galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing and arts administration. The large portfolio of transferable skills they acquire enables them to forge careers in a range of other fields across the world. Our Masters programmes are also an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

This MA can also be pursued over a two-year period combined with intensive language study in Japanese or Korean (http://www.soas.ac.uk/art/programmes/ma-art-and-archaeology-of-east-asia-and-intensive-language/).

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/art/programmes/maaaea/

Teaching

Teaching consists of a combination of lectures and seminars. Classes are normally between two and three hours per week for each course. Teaching methods include lectures with discussion, seminars (at which students present papers) and museum visits. Students at all levels are expected to take an active part in class presentations. A particularly important element is the training of the student's visual memory.

In addition to their studies on the MA programme, students at SOAS can participate in a wide range of research seminars, lectures and conferences that regularly take place in the School and in the University of London.

Assessment

For each of the three taught courses, the student will be expected to submit two or three pieces of written work usually around 3,000 to 4,500 words – for a total of 9,000 words per course. The emphasis is on developing essay skills during the session in preparation for the dissertation. In some courses the assessment is 100% on written work. On other courses, assessed course work forms 75% of the student’s final grade and an additional 25% is determined by slide quizzes, projects or other forms of assessment. The 10,000 word dissertation is submitted in September.

Learning Resources

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.

Destinations

A Masters from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with expertise in the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our postgraduates progress to work in arts, culture and heritage roles, including in galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing and arts administration. The large portfolio of transferable skills they acquire enables them to forge careers in a range of other fields across the world. Our Masters programmes are also an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

Asia House
Bonhams
British Museum
Christie's Hong Kong
Design Museum
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum
Hong Kong Museum Of Art
India Foundation For The Arts
Museum of East Asian Art
National Gallery National Museum of Singapore
People Projects Culture & Change
Schoeni Art Gallery
Sotheby's
Taiwan Embassy
The Alliance for Global Education
The British Embassy
The Chester Beatty Library
The National Museum Of Korea
The Royal Collection

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

Manager of Communications
Culture Programme Coordinator
Research Assistant
Social Anthropology Lecturer
Specialist - Indian Art
Architect
Art Historian
Development Specialist
Archivist
Gallery Director Innovation Programmes Learning Manager
Creative Director
Organisational Consultant
Travel writer
Art Collector
Chinese Painting Specialist
Professor of Silk Road History
Rights and Reproductions Officer
Public Education Coordinator
Senior Curator of Photographs

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The Programme focuses on the study and research of the ancient religions, languages and great texts of China. Students will study the ‘ancient wisdom’ of China, which is of great cultural significance and is increasingly seen as relevant to contemporary concerns, such as personal and societal well-being and sustainability.

Course Overview

This Programme focuses on advanced level engagement with Classical Chinese texts and the spiritual, cultural and political values and practices that they embody.

This will be followed by modules which are thematically organised around the study of key texts from within The Complete Library of the Four Branches Literature and The Essence Encyclopedia of the Four Branches of Literature.

Textual study modules are thematically focused, and will consider issues such as the origins and content of key texts, and the history of and developments in translation, commentary and reception of them. Interpretation of The Four Books (SICH7002) will focus on the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Confucian Analects, and the Book of Mencius.

Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China (SICH7003) will focus on the Exoteric traditions of the Han version of the Songs, the Sayings of Confucius and his disciples, the Six Secret Strategic Teachings, An Essay on Government by Liu Yi, Yangzi Book on Government and On the Important List of Government. Readings from The Compilation of Books and Writings on the Important Governing Principles (SICH7010) will focus on texts from each of the main philosophical traditions of Daoism and/or Confucianism.

An additional module, namely, Classical Chinese Texts in English (SICH7004), enables a detailed study of Sinology as a (set of) discipline(s) in the West and particularly in the English-speaking world, and the development of translation, annotation and commentary skills on Classical Chinese texts in English.

Building on the taught part of the Programme, the Dissertation (SICH7015) element allows the student to complete a detailed critical commentary on a Classical Chinese text; or to complete a shorter textual commentary Project (SICH7016) and to deliver and reflect upon a ‘teaching placement’ activity derived from this textual work.

