Chinese
Chinese is the language of the world's most populous country and one of its most rapidly growing and globally influential economies. Mandarin Chinese, spoken by over a billion people, is the most widely spoken language on earth by number of native speakers, and its importance in international business, diplomacy, culture and scholarship has grown considerably as China has become more central to global affairs. Studying Chinese to a high level opens professional and personal opportunities that very few graduates from English-speaking countries can access, precisely because the language is difficult enough that relatively few people achieve real proficiency.
At the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), part of the University of London, this four-year programme, which includes a foundation year, develops your Mandarin Chinese language skills from the ground up or builds on existing knowledge, alongside engagement with Chinese culture, history and society. The third year is spent in China or Taiwan, immersing you in the language environment and cultural context that genuine fluency requires. SOAS's distinctive focus on the languages, cultures and societies of Asia, Africa and the Middle East gives the programme an intellectual depth and specificity that a Chinese language programme at a general university cannot quite replicate, and the faculty expertise in Chinese studies across history, politics, economics and the arts enriches the linguistic dimension of your studies considerably.
Graduates with high-level Mandarin Chinese are in demand in international business, diplomacy, journalism, translation and interpreting, cultural organisations, international organisations and NGOs with operations in China, financial services with Chinese clients or connections, and academic research in Chinese studies. The scarcity of genuine Chinese language proficiency among UK graduates makes those who have it genuinely distinctive in the graduate market, and SOAS's reputation in the field adds further credibility to the qualification.