School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

What you'll study

Students gain grounding in key tensions and debates in African and Black Diaspora studies while exploring contemporary themes including migration, colonialism, economic change, climate change and popular culture. The course offers options to pursue language study and cross-regional projects; combined-degree routes are available (examples include Economics, Politics, History, Social Anthropology, International Relations, Languages and Cultures, Law, Film Studies, Music and others).

• Duration: 3 or 4 years, full-time; starts in September and is taught on campus.
• 4-year option includes a Language Year Abroad (term at partner institutions such as Zanzibar State University or Kenyatta University; runs September–May with c.20 hours instruction per week, focused on advanced Swahili language and culture).
• 3-year option may include a Swahili Summer Abroad at named partner institutions.
• Opportunity to apply for an optional year abroad in the second year (applications assessed on academic merit, personal statement and availability; eligibility requires 55% or higher in first year).

Entry requirements

Typical A-level requirement: ABB; contextual offer: BBB. For joint degrees where the partner subject has higher requirements, the offer will follow the subject with the higher entry tariff. For available combinations with this programme the range is AAB–ABB. See SOAS undergraduate entry and English language requirements for alternative and international entry routes.

Career prospects

Graduates leave with analytical, written and oral communication skills plus language and cultural expertise. Recent employers of graduates from the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics include NGOs, media, government and international organisations such as Amnesty International, BBC World Service, Department for International Development, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, United Nations Development Programme and UNHCR, as well as private-sector employers like Google and Ernst & Young.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

SOAS publishes undergraduate fee schedules and further funding information on its website; prospective applicants should check the undergraduate fees and funding pages for details on tuition bands and available scholarships, and consult the university careers and funding teams for advice on bursaries, scholarships and external funding sources.