Modules

-SICH7001 Research Methodologies for the Study of Sinology
-SICH7002 Interpretation of The Four Books
-SICH7003 Readings from the Governing Principles of Ancient China
-SICH7010 Readings from The Compilation of Books and Writings on the Important Governing Principles
-SICH7011 Sinology Classics Readings
-SICH7004 Classical Chinese Texts in English
-SICH7015 Dissertation
-SICH7016 Project

Key Features

The MA in Sinology will have a special appeal to those students who wish to study ancient Chinese texts, to develop a rich and deep knowledge of traditional Chinese Classical texts; and to apply this knowledge to their own lives and those of others.

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the subject and to study using the unique pedagogic approach derived from the 'Royal Great Learning’ (皇家太学) educational model, which relies upon intensive textual study and reflection.

Students will study at the Academy of Sinology at UWTSD, a newly established College in Lampeter which focuses upon training for Sage teachers, who through example will have a real impact on society via their own daily moral practices and teaching activities.

Studying at UWTSD Lampeter:
-The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest in England and Wales after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge
-His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales became our royal patron in 2011
-The university’s campus, situated in the rural town of Lampeter, has a friendly environment created by staff and students
-The region of South West Wales, where our campus is based, is a much lower cost of living than some of the larger UK cities and London

Assessment

An MA degree in Sinology involves a wide range of assessment methods. Assessment will be both English medium and in the medium of Ancient Chinese, dependent on the particular module being studied.

Assessment methods include essays, translation into modern Chinese or English, translation with annotation or critical commentary, oral presentation, teaching placement portfolio and, of course, the dissertation.

This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

Possible employment roles for graduates from this programme include:
-Teachers and educators in a range of settings in both China and the UK
-Academic researchers in traditional texts and ancient Chinese texts
-Translation work
-Educational administration and policy
-Ethical business and commercial ventures
-Community work and initiatives
-Voluntary and travel industries
-Heritage conservation; archive and museum work
-Corporate and personal coaches/trainers in ancient Chinese ‘wisdom’ and life skills

The expected employability skills gained by graduates from these programmes are: advanced information handling and communication skills; high levels of self and project management; the practical application of high level skills in textual analysis and interpretation.

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China has the world’s biggest population and the second largest economy in the world. As part of the BRICS and BASIC group, China has a large impact in world affairs: understanding China is increasingly becoming essential to understanding the world. Politics and International Relations of China provide a fascinating opportunity to examine issues and themes in modern politics. From dynastic rule to the fall of the Qing, unequal treaties and their legacies in the form of Hong Kong and Macau, China offers an example for examining and analyzing long standing questions of territory, border, identity and sovereignty. From these historical origins to the more recent ‘Rise of China’, the buzzword of the 21st Century, this MSc degree brings together elements required to fully appreciate and understand China’s rise, its origins, and its current position in the world.

The MSc covers China’s domestic and international politics, and the historical and theoretical issues through the Chinese Politics courses of State and Society in the Chinese Political process (domestic politics), China and International Politics (international relations) and Taiwan’s Politics and Cross-Strait Relations. Each China Politics course combines empirical and theoretical material in a historically sensitive manner. The courses aim to establish thematic groupings for the purposes of considering and debating the government and politics of China, and further examine the relations between the government and politics of China and regional developments, international pressures, and the global political economy.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msc-politics-of-china/

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2012 (pdf; 109kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msc-politics-of-china/file68460.pdf

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

Welcome to the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SOAS. The faculty is the largest in the School in terms of student and staff numbers and consists of the departments of Development Studies, Economics, Financial and Management Studies, Politics and International Studies and the School of Law, as well as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Sciences, the Centre for Gender Studies, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, the Centre of Taiwan Studies and a number of department-specific centres. All five departments offer undergraduate programmes, and all but Finance and International Management offer joint undergraduate degrees which can be combined with other disciplines from across the School. Each department also offers a range of masters-level programmes with a regional or disciplinary specialism, as well as a postgraduate research programme. The range of course options and combinations is one of the most distinctive characteristics of studying at SOAS and all students are given the option of studying an Asian or African language, either as part of or on top of their degree.

