Please note that options will change from time to time, and not all will be run every year.
As at September 2023, it is expected that the following options will run in the academic year 2023-24: Gender and Society in India c. 1800 to the present; The Economic Development of South Asia 1947 to the present; The International Relations of South Asia; Social History of Colonial India 1800-1947; Themes in the history of Pakistan; Unmasking the State: civil society activism in South Asia; Anthropology of South Asia; and Anthropology of Buddhism; as well as the main advanced language options.
Students may alternatively apply to take an 'approved option' from elsewhere within the University, subject to the agreement of both the Modern South Asian Studies Teaching Committee and the Graduate Studies Committee of the hosting department. Such options may include options run as part of OSGA's new MPhil in Global and Area Studies.
During the course of the year, you will select a topic for your thesis and receive expert supervision.
The MSc is jointly taught by staff within the social sciences and humanities, who will also assess your application. The application process is administered by the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.
Students on the course will experience a variety of teaching modes, including lectures, seminars, classes, student presentations, and small group teaching. Supervision for the thesis will be offered as a series of individual meetings between you and your thesis supervisor.
You will be required to gather relevant materials for your thesis during the course, usually by working in libraries and archives in the UK, but potentially also via fieldwork.
Assessment is through a combination of submitted essays and examinations (which may be in-person or online) and the thesis.