School of Oriental and African Studies

London

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Transferring to SOAS

I'm a first year student at Newcastle doing Chinese and cultural studies, and I'm not enjoying it at all. I LOVE chinese, but hate cultural studies, and Newcastle Uni doesn't do chinese on its own. It is due to this that I want to swap to SOAS to do Chinese. Ideally I would start from year 2, but being that that's the year abroad, I don't know how possible that would be. Anyone know if I could swap to SOAS and start directly in year 2? If so, how do I do that?

Also, do you recommend SOAS for Chinese? I'm pretty sure it's much better than Newcastle which is crap. But is the Uni itself good to go to?

Reply 1

*River

E-mail them, you never know.

School of Oriental and African Studies

London

Reply 2

ThunderCat8

I have, but office is closed until January 3rd.

Reply 3

*River

Ergh... ah well, patience is a virtue. Hope it works out for you anyway.

Oh dear god, I sound like my mother :eek:

Reply 4

lorrybeep

when they can spend 1 year in china with cheaper living costs and excell chinese both in speaking and writing, why do you study for a chinese degree in England?

Reply 5

Master plan

SOAS only does chinese as a side course, independent from the university course itself. if you transfer there im pretty sure you'll be doing a hell of a lot of culture.....but i may be wrong.

Reply 6

Magnus.

no, of course you can study chinese as a part of your degree (or as your whole degree) at soas. dont know if you can transfer though. remember that the second year of chinese is spent in beijing.

Reply 7

Master plan

^^ dude what i meant was that the chinese degree at SOAS contains tons of culture as well as language

Reply 8

an Siarach

ThunderCat8

Ideally I would start from year 2, but being that that's the year abroad, I don't know how possible that would be.

Im not 100% sure but i believe the SOAS year abroad is in year 3.

Anyone know if I could swap to SOAS and start directly in year 2? If so, how do I do that?

You apply through UCAS but you signify your application is with regard to direct entry to 2nd year. Getting in touch with the faculty as well would be a good move.

Also, do you recommend SOAS for Chinese? I'm pretty sure it's much better than Newcastle which is crap. But is the Uni itself good to go to?

Its the best place to go to.

Reply 9

Exoskeletal

an Siarach

Im not 100% sure but i believe the SOAS year abroad is in year 3.

i think...

in dual honours - a 4 year course, the 3rd year is abroad (if you're doing a language).

in single honours, a 3 year course, the 2nd year is abroad.

Reply 10

BovineBeast

sutol

^^ dude what i meant was that the chinese degree at SOAS contains tons of culture as well as language

Yeah, but that's true of any language degree anywhere.

Reply 11

lorrybeep

it's best because he's studying there

c'on lets face it , why are you misleading people without footnotes?
what they are deciding here is gonna greatly affecting their lives

Reply 12

an Siarach

Exoskeletal

i think...

in dual honours - a 4 year course, the 3rd year is abroad (if you're doing a language).

in single honours, a 3 year course, the 2nd year is abroad.

No - i remember now. The orthodox thing at SOAS is for language degrees (regardless of being single or joint honours) to last 4 years with the 3rd spent abroad. 3 Year language degrees do not incorporate a year abroad at all.

Reply 13

Piers-

Just check the website, jeez :smile:

Chinese is 4 years, with the second year spent in China.

Reply 14

Exoskeletal

well i know about my course...

Reply 15

ThunderCat8

I got 2 replies from SOAS (I sent 2 emails from 2 different email accounts). One response said that if I apply to SOAS through UCAS and specify 2nd year entry, it is possible they will say yes. So I happily fill my UCAS form in and send if off. The day after, I get a reply from the other email I sent, this time from the actual admissions tutor for Chinese, and he said they do accept students directly into the 2nd year, what with it being abroad. So now I am confused! I guess I'll just have to wait until they reply to my UCAS form. It currently just says "Sent" on the track website. Fingers crossed they reply with a yes!

Madness huh!!

ps, I know SOAS does a lot of culture, but the thing is it's Chinese culture. At newcastle, it's just general social study stuff. Sociology, anthropology, world history etc.