Traditions of Yoga and Meditation

Entry requirements

Months of entry

September

Course content

The MA Traditions of Yoga and Meditation degree explores the origins and historical development of yoga and meditation in India and Tibet from ancient times to the modern world.

Core module Yoga and Meditation: Perspectives, Context and Methodologies is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the fascinating thematic components and cross-regional perspectives.

The Traditions of Yoga and Meditation postgraduate degree is attractive to students who:

• are experienced practitioners of yoga and meditation who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural contexts that shaped their traditions
• have a background in psychology seeking to gain knowledge of meditation and mindfulness for their clinical work
• are planning to pursue further research which may involve, at a subsequent stage, the acquisition of a doctoral degree and a career in higher education
• will pursue a career or professional activity for which advanced knowledge of the yoga and meditation traditions of Asia is required
• seek the academic study of these traditions as a complement to their personal experience

Why study MA Traditions of Yoga and Meditation at SOAS

• we are World Top 50 for Arts & Humanities (QS World University Rankings 2022) - with a rate of 91.7% overall student satisfaction (NSS 2021)
• we have been ranked 3rd for research outputs and 7th place overall in the Theology and Religious Studies research rankings in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
• SOAS is ranked in the top 5 universities in the UK for producing a CEO or Managing Director, according to new research
• employability — our strong focus on enhancing your career prospects and practical skills are integrated across the programme
• the thematic, but inter-regional, focus of this MA programme promotes the academic study of the different traditions through the deployment of a wide range of regional perspectives
• led by our global community of research-active academic staff the programme its core unit explores the methodological foundations at the heart of yoga/meditation practice
• the specialist components integrated within this MA are organised to serve as platform for further (MPhil/PhD) graduate research
• the more general components of the programme provides those students who do not intend to pursue doctoral research with an advanced introduction to the physiological dynamics, doctrinal foundations, history, regional context and theoretical presuppositions that shaped the traditions of yoga and meditation
• the programme thus offers students (a) advanced knowledge of the background to, and understanding of, yoga and meditation, from their origin in ancient India; (b) advanced skills in research and writing on topics that pertain to yoga/meditation, drawing on both primary sources (in translation) and secondary sources; (c) advanced skills in presentation and communication of their knowledge of the topics covered in the lectures

Information for international students

For details, including English language requirements, please see SOAS website

Fees and funding

For details of postgraduate fees, please see SOAS website