The Master of Arts program is designed for students who seek specialized and individualized enhancement of their undergraduate education. The department offers an array of language courses at all levels in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for the further development of language capability. Besides language instruction, the department offers a wide range of courses in modern Asian culture, with emphasis on the literature, film, and visual culture of China, Japan, and Korea. Many of these courses treat these subjects in the context of such global issues as socialism, colonialism, fascism, and modernization. In working out their individual course of study, those seeking the MA degree are expected to balance out the different components of the program. For those who are interested, some course work and guidance on pre-modern China is also available.
Admissions
All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the general application requirements, which include:
A maximum of 16 credits in reading and research courses may be taken.
Additional Program Requirements
Language Requirement
Students must demonstrate research-level proficiency in one East Asian language—as a rule, one of these languages must be Chinese, Japanese or Korean. Students who do not enter with research-level language competency will be expected to attain that level through coursework, preferably to be completed in their first year. If they have not done so prior to enrolling, students will be expected to pass a language examination at the end of their first year (administered either by the University or by the department).
Master's Thesis
All students must write a thesis in their chosen area of study. Two members of the faculty, one being the student’s advisor, will evaluate the thesis. The thesis may be based on a course term paper, but should nonetheless be an independent research work, typically in the range of 50 or more pages.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
Acquire an interdisciplinary understanding and critical examination of East Asia within a global configuration.
Gain an understanding of how received pasts-including the early and the early modern eras – interact in the modern present of contemporary societies.
Develop critical awareness of political, institutional and the methodological implications, as well as the historical provenance of both disciplinary-based and area studies inquiry.