Comparative Literature MA

A radical rethinking of the literature of the world and their relationships to each other.

Go beyond Euro-American literary canons and redefine ‘the classics’. The MA Comparative Literature is an opportunity to study literature from the regions of Africa and Asia. Covering universal themes but in a unique, multi-cultural domain, you will explore a wide range of literature and its place in culture and society. 

At SOAS, students will benefit from the regional expertise of academics and be able to engage with literature both through original English language literature and translations of those written in African and Asian languages. 

There is also an opportunity for all students to study a language as part of their studies, with languages such as Arabic, Turkish, Hindi, Swahili, Yorùbá, Japanese, Korean and more. However, prior knowledge of an African or Asian language is not a requirement for admission to the MA Comparative Literature.

Study at SOAS and gain a unique understanding of literature outside the euro-centric space. 

Why study Comparative Literature at SOAS?

• SOAS is ranked 7th in the UK for African and Middle Eastern Studies (Complete University Guide 2025) 
• SOAS is ranked 6th in the UK for Asian Studies (Complete University Guide 2025) 
• SOAS is ranked top 30 in the UK for Arts and Humanities (QS World University Rankings 2025)
• 11th in the UK for Linguistics (QS World University Rankings 2025)
• 13th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2025)
• Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.
• We are ranked 4th for research environment - with 100% of our research ranked as 'internationally excellent' and 85% as 'world-leading' - and 8th for research outputs in the REF 2021.