Uniquely combining language scholarship, disciplinary expertise and regional focus, SOAS, University of London has the largest concentration in Europe of academic staff concerned with the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Regional expertise and languages remain at the heart of SOAS scholarship but increasingly SOAS research is engaging with contemporary challenges, such as globalisation, championing the rights of displaced people, and developing the governance and management of water, minerals, energy and nutrition.
SOAS scholars grapple with the pressing issues confronting two-thirds of humankind today: democracy, development, human rights, migration, identity, legal systems, poverty, religion, and social change.
With more than 5,000 students on campus and a further 3,600 engaged on a distance learning programme, SOAS creates an international community for its students who come from all over the world.
SOAS offers a cosmopolitan and diverse study environment, with small classes and one of the best student-staff rations in the country. Student life is a challenging, rewarding and exciting experience. More than 50% of students are international, coming from over 130 countries, earning SOAS a place in the top 10 universities for the percentage of international students (QS World University Rankings 2015).
Students are supported through many sources of support and advice, and are also prepared for the job market they will enter when they graduate.
SOAS students graduate with a broad set of transferable skills to excel in the world of work. Employers value SOAS graduates because of their specialist knowledge, international outlook, and openness to different cultures and traditions.
Whilst some students choose to continue with academic research, those who embark on careers typically take up posts as lawyers, managers, cultural industries administrators, teachers, in NGOs, or set up their own businesses.