Staff in the faculty come from all over the world and combine regional knowledge with disciplinary specialisms. Teaching draws heavily on academic staff’s individual research which allows the faculty to maintain a large portfolio of courses, often exploring cutting-edge issues. Many faculty members have played a significant part in public debates and policy-making in relation to Asia and Africa. Academics in the faculty are regularly consulted by governments, public bodies and multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, DFID and other country-specific organisations and NGOs.

-Excellent student satisfaction for Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (LSS) at SOAS, University of London has performed extremely well according to the 2014 National Student Survey (NSS).

Department of Politics and International Studies

The Department’s academic staff are leading and highly-regarded scholars in their fields and most have knowledge of one or more languages of their regions of interest, in addition to their disciplinary specialism.

Staff members conduct cutting-edge research on the politics of the Global South, with expertise in nationalism, urban politics, political violence, security, migration and diaspora mobilization, Islamic political and intellectual history, transitional justice, politics of multiculturalism, international relations theory, gender, comparative political economy, human rights, and the study of ideologies.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Introduction

This innovative MA course is one of the first in the UK to focus specifically on global history, offering you the chance to investigate one of the most dynamic areas of current historical enquiry and debate. At its centre is a core module exploring the way in which global history has emerged, the methods it adopts, the subject areas it addresses and the criticisms it has attracted.

Throughout, you are encouraged to explore how the global can be investigated in relation to the regional and the local, as part of wider debates on historical methods and interpretation. This provides a route into studying major regions of the globe, including Latin America, India and China. You’ll also benefit from the Department’s Global History and Culture Centre, with the option to participate in seminars, lectures and conferences arranged by the Centre.

The course offers an excellent route into PhD research in the emerging field of global history and culture. Recent postgraduates have also advanced into careers in the cultural sector, consultancy and teaching.

Course Overview

AUTUMN TERM

◾Core Module: Theory, Skills & Methods (HI989) (30 CATS)
A compulsory course designed to help students acquire the methodological skills needed to undertake an extended piece of historical research and writing.

◾Core Module: Themes in Early Modern History (HI992) (30 CATS)

Outline syllabus:

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Key Early Modern debates
Week 3: Religion
Week 4: Politics and state building or revolutions
Week 5: Global expansion/colonialism
Week 7: Science, tecnology & environment
Week 8: Society & culture
Week 9: The public sphere & communicative practices
Week 10: Comparative Early Modernities

SPRING TERM
◾Two Optional Modules: to be selected from options listed below (30 CATS each)

SUMMER TERM
◾Dissertation (15,000 words) (60 CATS)

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Designed to develop your understanding of medieval history, or introduce you to it if you have not studied it before, this is a taught degree with some provision for dissertation research.

We offer uniquely wide ranging expertise across the whole medieval period, from c. 300 to c. 1500. We cover all of the countries of western Europe, Scandinavia, the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia and China, and have a broad range with thematic interests including religious cultures, socio-economic history, the Crusades, Islamic history, gender, manuscript studies, drama, regional literatures and history (West Midlands, Scotland, Spain, Iceland, Byzantium, Afghanistan, northern Eurasia), material culture, comparative history and the ‘global Middle Ages’.

Times Higher Education ranked the Department of History first in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise.

Course details

This programme offers an opportunity to engage in advanced study of your chosen discipline through a range of core and optional modules. In all teaching you are encouraged to apply class material to your own specific research interests and your dissertation.

The programme includes six taught modules, made up of:

• Two interdisciplinary core modules
• One pathway-specific core module
• Three optional modules (usually including a language)

Full module descriptions are available below.

Assessment

Most core and optional modules on this course are assessed by written assignment. See module descriptions for further details.

You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Learning and teaching

Birmingham has an outstanding reputation for research and teaching in medieval studies, which it has maintained for well over fifty years.

We have been rated highly in all three of the UK’s Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) and our library is one of the leading research libraries in the country, with exceptionally good medieval holdings. 

To support your studies, we have regular research seminars where visiting and Birmingham speakers present their research. The university’s Centre for the Study of the Middle Ages (CeSMA) acts as a focus for interdisciplinary research projects and events which feed into our teaching. In addition to this we have a large number of postgraduate students in medieval studies so you’ll have a supportive and sociable environment for your studies.

