SOAS career prospects for Japanese

Many say SOAS is the place to study for Japanese, and there's no doubting the quality of the degree, but how do those that study it fare for career prospects? I have seen many who study Japanese find it very difficult to find jobs besides teaching english in Japan - would it be worth getting an Oxbridge degree instead meaning good career prospects irrespective of the degree or does SOAS have reputable career prospects for Japanese/East Asian studies?

Reply 1

dave05

Depends what you want to do. Its always a possibility to enter the financial service industry, with english and japanese skills. Japan is the second biggest world economy, and it's recovering from a period of slowdown. You also have the option of government work in foreign offices. Bankings probably better paid though, if thats what your after.

Reply 2

DafyddLlyr

If you were to go into banking or working with the foreign office, would it be better or necessary to do Japanese with say Economics or Politics, or would a straight Japanese degree be good enough to enter such jobs?

Reply 3

Master plan

from what i know most people at SOAS take languages combined with other degrees - economics, history, art etc. and seek employment in this particular field

Reply 4

Eien

The only thing about SOAS is that when the top UK institutions are mentioned (Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE, Durham...etc) SOAS rarely figures in the equation, is this simply due to being a very specialised institution? Oxbridge practically guarantees a great job at the end of it, how does SOAS compare for Japanese studies? Call me reputation-obsessed, but I want to make the best decision for my career prospects, but whether to go SOAS or Cambridge is driving me mad...since I would have to undertake a gap year for Cam.... Perhaps SOAS this year and Cambridge for postgraduate study would be the best option?

Reply 5

DafyddLlyr

That does sound like a good idea tbh, if you reapply you might not get into SOAS second time around, then you'd be a bit stuck if you didn't get into Cambridge. Although SOAS seems to be where most Oxbridge Oriental Studies people tend to go for postgrad apparently. When your average person lists the top few Uni's, you're right, SOAS doesn't figure that often, but I've found when I talk to people who know their stuff, they're very aware of SOAS and it's reputation. And it does come high up in the tables, so I think that's fair enough to say it's a very good Uni by anybody's standards. It's just that not many people tend to be aware of it, maybe because it's specialised status, I don't know, but the way I see it, as it gets better and better people will become more aware of it :smile:

And in a few years time, it really could be up there when people list the top few. And as a big plus, SOAS is recognised internationally I keep on hearing, which is basically what I imagine many graduates are after as they could well end up with a job abroad.

It's just my opinion, but I think stick to SOAS for now, and think about Oxbridge for postgrad (bearing in mind you might be popping into the SOAS library quite often :P). I got rejected (after being pooled) from Cambridge, and I really would've liked to go there, but I prefer the look of the couse in SOAS and I'm very very happy with it now :smile:

SOAS is the place to go to go for all things Japanese etc.

As somebody's sig says up there

Originally Posted by arkbar
SOAS kicks a million arses for anything to do with east asian studies.

Reply 6

BovineBeast

Eien

The only thing about SOAS is that when the top UK institutions are mentioned (Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE, Durham...etc) SOAS rarely figures in the equation, is this simply due to being a very specialised institution?

Yes. From what I hear, it's by far the best for its subject, excepting Oxbridge. If people recruit for Oriental Studies graduated, a degree from SOAS will certainly be respected.

Besides, the Guardian league table places SOAS directly beneath Oxbridge and Imperial. So it can't be too bad.

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