Program Overview

Key information

Start date

September

Attendance mode

Full-time

Location

On Campus

Fees

Home: £9,535 International: £22,870

Course code

Y001

Entry requirements

• ABB
• Contextual: BBB
• Austria : Reifeprufungszeugnis / Maturazeugnis: four subjects at 1, 2, 2, 2
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Belgium : Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs: 75% (7.5/10, 15/20) overall
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Bulgaria:Diploma za Zavarsheno Sredno Obrazovanie: 5.3 and 5.0 in two State Maturity Exams
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Canada:High School Diploma: 80% with 5 acceptable Grade 12 subjects (most territories).
  British Columbia: AABBB in Grade 12 courses.
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• China:Senior Secondary Graduation Certificate + Gaokao: 78% overall in Gaokao PLUS 85% overall in Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate (year 11 and 12)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Croatia:Matura Certificate: 4.5 overall with 5 in 1 Higher level subject
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Cyprus: **Apolytirion with 2 A-Levels: Apolytirion 18/20 + A-level grades BB
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Czech Republic: Matura Certificate: 1, 2, 2, 2
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Denmark: Studentereksamen; Hojere Forberedelseseksamen; Hojere Handelseksamen; Hojere Teknisk Eksamen: 7 plus 10, 7, 7 in three Level A subjects
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Estonia: Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus with the Riigieksamitunnistus: 4.0 with 85%, 80%, and 80% in 3 state exams
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Finland: Ylioppilastukint / Studentexamen: four subjects at 6, 5, 5, 5
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• France: French Baccalaureat or Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB): 13/20
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Germany: Abitur: 1.8
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Greece: Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio with Pan Hellenic exams: 18/20
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Hong Kong: Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education: 544 in two electives and one core (all other subjects grade 3)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Hungary: Matura (Erettségi): 4.5 overall
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Iceland: Stúdentspróf: 7.5
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• India: Standard XII: 75% (CBSE, CISCE, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra & West Bengal boards), 80% (all other state boards)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate: H1, H2, H2, H3, H3
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Israel: Bagrut: Overall grade of 7, 80% with 3 subjects at 5-unit level
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Italy: Diploma Consequito con L’Esame di Stato: 80% overall
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Latvia: Certificate of General Secondary Education: 88% in four State subject exams
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Lithuania: Brandos Atestatas: 8.5/10 and 90%, 85%, 85% in three State Exam
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Malta: Advanced Matriculation Certificate: AB (Advanced) + BBB (Intermediate)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Netherlands: Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs: 7.5 overall with 8, 8, 7, 7 in four subjects
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Norway: Vitnemål vidergaende opplaering: 4.3 overall
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Poland: New Polish Matura: 75% in three Advanced Level subjects
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Portugal: Diploma de Ensino Secundario: overall 17.5/20
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Romania: Diploma de Bacalaureat: 8.5 overall
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Singapore: Polytechnic Diploma (Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Singapore, Temasek and Republic Polytechnic): GPA 3.3
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Slovakia: Maturitná skúška / Maturita / Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške: four subjects at 1, 2, 2, 2
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• South Africa: National Senior Certificate: 77666
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Spain: Curso de Orientación Universitaria / Título de Bachillerato: 7.5
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Sweden: Slutbetyg / Examensbevis från Gymnasieskolan: A in 1200 credits and no grades below D / 18 / mainly B overall (MVG/VG)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Switzerland: Federal Maturity Certificate: 4.5
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Tanzania: Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education: ACSE with BBB in 3 principle subjects
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Trinidad and Tobago: CAPE: Six CAPE units with grade 2 (+two double-unit courses)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• Turkey: Lise Diplomasi: 78-83% (depending on high school)
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB
• USA: High School Diploma plus ACT, SAT, or AP exams:
  • High School Diploma GPA 3.0 plus SAT 1280or ACT 27and 2 AP's at 4,4or
  • High School Diploma GPA of 3.2 plus 2 AP's at 4,4or
  • High School Diploma GPA 3.4 plus SAT 1300or ACT 29or
  • 2-year Associate degree GPA 3.1
• A Level equivalent : ABB
• Contextualised offer : BBB

Course overview

The BA Creative Arts and Cultural Industries offers historical, theoretical, and practical training by world-leading experts, and is supported by close connections with industry partners. Strong emphasis is placed on professional skills tailored for industry demands, and is ideally suited for careers in arts management, marketing and public relations, journalism, and the music industry.

