Career opportunities
In the last REF cycle (2014-2020), about a quarter of our PhD graduates of this Politics and International Studies programme from SOAS University of London embarked on successful academic careers, taking up positions in universities in the UK and across the world, including the LSE, University of Cambridge, University of Birmingham, Queen Mary University of London, Lahore University of Management Sciences, the American University in Beirut, Korea University, Abu Dhabi University, Sabanci University, the American University of Sulaymaniyah, University of Freiburg, Sciences Po, Leiden, and the Leibniz Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin.
Many of our PhDs have found employment in non-academic institutions, including the Crisis Management Initiative, the Open Society Foundation, the Institute for Druze Studies in Haifa (Israel), the Institute for Security Studies in Dakar (Senegal), the Centre for Alternative Policy Research and Innovation in Freetown (Sierra Leone), the Centre for Policy Research in Delhi (India) and the Centre for International Digital Policy at Global Affairs Canada. Other PhD graduates have gone on to work as foreign-policy officials in the UK, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Nigeria, South Korea and Egypt.
Programme Structure
- The primary building block of the PhD programme is the relationship between student and supervisor. Students are admitted on the basis of the expressed willingness of at least one member of staff to serve as the main supervisor for the student's project.
- From the student's entry in the programme, the supervisor assumes primary responsibility for monitoring and supporting the student's progress towards the completion of the degree. Every research student also has an associate supervisor, another member of staff with a close interest in the student's region and/or sub-field of the discipline. The Department's research tutor oversees the PhD programme and is available for discussing general problems.
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
Upper Second Class (GPA)
English requirements
- TOEFL iBT: 100 (or 5 on the new TOEFL iBT 1-6 score). TOEFL iBT is accepted by more than 13,000 universities and other institutions in over 160 countries. The test can be taken at a test center or at home. The test measures your English-language abilities in an academic setting. The score refers to the total score of 4 subjects (writing, listening, speaking, and reading), each subject has a range of 0 - 30.
- PTE Academic: 70. PTE Academic score refers to a total score which ranges between 10 and 90.
- IELTS: 6.5. IELTS tests your English-language proficiency on a scale of 1 - 9; the score refers to the combined average score of 4 subjects (writing, listening, speaking, and reading).
Other requirements
General requirements
We normally require a 2.1 bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) plus a Masters degree in appropriate subject area plus one reference. In exceptional cases we may accept applicants who do not meet these criteria if they show evidence of a strong Masters degree and/or appropriate level of relevant work experience.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
International: 44,227 AUD / year (approx. 23,390 GBP / year)
Domestic: 9,558 AUD / year (approx. 5,055 GBP / year)
Living costs
London, United Kingdom: 2,150 - 4,079 AUD / month
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
