East Asian Studies and Economics

East Asian studies and economics is a combination that brings serious regional expertise together with the analytical tools of economics to address questions of growing global significance. East Asia encompasses China, Japan, South Korea, and their neighbours, a region that is home to some of the world's largest and most dynamic economies, and that is reshaping global trade, technology, and geopolitics in ways that demand careful understanding. Economics provides the theoretical and empirical frameworks to analyse those processes rigorously, while East Asian studies provides the cultural, historical, and linguistic depth to understand the specific contexts in which they unfold.

At the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, this three-year, full-time degree benefits from SOAS's unique institutional focus on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The East Asian studies component draws on the school's exceptional depth of expertise in the history, politics, languages, and cultures of the region. The economics component develops your analytical capabilities in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and quantitative methods.

Together, they equip you to understand both the economic forces shaping East Asia and the specific cultural, political, and institutional contexts that make the region distinctive. A foundation year is available for students who need additional preparation before entering the main degree. The typical entry tariff of 120 points applies to the foundation year route.

Graduates of East Asian studies and economics are well placed for careers in financial institutions with Asia-Pacific operations, international organisations, government departments with trade and Asia responsibilities, consultancies specialising in Asian markets, and the private sector in companies with significant Chinese, Japanese, or Korean business relationships. Postgraduate study in economics, East Asian studies, international business, or related fields is a natural next step for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or pursue academic careers in this important and growing field.