Overview
New course available for 2025 entry
The next century is set to be defined by the expanding economies that make up South Asia. Our unique, interdisciplinary degree – combining anthropology, history, geography, and development studies – will equip you with the cutting-edge skills to understand the trends and transformations taking place in this important part of the world, and to analyse its global significance. The MSc in Global South Asia Studies challenges you to question the notion of South Asia as a bounded region and to rethink it as a dynamic space connected to a global circulation of people, capital, technologies, and ideas in diverse ways.
Our degree benefits from the university-wide expertise of our active South Asia Studies Research Group (SASRG), which organises a rolling programme of exciting events, film-screenings, visits, and community-engagement activities to which students taking the degree will have full-access.
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.
Course content
The compulsory modules are interdisciplinary, drawn from anthropology, history, geography, and development students, and are designed to allow you to connect your learning with a range of exciting optional modules in both terms. Across the modules, you are encouraged to pursue particular areas of interest that relate to South Asia studies, while developing an interdisciplinary understanding. The course will also equip you with a range of practical research skills to enable you to complete your research successfully.
Compulsory
- Global South Asia
- Religion and Power in South Asian History
- Ethnography in South Asia
- Dissertation in Gloal South Asia Studies
Optional
- Ethnicity, Migration and Identity
- Anthropology of International Development
- Imperialism and Culture
- Anthropology of the Body
- Anthropology of the Person
- Kinship, Sex and Gender
An introduction to some of the key social anthropological literature on kinship, gender and sexuality including universalities and particularities in the construction of gender roles and different theoretical paradigms on gender and sexuality.
- GlobalisationIn this module you will develop an understanding of global changes and their impact on national and international politics as you explore the literature on political economy and social theory of globalisation.
This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel
Careers and your future
Take your knowledge of culture, history, economics and politics of one of the most significant regions in the world to the workplace. Be influential in the world of international relations, development, or politics, with a degree that will give you the critical skills and core knowledges to excel in any workplace. Graduates will leave with a wide range of valuable skills and can expect to work in areas such as: the civil service, policy-making bodies, non-governmental organisations (development), charities, journalism, research and academia. Or, continue to study, and progress to doctoral research.
UK entry requirements
2024/5 entry
- A 2:2 (or above) UK Honours degree, or an equivalent internationally recognised qualification in a Humanities or Social Science field with a personal statement demonstrating knowledge of interest in the subject area.
- Applicants with other degrees will be considered on an individual basis
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2024/5 entry
UK
£11,550 full-time
£5,775 part-time
International
£21,260 full-time
£10,630 part-time
More information on any additional course-related costs.
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
The programme will be structured around a lecture and seminar/workshop format, with additional online pre-recorded lectures for some elements, and the potential for a fieldwork-based dissertation project that will facilitate the development of research skills. As well as critical readings from leading scholarship, the programme will offer a South Asia film screening series, as well ‘required listening’ in the form of a cutting edge, bespoke podcast on South Asia and migration.
Assessment and feedback
Assessment and Feedback will be continuous, regular, and learner-centred. Portfolio assessments run throughout many modules and offer a learner-centred form of assessment, which, through a flexible ‘little-and-often’ approach, support a diversity of student needs and enhance learning through continuous and regular feedback and feedforward. Modules are also assessed by a full range of other standard assessment types, which help ensure all students are able to reach their full potential.
Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.