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School of Oriental and African Studies
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SOAS reputation and experiences

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I am in no way saying QMUL is not going up, or that SOAS is not going down, but just to make clear- QMUL had clearing places available for law, whereas SOAS did not. From a quick glance on the SOAS clearing availability it appears to be mostly languages available (sole or jointly with another subject) which are not usually oversubscribed (I stand ready to be corrected on this :smile: )
School of Oriental and African Studies
London
Reply 21
Original post by mackers_ire
I am in no way saying QMUL is not going up, or that SOAS is not going down, but just to make clear- QMUL had clearing places available for law, whereas SOAS did not. From a quick glance on the SOAS clearing availability it appears to be mostly languages available (sole or jointly with another subject) which are not usually oversubscribed (I stand ready to be corrected on this :smile: )


Agreed, that's what I said earlier :smile:
Reply 22
League tables are nothing. SOAS has always had a good reputation at home and abroad, and it always will.
Reply 23
Original post by graffic
League tables are nothing. SOAS has always had a good reputation at home and abroad, and it always will.


It did. Now it doesn't. Things change.

As SOAS isn't on the THES world ranking list or on the Shanghai top 500 ARWU list, some countries such as India have automatically ruled out participation and cooperation in course provision and research with SOAS.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-03/news/32005183_1_foreign-institutions-foreign-universities-foreign-varsities
Reply 24
Original post by graffic
Not only are you a world class idiot but it would appear that you cannot read either.


Thanks, but I'm not convinced. Maybe you should learn to read yourself:

"The UGC has also laid down dual criteria to ensure that quality academic institutions are allowed to run joint degree or twinning courses. Only those foreign institutions will be allowed to collaborate who figure in the top 500 of the Times Higher Education World University Ranking or the Shanghai Jiaotong ranking."

and:

"The new regulations approved by UGC:

* Only those foreign institutions that figure in the top 500 of global ranking by Times Higher Education World University Ranking/Shanghai Jiaotong university can enter into collaboration"
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 25
Those world university rankings are notoriously dodgy for small places like Soas. Then again, I don't really care what you think either way, you probably don't even go to Soas, in fact you probably don't know anything about these universities other than what you've read on the net.
Reply 26
Original post by graffic
Those world university rankings are notoriously dodgy for small places like Soas. Then again, I don't really care what you think either way, you probably don't even go to Soas, in fact you probably don't know anything about these universities other than what you've read on the net.


On the contrary, I went to SOAS for years and graduated from there and know it pretty thoroughly. But who I am doesn't have any relevance to the point I'm making (or rather, passing on). What's important is that the avenue of future collaboration with Indian universities has been closed off since the summer. SOAS teaches many languages including Indian languages and needs collaboration with Indian institutions. So this will matter. If you don't care what I think it doesn't matter to me but in the future don't post random abuse on this thread or you will inevitably look like a sock-puppet trying rather ineffectively to salvage SOAS's reputation by attacking the messenger. If you don't care, may I suggest finding some other forum to troll. All I did is point out that SOAS, officially, no longer has the confidence abroad it once had, and this is because it has dropped from the 2 major top-500 world ranking lists.
Reply 27
Original post by graffic
"no longer has the confidence abroad" because it can't collaborate with Indian institutions. I know more than enough about SOAS and the courses it can and cannot offer from so many sources, in particular the lecturers who teach me who I regularly talk to. I will however now **** off and leave you to salivate over your "reputation" ****e. You should be deeply thankful for my contribution to your thread (hey, know body had even replied to you at first :smile:)


This isn't 'my thread'. You really need to get over yourself and what you think you know (translated: 'grow up'). But yes, thanks for giving me the opportunity to point out that SOAS can no longer collaborate with any Indian university since this summer. Thank you thank you thank you! Don't forget it's all my fault for dragging SOAS down down down by mentioning a league table on TSR and not your lecturers'. And I am a world-class illiterate idiot for having mentioned some news about SOAS's international standing. And you don't care about this issue which is why you keep responding to me over and over. You are really in control of this conversation aren't you?
Reply 28
I'm applying for university this year and these are my possible choices:
LSE- Geography with Economics AAB
UCL-Economics and Geography AAA/AAB
SOAS-development economics AAA
Hypothetically, if I got an offer from all 3 universities and met the grades which one do guys think I should pick and why.
After reading all the posts on this thread i'm a little bit put off by SOAS, I was really keen on development economics but I don't want to go to a uni that doesn't have a great reputation.
I'm so confused right now
1) I didn't read all of this thread, but I just took a year out in Cairo, working in human rights, and I don't think I would have got the job if it wasn't for SOAS. I also met many internationals there, from America and Europe, and always got a very positive reaction when I said I came from SOAS. Ditto when I went to interviews and met people working in the development feild. Ie, I think SOAS's international reputation is much better than it's UK reputation.

