SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies, commonly abbreviated as SOAS (/ˈsoʊ.æs/ soh-as)) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1916, SOAS has produced several heads of state, government ministers, ambassadors, Supreme Court judges, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and many other leaders in emerging markets. Located in the heart of Bloomsbury in central London, SOAS describes itself as the "world's leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East", and is consistently ranked amongst the top universities in the UK. It specialises in humanities, languages and social sciences relating to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and is a constituent college of the University of London. It offers around 350 undergraduate Bachelor's degree combinations, and over 100 one-year intensively taught Master's degrees. MPhil and PhD research degrees are also available in every academic department.
