MA Linguistics and Intensive Language

Program Overview

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Program Details

Key Information

Duration: 2-calendar years (full-time) Attendance mode: Full-time or part-time Location: On campus

Fees

• Home: £12,220
• International: £25,320

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 a 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.

International Entry Requirements

The following list outlines the minimum qualifications and grades required for admission to the program, organized by country:

• Afghanistan: Master's degree, 80% or 3.3/4.0
• Argentina: Titulo / Grado de Licenciado, 7/10
• Australia: Bachelor degree, 2:2 or Credit or 65%
• Austria: Bachelor degree, 2.5/5.0 and overall Pass (Bestanden)
• Bahrain: Bachelor degree, 75% or GPA 3.0/4.0
• Bangladesh: Bachelor’s from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology or Master's degree, 60% or GPA 3.0/4.0
• Belgium: Licentiaat or Licencié, 13/20 or 65%
• Botswana: Bachelor degree (5-year) or Master's from University of Botswana, GPA 3.5/5.0 or 65% or B- or Good
• Brazil: Título de Bacharel / Título de Licenciado (4-year), 7/10 or 70%
• Brunei: Bachelor degree, Lower Second Class Honours with 50% overall
• Bulgaria: Bachelor degree, 4.3/6
• Cameroon: Diplôme d'Ingénieur/ Diplôme d'Études Supérieures de Commerce (5-year), 12-13 assez bien (fair); 70-74; or B+
• Canada: Bachelor degree, GPA 3.0/4.0 or 74-77% or overall B
• China: Bachelor degree (4-year), 73% or 2.6/4.0 (C9 unis), 75% or 2.8/4.0 (Double First unis), 80% or 3.25/4.0 (all other unis)
• Colombia: Licenciado / Titulo (4-year), 3.5/5.0
• Croatia: Baccalaureus / Baccalaurea (Bachelor degree), Overall score 3/5
• Cyprus: Bachelor degree, 6.5/10
• Czech Republic: Bachelor degree (180 ECTS), 1.75/4.0 or High C 'dobre’ (good)
• Denmark: Bachelor degree, 7/12 or 8/13 or grade C
• Egypt: Bachelor degree, 70% or 3.0/4.0
• Estonia: Bakalaurusekraad / University Specialist's Diploma / Professional Higher Education Diploma, 4.0/5.0
• Finland: Bachelor / Kandidaatti / Kandidat (180 ECTS credits), 3/5 or 2/3
• France: Licence or Diplôme from a grande école, 11.5 out 20
• Gambia: Master's degree (2-year), GPA 3.0/4.3 or 64% or B
• Germany: Bachelor degree (180 ECTS), 2.6/5
• Ghana: Bachelor degree, 2:2 (Second Class Lower Division) or GPA 3.25/5.0 or 60%
• Greece: Bachelor degree, 6.50/10
• Hong Kong: Bachelor degree, Upper second class or GPA 2.7/4.0 or 75% or B Minus
• Hungary: Bachelor (Alapfokozat) or Diploma (Egyetemi Oklevél), 3.5/5.0
• Iceland: Bachelor degree (Baccalaureus or Bakkalarprof), 7.0 out of 10
• India: Bachelor degree, CGPA: 55-60% or 5.5/10 - 6.0/10
• Iraq: Bachelor degree (Licence/Karshani), 0.7
• Israel: Bachelor degree, 70% or C+
• Italy: Laurea (180 ECTS), 100/110
• Japan: Bachelor degree, 70% or C+ or 3.0
• Jordan: Bachelor degree, 3.0/4.0 or 70%
• Kazakhstan: Bachelors (Bakalavr Diplomi) or Specialist Diploma, GPA 3.0/4.0 or GPA 4.0/5.0 or B
• Kenya: Bachelor degree, 2:2 or 60%
• Kuwait: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, GPA 2.67/4.0
• Kyrgyzstan: Bachelor's degree or specialist diploma (min 4 years) from a recognised institution, 3.5/5.0 or 2.67/4.0
• Latvia: Bakalaura Diploms (Bachelor's) or Profesionālā Bakalaura Diploms (Professional Bachelor's) from a recognised institution, 6/10
• Lebanon: Bachelor's degree / Licence from a recognised institution, 70% or C or 2.7/4.0 or 12/20
• Liberia: Master's degree from a recognised institution, 75% or 2.8/4.0
• Libya: Bachelor's degree from selected institution, 65% or 2.8/4.0
• Lithuania: Bachelors/Bakalauro (180 ECTS) from a recognised institution, 7/10
• Luxembourg: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 12/20
• Macedonia: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 7/10 or 2:2
• Malawi: Master's degree from a recognised institution, 60% or 2.4/4.0
• Malaysia: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 2.6/4.0 or B- (Class 2 Division 2)
• Maldives: Bachelor's degree from the Maldives National University (MNU), 50%
• Malta: Bachelor degree from a recognised institution, Lower Second Class / 60% / Category IIB
• Mexico: Titulo de Licenciado from a recognised institution, 7.5/10
• Morocco: Licence/Licence d'Etudes Fondamentales/Licence Professionnelle from a recognised institution, 11/20
• Namibia: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 60% or 2.5/4.0
• Nepal: Master's degree / Bachelor's (4-year) from select institutions, 55% or 2.4/4.0
• Netherlands: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 6/10 or 2.7/4.0
• New Zealand: Bachelor's degree (3 or 4 years) from a recognised institution, Lower Second Class Hons
• Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, Lower Second Class Hons