2) Alot of the degrees at SOAS, you can't do anywhere else. Or other universities which have departments like 'middle eastern studies', from the looks of them, they're quite small, and in my personal opinion, they have a relitively narrow focus.

3) Also, even with the standard politics or economics degrees, they are quite different to doing economics or politics at durham for example. Because you focus on a different area of the world, and left wing bias is ok. SOAS attttempts to teach you more from an international perspective, 'post colonial' If you're not into that, then just don't come here!

4) There's a high drop out rate at SOAS....because the degrees are actually quite difficult. And the drop out/fail rate doesn't neccisarly correspond with A level results. I got crap A levels and got in through clearing, but got pretty good results, even in Arabic. Friends of mine who got straight As have struggled. So please, stop the clearing snobbery. And last year, they had no places in clearing - that has probally got to do with the fee changes/allocating more places ect this year.
Original post by samuel23
I'm applying for university this year and these are my possible choices:
LSE- Geography with Economics AAB
UCL-Economics and Geography AAA/AAB
SOAS-development economics AAA
Hypothetically, if I got an offer from all 3 universities and met the grades which one do guys think I should pick and why.
After reading all the posts on this thread i'm a little bit put off by SOAS, I was really keen on development economics but I don't want to go to a uni that doesn't have a great reputation.
I'm so confused right now


They are all good unis but it depends, do you want to do a language? Is there are part of the world you want to concentrate on? How much do you want to go into development or are you still not sure?

Don't be put off by SOAS from this thread - it's silly. It just depends how much SOAS fits your interests in contrast to the other two.
I just finished my MA at SOAS. I would not have wanted to study anywhere else in London, and that's serious. I think it's a very individual choice as to where you study, so I'm not going to say that because I loved it, you will too - but my only regret is that I don't have another year to explore more courses and more options!

I'm also a British national. I especially loved how multinational SOAS was. Little things like the free concerts in music from all over the world...really opened up my awareness to cultures I knew a little bit about and cultures I knew nothing about.

SOAS is a bit quirky, and has a unique atmosphere. I won't say it's perfect or there are no hitches, but universities have hitches by their very nature. :wink:

The best advice though is VISIT the place, TALK to the staff, EXPLORE the area and THEN decide where to go. You can't rely on the opinions of other students coming from so many different backgrounds to tell you what is or isn't right for you :wink:
Original post by mediaevelle
I just finished my MA at SOAS. I would not have wanted to study anywhere else in London, and that's serious. I think it's a very individual choice as to where you study, so I'm not going to say that because I loved it, you will too - but my only regret is that I don't have another year to explore more courses and more options!

I'm also a British national. I especially loved how multinational SOAS was. Little things like the free concerts in music from all over the world...really opened up my awareness to cultures I knew a little bit about and cultures I knew nothing about.

SOAS is a bit quirky, and has a unique atmosphere. I won't say it's perfect or there are no hitches, but universities have hitches by their very nature. :wink:

The best advice though is VISIT the place, TALK to the staff, EXPLORE the area and THEN decide where to go. You can't rely on the opinions of other students coming from so many different backgrounds to tell you what is or isn't right for you :wink:


exactly, actually I was choosing between QML and SOAS, and it's only when I visited SOAS, that I decided I def wanted to go there
Reply 33
As for reputation, I told my Japanese art history Graduate Student Instructor at UC Berkeley I was gonna study my MA at SOAS and he was thrilled. He even told other people about me.
Reply 34
In any case, league tables are only half the story. The name and brand of a university can often live on even for a significant period after standards drop, if that is the case at SOAS, or whether it's due to higher student numbers. In the end, in terms of prospective employment, subjective perception by the employer will be more significant than league table rankings, although uni reputation will only be a relatively minor factor in future employment anyhow.
Reply 35
Is SOAS good for LAW

After reading this thread, i am a little bit scared now. I dont really like LSE as it seems really hard to get into and i am told it is full of foreign students.
Original post by 3mmz
Is SOAS good for LAW

After reading this thread, i am a little bit scared now. I dont really like LSE as it seems really hard to get into and i am told it is full of foreign students.


Well I believe SOAS has an even higher percentage of foreign students, so if that is an issue for you (although I don't know why it should be) then SOAS is not the choice for you :smile:
Reply 37
Original post by mackers_ire
Well I believe SOAS has an even higher percentage of foreign students, so if that is an issue for you (although I don't know why it should be) then SOAS is not the choice for you :smile:


Is it:eek:

Did you go SOAS and if yes how did you find it
Original post by 3mmz
Is it:eek:

Did you go SOAS and if yes how did you find it


It's common knowledge most London universities are like this also because it's London after all. Visiting is the best thing :wink:
Original post by 3mmz
Is it:eek:

Did you go SOAS and if yes how did you find it


I am not an SOAS student, although I will be one next year (deferred unconditional entry). Hannah is correct that most London unis have a large international student population, although I believe SOAS toone of the highest numbers (in terms of percentages rather than total numbers)

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