Program Overview

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MSc Politics and International Relations (Southeast Asia)

Key Information

Duration

1 year

Start of Programme

September 2025

Attendance Mode

Full-time or part-time

Location

Campus

Fees

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

Course Code

PGTF0273

Entry Requirements

We will consider all applications with a 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher in a relevant subject.

Course Overview

The Southeast Asia pathway offers a multi-faceted exploration of politics in a dynamic and crucial global region. In conjunction with the SOAS Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, the pathway encourages a detailed analysis of Southeast Asian domestic and international politics, not just from a macro-level perspective, but also with reference to the intricacies that shape political life in individual states.

Structure

• Students take taught modules to the value of 120 credits plus a 10,000-word dissertation worth 60 credits.

Core Modules

• Dissertation in Politics and International Studies - 60 credits
• Methodology in the Social Sciences - 15 credits
• Frameworks of Political Analysis - 15 credits
• Southeast Asia: Politics and International Relations I - 15 credits
• Southeast Asia: Politics and International Relations II - 15 credits

Guided Options

• Students select up to 45 credits of guided options, including:
  • Democracy and Authoritarianism in Asia - 15 credits
  • Violence, Justice and the Politics of Memory - 15 credits
  • International Migration and Diaspora Politics - 15 credits
  • International Security Politics in East Asia - 15 credits

Politics Options

• Students select 15-60 credits depending on their choices from the guided options list, including:
  • Approaches to Comparative Political Thought - 15 credits
  • Artificial Intelligence and Human Security - 15 credits
  • Conflict, Rights and Justice - 15 credits
  • Foreign Policy Analysis - 15 credits
  • International Migration and Diaspora Politics - 15 credits
  • International Political Economy - 15 credits

Open Options

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

Teaching and Learning

• Lectures: Most modules involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.
• Seminars: At Masters level, there is particular emphasis on seminar work taking place in two-hour sessions.
• Dissertation: A part of the requirement for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation.

Employment

• Recent graduates have been hired by:
  • BBC World Service
  • Bloomberg
  • British Red Cross
  • British Council
  • Center for International Peace Operations
  • Channel 4
  • Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA)
  • Eversheds LLP
  • Financial Times
  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
  • Global Policy Institute
  • Go East Consulting
  • Grassroot Diplomat
  • Palestine Red Crescent Association
  • Save the Children
  • UNICEF Ethiopia
  • United Nations

Research

• The Department provides expert grounding in the study of Politics and International Relations through deep engagement with the historical legacies, political realities, and international affairs of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Related Programs

• SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art
• MA Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability