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Revised postgraduate programme specification 2012/13

School of Oriental and African Studies

The following information forms the programme specification at the School of
Oriental and African Studies, University of London. It gives definitive
information relating to a programme of study and is written for a public
audience, particularly prospective and current students. It is also used for other
purposes such as initial programme approval, and is therefore produced at the
start of the programme development process. Once approved, it forms the base-
line information for all statements relating to the programme and is updated as
approved amendments are made.

CORE INFORMATION
Programme title MA Cultural Studies
Final award MA
Intermediate awards N/A
Mode of attendance Full time (1 year) or part time (2 or 3
years)
UCAS code N/A
Professional body accreditation N/A
Date specification created/updated 28/03/2011/December 2012


WHY CHOOSE THIS PROGRAMME?
Why study at SOAS? SOAS is unique as the only higher
education institution in the UK
specialising in the study of Africa, Asia
and the Middle East. The School also has
the largest concentration of specialist
faculty concerned with the study of these
areas at any university in the world.
SOAS is consistently ranked among the
top higher education institutions in the
UK and the world and it also offers a
friendly, vibrant environment for students
in a diverse and close-knit community.
Click here for more information.
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What is special about this programme? The MA Cultural Studies in Asia, Africa
and the Middle East is a pioneering
programme that aims at de-westernising
the field of cultural studies by focusing
on Asian, African and Middle Eastern
cultures and societies. The programme
benefits from the unique interdisciplinary
courses on Asia, Africa and the Middle
East offered by SOAS Faculties, with
diverse approaches that include
anthropology, sociology, religion, gender,
media, film studies, history, art and
archaeology, music and literatures and
cultures. The programme is unique in
allowing an Asian, African and Middle
Eastern language acquisition path. Full-
time students will be allowed to enrol for
four courses during term one (part-time
students two or three), if one of the
courses is a language acquisition course.
At the end of term one, they will have to
withdraw from one course leaving three
courses (pro rata for part-time students)
and a dissertation.
Who would it suit? This programme is suitable for students
with educational backgrounds in
sociology, philosophy, history, religion,
literature, languages, media, cultural
studies, politics, etc. It will benefit
anyone wishing to pursue a research
degree (MPhil/PhD) and offers students
training for a career in teaching and
research in academia. It also provides a
solid basis for anyone wishing to pursue a
career in publishing, media or journalism.
Programme structure The programme consists of taught
courses to the value of 3 units and a
dissertation of 10,000 words. Students
take a core course and two other options
selected from a list of available courses.
To allow for the language acquisition
path, full-time students will be permitted
to enrol for four units during term one
(part-time students two or three), if one of
the courses is a language acquisition unit.
At the end of term one, they will have to
withdraw from a course, leaving courses
to the value of three units (pro rata for
part-time students) and a 10,000
dissertation.
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Assessment summary Students are assessed using a
combination of methods that include long
essays, unseen written examinations,
coursework and a dissertation. Each
course has its own methods of assessment
which are made available to the students
on the course webpages.


ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

SOAS has general minimum entrance requirements for registration for a postgraduate
taught degree and these can be viewed at
http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/


PROGRAMME AIMS
What will this programme give the student an opportunity to achieve?
To obtain a thorough grounding in the theories on Cultural Studies and their
use, application and adaptation in the cross-cultural contexts of Africa, Asia
and the Middle East.
To learn about the cultures and societies of the regions of Asia, Africa and the
Middle East.
To develop a critical approach to Asian, African and Middle Eastern cultural
productions.
To train students to develop good research, analytical and interpretative skills
to undertake their own research project.


PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES
What will the student learn?
Knowledge
Students learn:
How to analyse and interpret cultural practices critically.
How to apply a variety of critical theories to Asian, African and Middle
Eastern cultural productions including film, media, literature, art, etc.
How to explore a research topic and locate materials, use research sources
(particularly research library catalogues and electronic databases) and other
relevant traditional sources.
How to develop a critical approach to Asian, African and Middle Eastern
cultures in which students question the tenets of Western-derived theories and
their applicability to non-Western contexts, and through a variety of
approaches gain an understanding of the social and political role and function
of and role of culture in Asian, African and Middle Eastern societies.
The specificity of cultural paradigms of a region or regions of Asia/Africa and
the Middle East.
A thorough grounding in the theories and methodologies of Cultural Studies

Intellectual (thinking) skills
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Students are introduced to a number of theoretical approaches to cultural
productions such as literature, film and media.
Students are taught the importance of how theories raise questions about
cultural products.
Having successfully completed the programme, students will be able to:
o analyse cultural products in a systematic and creative way from a
variety of perspectives
o research the data necessary for making cultural analytical judgements
o evaluate and apply independent research methods
o demonstrate originality in dealing with cultural studies issues
o successfully conduct an advanced independent research project
o formulate and test interpretations
o understand cultural studies practice and critically examine the social
and political contexts of cultural production.
Students will become aware of and think through problems involved when
applying a mainly Western body of literary theory to Asian, African and
Middle Eastern cultures.

Subject-based practical skills
Communicate effectively and analytically in writing on subjects related to
cultural studies theories and their application in the contexts of Asia, Africa
and the Middle East
Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources.
Listen and discuss critically ideas introduced during seminars.
Practice research techniques in a variety of specialized research libraries and
institutes.
Gain knowledge of Asian or African cultures

Transferable skills
Write good essays and dissertations.
Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
Question the assumptions or theories and methodologies.
Study a variety of written and digital materials, in libraries and research
institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
Present assessed and non assessed material orally.


PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTS FOR GAINING AN
AWARD

Structure, duration and requirements for gaining an award
SOAS has standard requirements relating to the structure and duration of taught
postgraduate programmes and for the award and classification of these programmes.
Details can be found at
http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/file60379.pdf

Programme structure diagram
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Students taking the course part-time over 2 years tend to take 2 units in their first year
and the remaining unit and the dissertation in their second year. Students taking the
course part-time over 3 years tend to take one course unit per year.
Below is a structure diagram for this programme.

Level Year of
study
Course code Course title Cred
it
Status Notes
7 Year 1 15PCSC001 Cultural Studies
Theories and the
Study of Asia,
Africa and the
Middle East
45 Core
7 n/a n/a Optional
course(s) from
the lists below
45 Option no more than 1 unit
from Group B or C
7 n/a n/a Optional
course(s) from
the lists below
45 Option no more than 1 unit
from Group B or C
7 n/a 15PCSC999 Dissertation in
Cultural Studies
45 Core

The following is the full list of courses currently approved for the MA Cultural
Studies.
Group A (From the Faculty of Languages and Cultures)
Travelling Africa: Writing the Cape to Cairo - 15PAFC139 (1 Unit) - Full
Year
Japanese Traditional Drama (Masters) - 15PEAH013 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Modern Japanese Literature (Masters) - 15PEAH012 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Modern Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (MA) - 15PCHH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Modern Film from Taiwan and the Chinese Diaspora - 15PCHH002 (0.5 Unit)
- Term 1
Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC004 (1 Unit) - Full
Year
Literatures in African languages - 15PAFC124 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Literatures of South Asia - 15PSAC284 (1 Unit) - Full Year
The Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia - 15PSAC314 (1 Unit) -
Full Year
Modern Arabic Literature and the West - 15PNMC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Film and Society in the Middle East - 15PNMC230 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not
Running 2012/2013
Post-crisis Thai Cinema (1997-2007) - 15PSEH008 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not
Running 2012/2013
(Post) Colonialism and Otherness in South East Asia on Screen - 15PSEH010
(0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film - 15PSEH011 (0.5 Unit) -
Term 2 - Not Running 2012/2013
Aspects of African film and video 1 - 15PAFH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Aspects of African film and video 2 - 15PAFH007 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not
Running 2012/2013
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Japanese Television since 1953 - 15PJKC006 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Indian Cinema: Its History and Social Context - 15PSAH001 (0.5 Unit) -
Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
Indian Cinema: Key Issues - 15PSAH002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running
2012/2013
Research Methods In Translation Studies - 15PLIH046 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Group A (From the Faculty of Arts and Humanities)
Department of Anthropology and Sociology
Culture and Society of China - 15PANC089 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of East Africa - 15PANC084 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of Japan - 15PANC086 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of South Asia - 15PANC087 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of South East Asia - 15PANC088 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture and Society of the Near & Middle East - 15PANC097 (1 Unit) - Full
Year
African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern World - 15PANH010 (0.5 Unit) -
Term 1
African and Asian Cultures in Britain - 15PANH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Centre for Media and Film Studies
The Transnational News Environment: Production, Representation and Use -
15PMSH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Transnational Communities and Diasporic Media:Networking, Connectivity,
Identity - 15PMSH004 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Rethinking Audiences - 15PMSH011 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Japanese Transnational Cinema: From Kurosawa to Asia Extreme and Studio
Ghibli - 15PMSH017 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Japanese Post-War Film Genres and the Avant-Garde - 15PMSH001 (0.5 Unit)
- Term 2
Mediated Culture in the Middle East: Politics and Communications -
15PMSH003 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
International Political Communication - 15PMSH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Studies in Global Media and Post-National Communication - 15PMSH007
(0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Department of Music
Atlantic Africa: (P)Layers of Mediation in African Popular Music (PG) -
15PMUC009 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Popular Music and Politics in Israel - 15PMUH010 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Pop and Politics in East Asia (Masters) - 15PMUH014 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Gender and Music (MMus) - 15PMUH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2 - Not Running
2012/2013
Department of the Study of Religions
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Critical Theory and the Study of Religions - 15PSRC037 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Myth and Mythmaking - 15PSRC164 (1.0 Unit) - Not Running 2012/13
Muslim Britain: Perspectives and Realities - 15PSRC158 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Department of History
Histories of Ethnicity and Conflict in South East Asia I - Making States and
Building Nations - 15PHIH011 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Histories of Ethnicity and Conflict in South East Asia II - Non-National
Perspectives - 15PHIH012 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Social and Cultural Transformations in Southern Africa Since 1945 -
15PHIH003 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
The End of Empire in the Middle East & the Balkans - 15PHIC004 (1 Unit) -
Full Year
Japanese Modernity I - 15PHIH013 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
Japanese Modernity II - 15PHIH014 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Knowledge and Power in Early Modern China - 15PHIH024 (0.5 Unit) - Term
2
Nationhood and Competing Identities in Modern China - 15PHIH022 (0.5
Unit) - Term 1
Department of Art and Archaeology
Diaspora Contexts and Visual Culture - 15PARH042 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not
Running 2012/2013
Representing Conflict: A Cross-Cultural and Inter Disciplinary Approach -
15PARH039 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
Islam and the West: Artistic and Cultural Contacts - 15PARH034 (0.5 Unit) -
Term 1 - Not Running 2012/2013
Painting and Visual Culture in China - 15PARC043 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not
Running 2012/2013
Group B
One African or Asian PG Language unit or one Language-based MA
Literature/Film/Media unit may be included as one of the options. See the relevant
language department website for course lists.
Group C
One theory unit may be included as an option.
Gender theory and the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East -
15PGNC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Postcolonial Theory and Practice - 15PCSC003 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Theory and techniques of Comparative Literature - 15PCSC002 (1 Unit) - Full
Year
The availability of optional/elective courses may vary in a given academic session
due to factors such as staff absence and student numbers. For an up to date list of
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courses running in a given academic session please refer to the degree structures
as listed on the SOAS website for the degree programmes taught by each
Department.


TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT
What methods will be used to achieve the learning outcomes?
Knowledge
Acquisition of critical and analytical skills of cultural studies theories and
methodologies through lectures, seminars, tutorials and oral presentations.
Students are required to attend all classes, study extensively on their own and
prepare assessed and non-assessed work regularly.
The core course Cultural Studies Theories and the Study of Asia, Africa and
the Middle East introduces the developments of Cultural Studies Theories
over the last thirty years to students in the first term and trains them in how
these may be applied critically to Asian, African and Middle Eastern cultures.
Acquisition of the cultural paradigms of a region or regions of Asia, Africa
and the Middle East by taking two courses from a region or regions of Asia,
Africa, or the Middle East and by taking a language course. Students will be
expected to analyse cultural products in the context of one or more of the
theories introduced and question their effectiveness.
Acquisition of the theories and methodologies of cultural studies through
attending the core course Cultural Studies Theories and the Study of Asia,
Africa and the Middle East.
Assessment: through unseen examinations, long essays, course work and a
dissertation.

Intellectual (thinking) skills
Acquisition of analytical and critical skills is fostered in all courses offered in
the Programme, in that all courses will introduce information that will need to
be assessed critically and will demonstrate that how conflicting interpretations
arise from different approaches to the same texts.
Students will learn successfully how to conduct an advanced research project
through supervision.
Evaluation of theory and its applications is acquired through lectures, seminars
and the writing of essays on topics relating to theory and Asian, African and
Middle Eastern cultural practices.
Assessment: through unseen examinations, course work, long essays and a
dissertation.

Subject-based practical skills
Acquisition of critical and analytical writing through the practice of
researching and writing of long essays and dissertations.
Research work in the library in preparation for essays, course work and
dissertation
seminar and tutorial preparation, discussion and presentation of ideas
Acquisition of knowledge of Asian, African and Middle Eastern cultures and
societies through the selected area courses on these topics
Assessment: by unseen examination, dissertation, and long essays
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Transferable skills
Acquisition of writing skills through the writing of long essays and
dissertations.
Through research work in the library in preparation for essays, course work
and dissertation.
Through seminar preparation, discussion and presentation of ideas.
Through the setting of clear deadlines for the submission of written work, and
through guidance when writing essays and thesis
Assessment: by unseen examination, dissertation, and long essays



REFERENCE POINTS
What has been the basis for the design of this programme?
School learning and teaching strategy
Staff research
QAA framework for higher education qualifications




QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ENHANCEMENT

SOAS has internal procedures to assure the quality of provsion to be offered to
students and to enhance the quality in the light of experience following delivery,
taking into account the input of external experts and students. The procedures are set
out in the Schools Quality Assurance Handbook and can be viewed at
http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/qualityassurance/quality-assurance-handbook/.

SOAS is also subject to periodic external review from bodies such as the Quality
Assurance Agency for Higher Education and relevant professional and statutory
regulatory bodies.

The procedures described in the Quality Assurance Handbook are in place to provide
a high quality student experience for those choosing to study at SOAS, and student
input and evaluation of their experiences is greatly valued. Students make an input to
the ongoing development of their programmes, and the environment in which they
operate, in a number of ways, including:
formal student evaluation as part of the annual programme review;
student representation on School committees at various levels (through the
Students Union) where many relevant issues are discussed.


FURTHER INFORMATION

SOAS Vision and Strategy Statement;
Postgraduate Handbook;
Quality Assurance Handbook;
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UCAS website;
QAA website;
website of the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS):
http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/
website of the programme: http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/degrees/macomplit/.