The Department of Sociology Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (SNIoE) in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology & Sociology at SOAS launches a Joint MA in Global Urban Sociology.

This unique, jointly-taught and jointly-awarded, one-year MA between SOAS and SNIoE allows students to study in two very different institutions and two contrasting cities. Students will receive rigorous sociological and multidisciplinary training as well as cultural immersion in the UK and India, in a partnership programme that combines student mobility with cutting edge research-led teaching. The programme welcomes a global cohort of students with an interest in academic training and/or upskilling their professional profile. We expect a vibrant, globally diverse peer group experience in the classroom. Applications are encouraged from those seeking a specialized Master’s degree, mid-career professionals who wish to expand or add to their analytical skill sets, or others seeking a foundational degree for further work in Urban Studies – from anywhere in the world.

Why study the Joint MA in Global Urban Sociology?

Urbanisation is of extraordinary significance for the regions in which SOAS and SNIoE academics focus and globally, it is a topic that brings together many of the most pressing concerns of our times; from climate, sustainability through to mental health, pollution and illness, and issues of governance and policy.

The programme provides a unique opportunity for students to grasp the broad global historical/political/cultural canvas against which sociology is studied and how sociology may be useful for thinking about urban global futures. It offers students an option to study current global issues around urbanism with reference to specific case studies drawn from different cities around the world. 

It also provides an opportunity for students to develop their ability to construct critical evaluations of the applicability of sociological frameworks to 'real-world' problems, including in their own research project on the ‘Dissertation’ module.

SOAS

• SOAS is ranked 5th in the UK and 12th in the world for Anthropology (QS World University Rankings 2023), 4th in the UK (2023 Times/Sunday Times League Table) and ranked 6th in the UK for employment outcomes (QS World University Rankings 2023). The program will draw on the exceptional regional expertise of academics in languages, cultures, and politics.
• SOAS’ focus on culture, politics, and cultural communication are areas of growing global concern and significance among private, public, and international institutions; and the emphasis on skills, communication, and methodology gives graduates a clear advantage with employers in the job market.

Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence

• Shiv Nadar IoE, established in 2011, is a multidisciplinary, research-focused, and student-centric university based in Delhi. It is the youngest university in India to have been awarded the status of “Institution of Eminence”. 
• Shiv Nadar IoE’s goal is to become internationally recognised for the quality of its research and improving quality of life, generating new insights and expanding the boundaries of human knowledge creativity. 
• The globally reputed faculty at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences where this programme is housed is designed to create innovators, leaders, and frontrunners in all fields and intends to serve as an institutional model of excellence in higher education.

Students will:

• be expected to grasp key debates in urban sociology
• develop a critical understanding of the relationship between sociological examples and theory in the construction of sociological knowledge and an understanding of the ways in which sociology offers a specific set of viewpoints and methods
• develop their ability to construct critical evaluations of the applicability of sociological frameworks to ‘real-world’ problems, including in their own research project on the ‘Dissertation’ module
• develop their ability to reflect in a critical and informed manner on current global issues around urbanism with reference to specific case studies drawn from different cities around the world

Learning outcomes 

Students will:

• develop rigour in the analysis and assessment of sociological arguments, drawing from multidisciplinary perspectives.
• develop the ability to understand, summarise and critically assess differing perspectives on theoretical debates
• be encouraged to bring to bear their own previous experience and knowledge in addressing urban issues in a critical manner
• learn to identify issues and formulate questions for further research through independent work
• be able to apply the research methodology tools and skillsets in their dissertation and for future research work.

Fees

Unique Fee for all students specific to this programme : £12,500

Please note that fees are subject to increases on a yearly basis. For this programme students will be required to pay the total programme fee by 31 October.

Entry Requirements

Students will need to meet all the following entry requirements:

We will consider a 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher in a relevant Social Science or humanities subjects. For students holding a BA/BSc/BCom from India, students need to have completed an integrated four-year degree programme to be eligible for the course. Overall, 16 years of prior education will be considered eligible for students applying from India. References are not required but can help build a stronger application.

Please see international entry requirements and English language at SOAS requirements for further details.

Admissions

Students will need to apply via SOAS only for this programme. For details on how to apply to SOAS, see our How to apply pages.

Award

Upon successful completion of the programme, students will be awarded a single, co-badged certificate conferred by both SOAS and Shiv Nadar IoE.

International Mobility

This programme contains mandatory travel from the UK to India, with students based at SOAS for Term One and at Shiv Nadar IoE for Term Two. To be able to undertake the programme, Students must successfully obtain a Standard Visitor visa for the UK prior to starting the programme and a student visa for India before the start of Term 2. Please check the visa requirements and your eligibility for a visa for both the UK and India before applying to this programme.

Please see SOAS visas and immigration for more information on applying for a UK Standard Visitor visa and for support with your application to Shiv Nadar IoE please contact their Admissions team for the latest advice on applying for a Visa to India.

Neither SOAS nor Shiv Nadar IoE can accept liability for failure of a student to obtain valid UK and Indian visas for the programme. Please see SOAS visas and immigration for more information on applying for a UK visitor visa and the Ministry of Home Affairs, India for an Indian student visa.

Department of Sociology

The Department of Sociology is committed to a productive and responsible understanding of contemporary society. Keeping abreast of global and local shifts in social life, in our economic, political, cultural, and everyday lives, we train our students to critically engage with their environment with a robust sociological grounding and interdisciplinary sensitivity. With a focus on emerging planetary concerns of health, security, poverty, sustainability, technology, law, and governance, our research and teaching programs are equally grounded in classical and contemporary approaches to themes like family and kinship, religion and ritual, difference and hierarchy, rural and urban, art and aesthetics, and sound and sensorium. The pedagogic routine at the department adheres to benchmarks of social science excellence in rigorous methodology and theoretical debates.

As a department, we focus on a profile that can sustain and enable research within the Indian sub-continent and encourage connections and conversations -- analytical, ethnographic, and archival -- with locations around the region and globally. Our faculty are engaged in active research and writing on science and technology studies; sonic and visual cultures; religion and identity, mind and body; climate change and social ecologies; law and governance, and life and biophilosophies.

Our faculty's engagement in ongoing discussions and debates speaks of our emerging leadership in the discipline.

In addition to taught courses, the B.A Sociology (research) degree at SNU offers an opportunity for undergraduate students to write a research thesis under supervision. The entire program, including the final year thesis, prepares students for a career in sociology or social anthropology. It gives them insight and knowledge skills to tackle any future they choose. The SNU Sociology degree combines its theoretical curriculum and practical hands-on training with field visits, internship opportunities, teaching workshop style, and student-driven classroom discussions.

Our students can enter professional fields like development, media, journalism, bureaucracy, and writing, among many other emerging careers.

Our sought-after, fully funded Ph.D. program involves a specially designed year of disciplinary and multi-perspective training on theory and method. Our competitive students come from various social sciences and other disciplinary backgrounds, and have opportunities to participate in school-wide graduate classrooms and seminars, enabling a nuanced approach to any research endeavor.

Explore Programs under the Department of Sociology

• BA (Research) in Sociology
• Ph.D. in Sociology
• Shiv Nadar IoE-SOAS Joint MA Global Urban Sociology