• Norway: Bachelors/Bachelorgrad (180 ECTS) or Candidatus/a magisterii from a recognised institution, Overall C
• Oman: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 2.7/4.0
• Pakistan: Bachelor's degree (4-year) from HEC recognised institution or 2 year BA + 2 year MA from HEC recognised institution, CGPA 2.7 or 55%
• Palestine (State of): Bachelor degree (4-year) from a recognised institution, 75% or or 2.7/4.0
• Papua New Guinea: Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised institution, Class II Division B
• Peru: Licenciado or Professional Title from a recognised institution, 12/20
• Philippines: Master’s from recognised institution or Centre of Excellence; or Bachelor's from prestigious institution or Centre of Excellence, 2.5/4.0 or 80% or 2.5/5.0 or Cum Laude
• Poland: Licencjat or Inżynier from a recognised institution, 3.8/5.0
• Portugal: Licenciado (180 ECTS) from a recognised institution, 12/20
• Qatar: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 2.7/4.0 or 3.3/5.0
• Romania: Diplomă de Licenţă/Diplomă de Inginer/Diplomă de Urbanist Diplomat from a recognised university, 7/10
• Russia: Diplom Bakalavra or Specialist Diploma from a recognised institution, 3.5/5.0
• Rwanda: Bachelor's degree (4-year) from a recognised institution, Lower Second Class Hons; 60%; or 13/20
• Saudi Arabia: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 3.5/5.0 or 2.7/4.0 or 70%
• Serbia and Montenegro: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 7 / Good
• Sierra Leone: Bachelor's Honours degree from a recognised institution, Lower Second Class Hons; 55%; 3.4/5.0; 2.75/4.0
• Singapore: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 3.3/5.0 or 2.8/4.0
• Slovakia: Bachelor's degree (Bakalár) from a recognised institution, 70%; or 2.0 overall; or C
• Slovenia: Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (University Degree) or Diploma o pridobljeni visoki strokovni izobrazbi / Diplomirani (Diploma of Professional Higher Education) or Diplomant or Univerzitetni diplomant (first degree), 7 out of 10
• Solomon Islands: Bachelor's degree (4-year) from the University of the South Pacific, B/3.0
• Somalia: Do not accept national qualifications for direct entry, N/A
• South Africa: Bachelor's degree (4-year) from a recognised institution, 60%
• South Korea: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, GPA 2.5/4.0; or 2.8/4.3; or 3.0/4.5
• Spain: Título de Grado / Título de Licenciado / Título de Ingeniero / Titulo de Arquitecto from a recognised institution, 6/10 or 1.5/4.0
• Sri Lanka: Bachelor Special Degree or Professional Degree (4-year) from a recognised institution, 55% or 2:2 or 3.0/4.0
• Saint Kitts and Nevis: Bachelor's degree from the University of the West Indies, 2.7/4, B-, 60% or Lower Second Class Hons
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Bachelor's degree from the University of the West Indies, 2.7/4, B-, 60% or Lower Second Class Hons
• Sudan: Bachelor's degree (5-year) from a recognised institution, 60% or B
• Sweden: Bachelor's Degree/Kandidatexamen/Yrkesexamen from a recognised institution, Pass OR Godkänd (with a minimum of 90 credits at Good - C)
• Switzerland: Diplom/Diplôme;Lizentiat;Staatsdiplom/Diplôme d’Etat from a recognised institution, 4/6; or 6/10: or 3/5
• Syria: Bachelor's degree (Licence/ al-ijaza-fi) from a recognised institution, 65%+ or 'Good' from a public university
• Taiwan: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 65-70% or GPA 2.6/4.0 - 2.8/4.0
• Tanzania: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 2:2; or Lower Second; or GPA 2.7/5.0
• Thailand: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 2.6/4.0
• Trinidad and Tobago: Bachelor's Degree from UWI, B-, 60% or 2.5; or Lower Second Class Hons
• Trinidad and Tobago: Diplôme National d'Ingénieur/ Diplôme National d'Architecture/ Docteur en Médecine / Vétérinaire/ Licence/ Maîtrise from recognised institution, 11 out of 20
• Turkey: Lisans Diplomasi from a recognised institution, Top Unis: 2.5/4.0 All others: 2.8/4.0
• UAE: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, GPA 2.6/4.0 or 75% or C+
• Uganda: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, 2:2 (Lower Second) or 3.0/5.0 or B
• Ukraine: Bachelor's degree or specialist diploma from a recognised institution, 7 out of 12; or 3.5 out of 5
• USA: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, GPA 2.7/4.0
• Vietnam: Bachelor's degree (4-year) from a recognised institution, 6.0/10 or 2.5/4.0
• Yemen: Master's degree from a recognised institution, 70% or 2.7/4.0
• Zambia: Master's degree from a recognised institution, 65%; B; Credit; 1.7/2.5; or 2.7/4.0; or 3.3/5.0
• Zimbabwe: Bachelor's degree (3 or 4 years) from a recognised institution, 2:2 (60%)

