BA Chinese

The Chinese BA programme is suitable for both absolute beginners as well as those with some knowledge of the Chinese language.

You will spend the third year of study in China or Taiwan furthering language proficiency and understanding of the local cultural environment.

Why study Chinese at SOAS?

• We are ranked 12th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2023)
• SOAS is home to the largest concentration of Chinese specialists outside of China
• Chinese is a language spoken by a quarter of the world’s population; your command of a language will set you apart from graduates of other universities
• spend your third year in China or Taiwan furthering language and cultural proficiency
• learn not only the essential language skills but also an in-depth understanding of the region’s culture covering subjects (such as literature, history, cinema, etc.)
• flexibly structure your programme using our central options modules to take advantage of the expertise of our other departments
• our students consistently take home top prizes at the prestigious Chinese Bridge competition

Graduates from the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures develop competencies in intercultural awareness, analysis and communication. Demand for specialists with advanced proficiency in the languages of China, Japan and Korea has significantly increased in recent years, and graduates with these skills are highly sought after by employers.

Recent graduates have been hired by organisations including:

• Accenture
• Amazon
• Bloomberg LP
• Department for Work and Pensions
• European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea
• European Commission
• Google
• ITN
• Japanese Government
• Korea Trade Centre (KOTRA)
• KPMG
• Mizuho Bank
• Nagahama Board of Education
• Nanjing Museum
• Pinsent Masons LLP
• PwC
• Seoul Metropolitan Government
• Shelterbox
• UNDP

Find out about our Careers Service