Students can shape their degree around specific regional or thematic interests through wide-ranging options from across the School of Arts and other departments at SOAS. The first year gives students an introduction to the arts, music, and cultural industries of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. During the second and third years, students continue developing critical theory and research skills.

Optional modules can include a language or other discipline outside the School of Arts, and practice-based modules which offer training in skills such as musical performance, podcasting, sound recording, and curating.

Why Study Creative Arts and Cultural Industries at SOAS?

• SOAS is ranked top 30 in the UK for Arts and Humanities (QS World University Rankings 2025)
• SOAS Music ranked best in the UK for research impact and 5th overall in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

Year in Industry

This programme offers a professional placement opportunity designed to improve your employability and put you in a better place for life after university. A professional placement is a great first step to getting necessary work experience and securing the career you want.

During your third year, you will work with a business or organisation and apply the knowledge you've learnt on your course in the workplace. You’ll develop skills like planning, problem-solving, decision making, and project management, while getting first-hand experience on how a professional organisation works.

Placement opportunities are organised by the student. If a placement is not found, you will be transferred onto the standard 3-year programme of study.

Structure

Year 1 - Compulsory

• Sounds and Cultures - 15 credits
• Decolonising Pop: K-Pop and Beyond - 15 credits
• Humanities Toolkit - 15 credits
• Objects of Art History - 15 credits
• Spaces of Art - 15 credits
• Theories of Art - 15 credits

Year 1 - Guided options

• Up to 30 credits from guided options or language

Year 2 - Compulsory

• Art Matters: modern and contemporary art theory - 15 credits
• Arts, Culture and Commodification - 15 credits

Year 2 - Guided options - List A

• 30-60 credits from List A

Year 3 - Compulsory

• Capstone Project - 30 credits
• Curating Global Arts - 15 credits

Year 3 - Guided options - List B

• 45-75 credits from List B

Teaching and learning

Taught across the departments of the School of Arts, the BA Creative Arts provides a unique opportunity to learn about current debates in global arts, combining ethnographic, art historical, film, and literary-critical approaches.

The BA will provide a solid foundation for careers and postgraduate study in art history, music, English, film, global creative and cultural industries, curating, and museology.

Fees and funding

Fees for 2025/26 entrants per academic year

Programme| Full-time
---|---
Home students| Overseas students
BA, BSc, LLB| £9,250| £22,870
BA/BSc Language year abroad| £1,385| £11,430

Employment

Students in the School of Arts develop a critical and theoretically informed approach to global arts and culture. In addition to an intercultural awareness and practical expertise, graduates gain a wide portfolio of transferable skills which are especially sought after in the creative and cultural industries.

Key staff

• Lecturer in Creative Digital Media
• Dr Marcus Gilroy-Ware
• Attention economy, misinformation, platforms, digital imperialism, propaganda, surveillance capitalism, political culture, identity, representation.

Related courses

• SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art
• Specialist art short courses
• Online Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art

Research

• Restitution of looted Cambodian antiquities
• The Korean art collecting activities of British diplomats, businessmen and missionaries, – A provenance research project based on UK collections
• 'Youth in crisis'? The effects of post-independence violent conflict and displacement on Murle socio-political institutions in Pibor, South Sudan
• Participatory biocultural documentation for sustainable resource stewardship and climate adaptation
• Circumambulating objects: On paradigms of restitution of Southeast Asian art
• African Screen Worlds: Decolonising film and screen studies
• Ballaké Sissoko, Kora Tales
• Stroke by Stroke: Calligraphic imagination in contemporary Chinese art and emergent media
• Maqām Beyond Nation
• Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Collections Today
• The "Summer Palace" Diaspora

Events

• Sama in the Forest
• Mass-printing the divine: Early 20th-century Indian lithographs at SOAS Gallery
• Why you should study Museum Studies in Saudi Arabia and London
• My experience on the SOAS-Effat Museum Studies Programme
• How do museums and galleries engage audiences and protect cultural heritage?
• Careers: "SOAS changed my life and really affected me as a filmmaker"
• What attracted me to SOAS? Decentralising the Western perspective in the world of art