MA Iranian Studies
SOAS University of London
Key Information
Campus location
London, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 - 3 year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 11,980 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* full-time fees: UK £11,980; Overseas £23,400. Part-time 2 years fees: UK £5,990/year; Overseas £11,700/year. Part-time 3 years fees: UK £3,955/year; Overseas £7,725/year
Introduction
Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time
Among all universities in Europe and North America SOAS host the biggest concentration of research and teaching staff working on Iranian history, politics, economics, religions, art and archaeology, linguistics, Persian language and literature, media, film, anthropology and music. SOAS has the resources to offer a comprehensive, critical perspective on a variety of aspects of Iranian society and culture and go beyond the contemporary public debates around this country.
The MA in Iranian Studies enables students to critically assess the historical development of Iranian society, economics and culture within the context of the wider west Asian area and to appreciate the complexity of the history and cultural make up of Iran.
The flexible study programme and interdisciplinary curriculum will enrich students knowledge about the religious and politico-cultural influences affecting contemporary Iran and the region it is embedded in. Students will develop a critical understanding of the literature and/or of Iran and the diaspora and gain an understanding of Iran in the context of the Middle East with respect to gender, politics, Islam, music, and migration (minor module options). Persian language and literature will also be studied.
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
Students take 180 credits, 60 of which are a dissertation and 120 from taught modules. Of the taught modules, students must take the core module Iran: Culture, History, Politics (30 credits), 30 credits from List A, and a further 60 credits from List A or List B.
Dissertation
Students must complete the 10,000-word dissertation in Iranian Studies.
- Dissertation in Iranian Studies
Taught Component
Core Modules
- Iran: History, Culture, Politics
and
Guided option
Choose modules to the value of 30 credits from List A below.
and
Guided option
Choose modules to the value of 60 credits from List A or B below.
List A: Iran-specific modules
- Persian 3 (PG)
- Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
- Directed Readings in Persian Studies
- Classical Persian Poetry: Texts and Traditions (PG)
- Elementary Persian Texts (PG)
- Intermediate Persian Language (PG)
- Avestan I
- Persian for Readers of Arabic Script (PG)
- Pahlavi Language
List B: Modules relating to the Middle East
- Modern Trends in Islam
- Gender in the Middle East
- International politics of the Middle East
- Islam and political ideologies
- Culture and Society of Near and Middle East
- Problems of Development in the Middle East and North Africa
Learn a language as part of this programme
Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.
Important notice
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.
Career Opportunities
Employment
As a postgraduate student specialising in Iranian Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.
Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in both business and the public sector. These include written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.
English Language Requirements
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