The Student Room Group
School of Oriental and African Studies
London

SOAS or Cambridge for Japanese?

(I've already posted this in the Foreign Languages section, I'm really sorry if it's wrong of me to post it here too, I'm new)

Hello ^_^

I'm starting my 2nd year of college about to apply to unis this September/October.

I know I want to study Japanese, but I'm not sure where the best place is. I don't want to come across at all boastful, I just really need advice for my personal situation. I am very academic, I got 7 A*s and 3As at GCSE and I'm predicted 43/45 on the IB (so like A*A*A I guess). So, my tutor definitely thinks that I am good enough for Cambridge as I also have a strong passion for Japanese.

My problem is that although I feel I want to go to Cambridge ('one of the best unis in the world', I really enjoyed it when I visited, the course looked very good, I love hard, academic work - studying and reading etc.), my focus in life isn't going to the best uni just because I can. All I want is to learn about Japan: language, history, culture and so on and straight after uni live and work there for my foreseeable future. Therefore, my priority is going to the best uni for Japanese. Not just the course & facilities, but how much the degree will be respected when I live in Japan and how well it will prepare me for a life in Japan. And I have heard from a lot of people, though Cambridge is 'the best uni', SOAS is the best in the UK for Japanese.

I would really love some advice. I have heard from my teachers and parents (obviously they don't know about Japanese or anything) that Cambridge is the right choice, but I've heard from a lot of students that SOAS is better for the course. What I do want to reiterate though, is that I love academia. I don't know exactly what I want career wise (film director/film business...evangelical work...both) but I do know that I love studying, researching, writing essays so being a full time academic or Japanese University professor might be a viable option. Also to consider is that I am not very outgoing. I like friends, of course, but I am somewhat lacking socially so the isolation of Cambridge compared to inner London is quite appealing. That being said, if the vibrant Japanese scene at SOAS would help me for my future, then that's great.

Thank you for reading, I would really appreciate any advice and/or opinions that you may have.

Liz
Reply 1
Hello!

So let me start off by saying that I was in the very same situation as you in the sense that I was being pushed towards Cambridge by teachers/mum etc., but I thought I'd prefer SOAS because of the course. I'm at SOAS now, going into Y2 of BA Japanese and Korean (switched from single honours Japanese), so hopefully I can help your decision!

Language wise, 'supposedly' we're about as good as each other. However, informal feedback I get from various people suggests that after graduating, SOAS students tend to have a higher level of Japanese (I hear the same thing about Chinese, Arabic etc.). We have a very demanding timetable - you'll be in minimum 4 days a week and you'll have homework to submit every day, and on top of this, you're expected to take modules in history, culture, literature, linguistics etc.

This sounds like it might play to your interests, however - Y1 Japanese would consist of the language learning on a daily basis, a module of Japanese culture for which you do reading, write essays and do an essay-based exam, and a further module of your choice (this could be Japanese related or something totally different - I did Southeast Asian History this year, some of my friends did East Asian history, other Japanese modules, some did Tibetan stuff - endless really!). Have you done any Japanese before, out of interest? There's a specific class for those who have studied it before (I was in this 8-) ) and several for those who have little-no knowledge, but your timetable and contact hours depend on which one you get put in.

The main difference between SOAS and Cambridge is that at Cambridge, you'd get much more close contact with your tutors for non-language modules. Our language classes are between 12-18 in Y1 so relatively small, Japanese culture can be like 80. I don't know much about the system at Cambridge, I think it's called 'supervisions' (or is that just Oxford?), so if you benefit from that style of learning, then it's worth some thought. SOAS doesn't do that, but we do do language clinics and office hours where you can meet, discuss, (hopefully not) cry about and go over stuff you don't understand which are so helpful - non-language teachers are also always happy to see people in office hours :smile:. It's not the same as supervisions but it's a form of small group/individual contact :smile:.

One major selling point over Cambridge, particularly for your case, I'd say, would be that we have about 20 different unis to choose from for our year abroad. Cambridge students only have one option, but you'd be free to build up contacts and networks in an area and a uni of your choice, which might improve your prospects in, for example, seeking a job at a specific university. There's a list on the SOAS website and it covers most areas of Japan (except strangely Touhoku).

In terms of respect, both SOAS and Cambridge are highly regarded in Japan. Either one will set you up well, so although there's 'brand name' that Cambridge gives within the UK, as you're very keen on living in Japan, I wouldn't say having one or the other would give you a massive advantage.

The impression that I get from my friends at Cambridge is it's a work hard, play hard uni - they party a lot and they have some bizarre rituals and stuff, totally not my cuppa tea! SOAS is great because the focus here is on the academia, rather than the typical uni get drunk every night attitude. Yes, there's a party scene, but if it's not your thing, nobody's gonna think less of you for not participating in it, and you'll make some great friends whatever you do here :smile:. There is a great Japanese scene here - we have the Japanese Soc, I'm helping to set up the East Asia Soc this year, the language exchange project (meet Japanese students once a month, and alternate between using Japanese and English), an overwhelming number of emails with all sorts of opportunities - one of my friends from the course spent his summer learning Japanese puppetry in Japan thanks to a SOAS lead! So although London may seem intimidating as a city, it's a great place to study - there's a plethora of libraries, book shops, cafés, museums, things to do/see etc and you can do whatever interests you :smile:.

