South East and Pacific Asian Studies

Students on this programme come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some join after having acquired an interest in South East Asia during their undergraduate career, or as a result of travelling in the region.

This South East and Pacific Asian Studies MA programme also attracts mature students: some take the MA degree as a partial preparation for employment in the region; others, having lived in South East and Pacific Asia for a number of years, seek to place their experience and impressions into a more structured, analytical framework.

Knowledge of a South East or Pacific Asian language is not a pre-requisite for admission to this programme. However, all students on this programme are required to take a South East or Pacific Asian language as one their modules.

Why study South East and Pacific Asian Studies at SOAS?

• SOAS is ranked 1st in London and 9th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for Asian Studies.
• Top 10th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for African and Middle Eastern Studies
• Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
• 4th for research environment - with 100% of our research ranked as 'internationally excellent' and 85% as 'world-leading' - and 8th for research outputs in the REF 2021
• SOAS is a specialist in the studies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia
• Access comprehensive cross-regional expertise and gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of these regions in an increasingly globalised world
• You will be eligible to apply for internships, available to students starting 2023/24