History and Chinese - which uni?

Hello!

One of my courses got cut so I'm looking for another uni to apply to preferably for history and Chinese as the rest of my options are all straight history courses and I want something different as my 5th choice :smile:

I have offers from Durham, York and Manchester currently

My options as it stands are:
Exeter
Nottingham
SOAS

Exeter:
- very far away from anything
- 5 hours away from home
- more variety in year abroad options
- pretty location
- more expensive
- Highest ranking
- impossible to visit before choosing a uni
- posh private school rep

Nottingham:
- pretty campus
- I've visited and had mixed feelings but I think that's because it was a mid week open day in the summer so very empty and the person I was with was very negative
- cheapest option
- perfect distance from home
- idk how I feel about the fact their year abroad option is their own uni. It feels a little less authentic? But I'm unsure tbh

SOAS:

- well respected for east Asian studies I think but I'm not sure to what extent
- lowest ranking
- non Russel group
- unsure how it stands for history
- know the least about it
- London opportunities but London expenses

Please help before the deadline!!!

Reply 1

SoasRepMK

Official Rep

Hey!
Final-year Arabic and Economics student at SOAS here—thought I’d give you some insight into SOAS since you’re considering it.

I know that the deadline for UCAS has already past however this might still be relevant

•

One of the best for East Asian Studies – If you’re serious about Chinese, SOAS is one of the top places in the UK for it. It’s super specialised in non-Western subjects, and the lecturers actually focus on China and East Asia, rather than it just being a small part of a general history degree.

•

History at SOAS – If you’re into global history, especially beyond Europe, SOAS is a solid choice. It’s not as high-ranked overall as places like Durham or Exeter, but it excels in non-Eurocentric history. So, if you’re looking for China-focused history, you’d probably get a better experience here than in a standard history degree.

•

Year Abroad – The year abroad at SOAS is at an external partner universities in China, I went on my year abroad for my Arabic degree and loved it

•

London Factor – Yeah, London is pricey, but the opportunities here are next level. You’ll have tons of language events, internships, and networking opportunities that you just wouldn’t get elsewhere. If you’re thinking long-term about careers in translation, international affairs, or anything China-related, being in London is a big plus.

If you want something different from a standard history degree, especially with a strong focus on China, SOAS is 100% worth considering! Let me know if you’ve got any other questions

Marjan Karim
SOAS Student Rep

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

SOAS is conventionally probably the best or second best place for East Asian (or their other specialist) languages in terms of language acquisition. RG membership is irrelevant, employers don't care if your uni is in the RG or not and it has no bearing on undergraduate teaching in any event. SOAS also has a much, much stronger reputation internationally in the countries speaking the languages it specialises in, compared to its domestic reputation. So that's perhaps a factor to consider.

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