Hope that helps and if you wanna know anything more then please do ask :biggrin:.

Alex.
School of Oriental and African Studies
London
Reply 2
Hi Alex

Thank you so much for your detailed reply! I really appreciate it.

You've given me a lot to think about. I apologise that my reply is quite short, but there's so much to consider in your reply.

I suppose my main issue is I've wanted to go to Cambridge for so long and I do love the university and everything, so it's a bit of of shock to myself that I may think SOAS may be the right choice. I've never really considered another uni, but I've heard so much good about SOAS for Japanese.

The demanding timetable thing is actually one of the reasons I thought Cambridge might be better. Cambridge has weird term lengths - 8 weeks then 6 weeks at home - but during the 8 weeks it is non-stop work with essays from the first few weeks. I've been told by my tutor that this is much more of a workload than the other unis (such as SOAS) and so I've been concerned that I would have more free time at SOAS, and the workload would be lighter. Clearly you disagree with this though? Also, as much as I want to master the language of course, I am extrememly interested in the culture, history etc. and I absolutely love writing academic (research, citations, bibliography) essays. Is there plenty of opportunities for this? I know in Cambridge you write a lot of essays. As for my previous Japanese, I have done a GSCE at home and I'm planning to complete the A level, not officially as I can't afford it, but do the work so that I would do well if I did take the exam. I'm also hoping to buy a cheap Minna no Nihongo textbook because I've been told that's what SOAS uses.

Yes Cambridge does have supervisions, and I have been drawn to that factor. But to be honest, I've never had one so I have no idea what they're like. Hopefully after the interview I'll have a better idea, but it is reassuring to know that SOAS doesn't just leave you on your own, my mum was worried about that.

The 20 universities thing I must admit is a very big draw. I'm planning to apply to Downing College in Cambridge and they have an extra link with Keio, but apart from that it is pretty limited.

The 'brand name' thing was a bit of a worry. Whenever relatives hear I'm applying to Cambridge they seem so proud and I'd be sad that they won't have heard of SOAS, but if in Japan it makes no difference, that's comforting.

I've visited SOAS a couple of times. You might know the girl I spent the day with - Rosanna. I definitely felt like it was a very friendly place and I was very impressed by the library and all the Asia related facilities. I would definitely say that Cambridge isn't exactly known for it's Asian studies, the faculty is quite small and there would probably be only one or two people in my college on the same degree.

Thank you again for your reply :smile: it's definitely helped to shape my perspective when trying to choose between the two. Thankfully I've still got a while.

Liz
Reply 3
I have a habit of writing essays for replies to anything, I do apologise for the slightly overzealous amount of detail haha :P. Glad it was useful!

Indeed SOAS is good for Japanese, as is Cambridge. Both have their strengths and weaknesses so it's a personal preference on which learning style and location you prefer - definitely visit and apply for both, at the end of the day you don't have to make up your mind firmly until UCAS asks you to which is usually in like April/May :smile:.

I think the workload at both is heavy, but it operates in different ways. SOAS probably does less essays - you do none for language (but do have to prepare speeches and presentations etc.), you do one per term for Japanese culture and your other module really depends - my history module was 3 essays, a presentation and a 3 hour exam but some peoples' assessment was 1 essay and 1 exam for their final module. Having said that, you have to do academic reading every week for non-language modules, and we cover 2-3 chapters of Minna per week minimum (about 60-80 words and can be up to like 10-12 grammar points) - anywhere between 30-200 pages is normal and if you think you're going to choose that topic in the exam, you need to make good notes as you progress, so the work at SOAS is still very tough, it's just more unassessed and based on your personal preferences. We're actually down to about 55-60% of our original numbers as so many people found the work too much, and have dropped out - whether this is a good thing or a bad thing in this context is up to you to decide but I think by the sounds if it you'll cope fine :smile:.

Yes we do use Minna no Nihongo 1 and 2 in Y1 of SOAS - that's a great place to start :smile:. If you get to about midway through the second book, regardless of whether you take an official qualification in it or not, then you'll get put in the advanced class which has 2 hours less of language learning a week and a chance to take an extra academic essay etc. based module (I was in this class as I had an A-level) :smile:.

Noooo you're never left on your own, the teachers are always super helpful about making sure you're on track and bend over backwards to help so never fear :biggrin:.

Do you have a specific uni/area in mind? SOAS also offers Keio and about 8 other Tokyo unis (I'm applying to Tokyo this year) so if you're interested in a specific uni or geographical region then SOAS might be better for that, if not then Cambridge equals us :smile:.

Yup SOAS seems to be better known abroad than in the UK tbh, especially in Japan it's very famous!

Oh Rosanna! She and I shared student rep this year and we're both setting up the East Asia Soc this coming up year (and she's seen me plastered enough times D: ) so yes I do know her rather well actually :biggrin:. Yeah the library is great - Japan has half a floor to itself and you can find nearly anything there, it's certainly a very friendly place and feel free to visit as many times as you need to for info :biggrin:.

Not at all! I'm always happy to answer questions at any time, best of luck with your decision :biggrin:.

Alex.

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