Not surprisingly, I spend a lot of time on the websites of universities overseas. That means that I get to read up on the degree offerings, and a lot of them are quite different than what you’d find in the US.
Most degree options are pretty run of the mill; after all, chemistry is chemistry. However, there are some that deserve special mention. For these, I’m wanting to highlight the best choices, hoping that others will think that they are as cool as I do.
Not surprisingly, we’re going to start pretty close to my own roots, with the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, which offers a BA in Global Liberal Arts.
SOAS is really hitting this one out of the park, by offering a degree that negates most of the criticisms of UK degrees (namely that they are too specialized) while offering students the chance to study the non-Western world at the best place on Earth to do so, but with little in the way of requirements once you’re doing the program.
In fact, the requirements for the BA in Global Liberal Arts are pretty straightforward. Students have to take a language their first year, and are encouraged to do so all three years (though there is no requirement beyond the first year, students are still expected to continue with a literature or linguistics class). Additionally, students take some basic courses on approaching non-Western history and cultures. Finally, students take a module in a regional focus, as well as one that is more globally oriented. This means that students can combine different approaches, giving them considerable breadth of study while allowing them to focus on one particular area’s history or literature.
This sounds incredible to us – we’re already imagining a student writing about the global impact of tea, as well as its regional impact in ceremonies in the Middle East or Japan.
Like most programs at SOAS, entry requirements are up there. SOAS likes Group A AP exams, and they will want a five and two fours. However, a strong personal statement as well as a desire to study the field will help if you’re on the edge of being accepted.