Scholarships

• Tibawi Trust Award
• Felix Non-Indian Scholarship: Deadline date: 31 January 2025
• Felix Scholarships: Deadline date: 31 January 2025
• Sasakawa Studentships: Deadline date: 12 March 2025

Course Overview

SOAS’s MA Linguistics and Intensive Language programme is unique in its focus on the languages of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as the communities who speak them and are working to support and revitalise them.

This 2-year programme is meant for students who wish to combine rigorous training in the discipline of linguistics with the intensive study of one or more African or Asian languages. The modular nature of the programme means that it is suitable both for those with little or no previous linguistic training, and those with a degree in linguistics who wish to extend their knowledge into the linguistics and sociolinguistics of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern languages.

With its unrivalled concentration of expertise in the languages of these regions, the SOAS MA Linguistics and Intensive Language programme allows students to gain a working knowledge of an Asian, Middle Eastern or African language. At the same time it offers a thorough grounding in linguistic research methods, along with a rich variety of optional linguistics modules ranging from core theoretical topics in phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics, to historical and typological linguistics, to sociolinguistics, language planning and language revitalisation.

At the end of the programme students will be able to embark on professional careers in language-related fields with emphasis on the region in which the language chosen for the programme is spoken. They will also be able to undertake further study, such as for a research degree in linguistics.

Teaching and Learning

The aims of our MA Linguistics and Intensive Language programme are to:

• Provide students with knowledge of the discipline of linguistics and research methodology in the study of language, both from a theoretical and practical viewpoint
• Provide students with sufficient transferable skills to enable them to function in other professional environments related to language
• Provide either a further qualification in linguistics or a preparation for research (MPhil/PhD) study. By the end of the course students are able to pursue further research or training, at either PhD or professional level
• Provide the opportunity of studying one or more Asian, Middle Eastern and African languages. By the end of the course students are able to have an intermediate-level command of at least one language

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

• Acquiring a solid foundation in the ‘core’ areas of theoretical linguistics, syntax, phonology and semantics
• Familiarity with the basic concepts and assumptions of different theoretical frameworks in the discipline, and the ability to critically question and evaluate these assumptions
• Familiarity with the relevant conventions and methodology applicable to working with both raw linguistic data and linguistic descriptions
• Opportunity to specialise in the area of interest
• The student will have the opportunity to gain knowledge (or further knowledge) of one or more Asian, Middle Eastern or African languages