Support with academic writing

As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.

International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).

Employability

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.

The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.

You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.

You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: History

Birmingham’s History graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. These skills include: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.

Some of our History postgraduates go on to use their studies directly, for example in heritage, museums or the armed forces; others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations from finance, to publishing, to fundraising. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include: Royal Air Force; Ministry of Defence; University of Birmingham; Big Lottery Fund; Royal Air Force Museum; and University of Oxford.

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Summary

The course offers a programme of study that is broad-ranging in terms of its coverage of a variety of areas of Europe since 1500, including Russia and the Soviet Union; medical history; Britain and Ireland; the British Empire and British foreign relations; the Mediterranean world; and US history since 1800. We have thematic and conceptual specialisms in social, political and cultural history; comparative and transnational histories; and the history of migrations and diasporas. If you join us you will be taught by leading authorities in these fields and will gain advanced level training in historical methods, theories and theory and ideas relevant to the study of this island’s past. Overall we provide an excellent foundation for further study; a bridge to new employment opportunities; and a fundamentally valuable cultural and educational experience. We work with local history and cultural sector practitioners from museums, archives, and libraries, and these people contribute to our programme and enhance your experience.

About

The MA comprises four taught modules of 120 credits and a dissertation of 60 credits. The programme is taught by lectures, staff papers, seminar discussions and via student presentations.

The modules are:

Semester One

Debates and Controversies (30 credit points). This module examines some of the major debates in Historical studies today. The debates and controversies chosen are not exhaustive but are instead exemplars of why historians over disagree over sources, methods, politics, and other factors, and why historical works can be so different. At the same time the module will respond to a diversity of student interests by offering students an opportunity to develop their own reading and historical insights.

Themes in History (30 credit points). This module offers students the opportunity to explore themes in History that draw upon areas of particular staff specialism and that will develop and deepen their knowledge and understand. Divided into three themes of four weeks each, each block will examine key questions, sources and approaches within a theme. We will offer 4-5 themes each cycle to enable a degree of choice within the module’s teaching and learning programme.

Semester Two:

Research Methods for Historical Research (30 credit points). This module will provide students with the appropriate research skills necessary for study at postgraduate level, ranging from advanced usage of the library’s rich range of digitised primary sources to the exploitation of free sites and the development of a comprehensive and relevant bibliography for the dissertation. Sessions are designed to help students fit their emerging research question explicitly within the framework of available secondary and primary sources and to develop strategies for obtaining the most benefit possible from such resources. The module also allows students to practise and develop their oral presentation skills.

Special Topic in History (30 credit points). This module encourages focused study of one field of staff expertise. It is taught by individual consultation and a series of group sessions that encourage group support and shared reflection on the research process. Examined by an extended essay, the module will foster deep engagement with specifically related clusters of historical texts.

Semester Three:

Dissertation (60 credit points). This module is an independent piece of research on an aspect of historical studies that interests you. Students set the agenda and are guided by some general sessions at the beginning and by individual supervision sessions throughout the semester. The final dissertation is approximately 15,000 words in length.

Attendance

Full Time: Two modules per semester. Each taught module involves one two-hour lecture/seminar meeting per week for twelve consecutive weeks. Taught modules are scheduled for evenings 5:15-7:15 pm. This is to facilitate attendance by those in full-time work. Independent study modules involve an equivalent number of study hours, with contact hours arranged with supervisory staff.

Part Time: One module per semester. Each taught module involves one two-hour lecture/seminar meeting per week for twelve consecutive weeks. Taught modules are scheduled for evenings 5:15-7:15pm. Independent study modules involve an equivalent number of study hours, with contact hours arranged with supervisory staff.

Career options

Students graduating with the MA in History are well-prepared to undertake a variety of occupations. Some students will progress to doctoral research and academic careers. Others will become teachers or lecturers in further education. Not all MA graduates become teachers or university lecturers. Other options include work in libraries, archives, museums, or full-time work in research for charities, official organisations, government, etc. Others may go into marketing advertising, publishing, the civil service or politics. Our MA programmes have been known to help teachers advance their careers. Others pursue these degrees purely through interest and a love of the past. All graduate occupational outcomes are enhanced by a higher qualification such as this.

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