Intellectual (thinking) skills

• The ability to formulate appropriate linguistic problems, propose and evaluate analyses and present evidence (for and/or against) these analyses
• Knowledge of how to assess data and evidence critically from the literature and original sources, how to formulate analyses and arguments within the system of concepts and assumptions in the discipline, how to solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations

Subject-based practical skills

• Practise research techniques in specialised research libraries and through consultant work
• Retrieve and select information from a variety of linguistic sources such as specialised papers and reference grammars
• Have strong practical language skills which will help them in any context where the language is used and which will also be of benefit if they need to learn another language in the future

Transferable skills

• Locate materials and use research sources (library holdings, ‘raw’ language data, periodicals, internet)
• Structure and communicate ideas effectively in writing
• Question, understand and evaluate competing proposals

Employment

Graduates of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with skills in written and oral communication, analysis and problem solving.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

• Africa Matters
• Amnesty International
• Arab British Chamber of Commerce
• BBC World Service
• British High Commission
• Council for British Research in the Levant
• Department for International Development
• Edelman
• Embassy of Jordan
• Ernst & Young
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Google
• Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
• Middle East Eye
• Saïd Foundation
• TalkAbout Speech Therapy
• The Black Curriculum
• The Telegraph
• United Nations Development Programme
• UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
• Wall Street Journal

Find out about our Careers Service.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

The MA Linguistics and Intensive Language program at SOAS is designed for students who want to combine rigorous training in linguistics with the intensive study of one or more African or Asian languages. This unique program combines the strengths of SOAS's linguistics department with its world-renowned expertise in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern languages.

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Objectives:

• Provide students with a solid foundation in theoretical linguistics, including syntax, phonology, and semantics.
• Develop students' research skills in linguistics, preparing them for further academic study or professional careers.
• Equip students with an intermediate-level command of at least one African, Asian, or Middle Eastern language.
• Foster intercultural understanding and communication skills.

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Program Description:

This two-year program offers a flexible structure that allows students to tailor their studies to their individual interests and career goals. Students can choose from a wide range of linguistics courses, covering topics such as language acquisition, language documentation, and language policy. They can also choose to specialize in a particular language area, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Swahili. The program features a unique "Summer School" component, where students spend three weeks abroad studying their chosen language in an immersive environment.

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Outline:

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Year 1:

• Students without a background in Linguistics:
• Take 60 credits of intensive language instruction and 60 credits in the discipline.
• Participate in a Summer School abroad.
• Students with a background in Linguistics:
• Take 60 credits in the chosen language.
• Participate in a Summer School abroad.

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Year 2:

• All students:
• Complete 30 credits of language
• Complete 60 credits in the discipline, including a 60-credit dissertation.

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Assessment:

Students are assessed through a variety of methods, including written exams, essays, presentations, and language tests. The dissertation is a particularly important component of the assessment, as it allows students to demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research and write a high-quality academic paper.

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Teaching:

The program is taught by a team of experienced and internationally renowned linguists. The teaching methods are varied and interactive, and students are encouraged to actively participate in class discussions and group projects. The program also has a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, with students having the opportunity to conduct their own research and work with real-world language data.

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Careers:

Graduates of the MA Linguistics and Intensive Language program are well-prepared for a variety of careers in language-related fields. They can pursue careers in language teaching, translation, interpretation, language policy, language technology, or academic research. The program also provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a variety of other fields, such as international relations, journalism, and business.

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Other:

• The program is suitable for both students with no previous linguistic training and those with a degree in linguistics.
• The program offers a unique opportunity to study one or more African, Asian, or Middle Eastern languages.
• The program is located in the heart of London, providing students with access to a wealth of resources and opportunities.

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Conclusion:

The MA Linguistics and Intensive Language program at SOAS is a unique and high-quality program that provides students with a strong foundation in theoretical linguistics and an intermediate-level command of at least one African, Asian, or Middle Eastern language. This program is an excellent choice for students who are interested in pursuing a career in language-related fields or who want to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse languages and cultures of the world.

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Home student fees: £12,220 per year Overseas student fees: £25,320 per year Please note that fees go up each year.