East Asian Studies Master’s program at University of California-Los Angeles

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UCLA East Asian Studies M.A.

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The M.A. degree in East Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program intended to enable students to develop a broad understanding of an individual East Asian culture or to engage in comparative study of two or East Asian cultures.

Students pursuing the East Asian Studies M.A. are normally expected to concentrate on one particular country by choosing a variety of courses in various departments. These may include those covering other areas of Asia, those partially covering East Asia, Asian-American Studies, as well as relevant methodology and theory courses.

In most cases, the M.A. degree in East Asian Studies is suitable for those who seek to develop a general range of knowledge of the area as preparation for careers in fields such as journalism, business, law, government service, public health, or secondary school preparation. Many of our students continue their studies in Ph.D. programs in variety of fields.

Michael Berry, Ph.D., Asian Languages and CulturesWilliam M. Bodiford, Ph.D., Asian Languages and Cultures Michelle Liu Carriger, Ph.D., TheaterTorquil Duthie, Ph.D., Asian Languages and CulturesMichael D. Emmerich, Ph.D., Asian Languages and Cultures Andrea S. Goldman, Ph.D., HistoryKatsuya Hirano, Ph.D., History Burglind Jungmann, Ph.D., Art History Hui-Shu Lee, Ph.D., Art HistoryNamhee Lee, Ph.D., Asian Languages and CulturesWilliam Marotti, Ph.D., HistorySean Metzger, Ph.D., Theater Kyeyoung Park, Ph.D., Anthropology, Asian American StudiesShu-mei Shih, Ph.D., Asian American Studies, Asian Languages Cultures, Comparative LiteratureMariko Tamanoi, Ph.D., AnthropologyMichael F. Thies, Ph.D., Political Science James Tong, Ph.D., Political Science.

Although I had an opportunity to study various countries in East Asia, I specifically focused my studies on the contemporary Korea to gain a better understanding of one of the most precarious and volatile countries that currently exist in the world. As a student at East Asian Studies M.A. Program, I had the privilege to study and learn from Professors including John Duncan, Nam Hee Lee and William Marotti, to name a few. They provided me with constant support whenever asked and as such, they are than just professors to me, they had become my mentors and friends. I was fortunately notified early of this year that I had been accepted and was granted admission to several law schools in the country. For my successful admissions to various law schools, I firmly believe that my M.A. degree in East Asian Studies played a significant role put differently, I had proven that I can withstand and persevere through intense academic curricular pressure that ultimately distinguished me from other potential law school candidates.

Nine courses are required for the degree, at least five of which must be graduate seminars (200 level classes). The other four may be upper division courses (100 level classes) or additional graduate courses. Please note: lower division language classes (below the 100 level) do not count toward completion of the required nine classes.

Of the nine courses, at least five must be in the student area of concentration including one survey course chosen in consultation with the Graduate Studies Chair. At least one course should be in a cultural area other than the area of concentration. No than two courses in the 500 series (independent studies) may toward the nine courses and only one of these courses may be counted toward the minimum of five graduate courses required for the degree.

A minimum of three years of an East Asian language, either Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, or demonstrated equivalency is required in addition to the nine courses required to complete the degree.

Some students enter the program already proficient in their East Asian language of choice, and may therefore be able to complete the degree in a shorter period of time. For those students seeking further language development, the East Asian Studies MA is a great way to pursue an additional year (or perhaps two for some students) of language study while simultaneously engaging in graduate level coursework. Taking such language courses will, however, inevitably lengthen the time necessary to complete the degree. Finally, students who have mastered one East Asian language are free to use their time to study a second East Asian language, but such classes will be purely electives and will not count toward the degree. Students requiring significant language study are encouraged to do intensive summer work either at UCLA or abroad.

Students should be advised that some graduate level classes require advanced proficiency in an East Asian language (or perhaps its ancient variant such as classical Chinese or Japanese) in order to enroll. While such enrollment requirements are not the norm, they are not uncommon.

Students submit submit hardcopies of each paper to the program’s counseling office (Bunche Hall 10373) during their last term. The papers should be submitted by the last day of classes during the quarter the student wishes to graduate. The departmental chair will review the comments from the grading professors to determine satisfactory unsatisfactory. Please submit the three papers in bound form with the Comprehensive Exam Approval Form provided at the very beginning.

Of the nine courses for the East Asian Studies MA, at least five must be at the graduate level and at least five must be in the concentration area, including one survey course. All coursework must relate to East Asia, i.e., any research paper or project must focus on the region.

For each quarter (Summer session excluded), all graduate students are required to be either:.

Students register by paying registration fees by the deadline. An exception to this policy exists only for graduate students, near their time to degree, who may be eligible to pay a filing fee. Students should monitor their academic progress via My.UCLA and always check their records for accuracy.

ENROLLMENT for all courses may be done through My.UCLA before the stipulated deadlines. Some courses (such as most graduate level seminars) may require that the student requests a Permission to Enroll number (or PTE ) from the appropriate instructor before enrolling in a course. detailed information this procedure is also available through various Campus publications and from the Coordinator of Student Affairs.

A PROJECTED COURSE LIST for each academic quarter will be distributed to every student prior to the beginning of each academic term. Each quarterly list will indicate courses that may be applied to MA degree requirements.

Leave of Absence Students may formally petition to take a temporary LEAVE OF ABSENCE for one to three quarters during their graduate tenure. There is a maximum of three quarters of leave permitted to UCLA students. Leave of absence is not automatically granted and there must be a valid reason for the leave to be approved. Students are eligible for leave of absence only for one of the following reasons: outside employment, medical, parental obligations, other family obligations, military, emergency, financial hardship. Students on a leave of absence are not eligible for any financial assistance from the university and are not covered by the Graduate Students Health Insurance policy (GSHIP).

Registration in Absentia A registered student can for Registration in Absentia when (s)he needs to conduct research outside of California.

Withdrawal Registered students wishing to officially WITHDRAW from the Program are advised to notify Graduate Division via formal petition. Failure to do so can result in the seizure of the student Transcripts and Official Records and or legal action by the University.

Incompletes An Incomplete (appearing on the student transcript as an I rather than letter grade) indicates either that the student has not satisfied the minimum requirements for a given course or, alternatively (and rarely), indicates that the instructor (through prior agreement with the student) has allowed a temporary grade assignment of Incomplete to stand for one quarter and be immediately changed into a letter grade the following quarter (this typically occurs only with courses spanning than a single quarter). Incomplete grades can become very serious!!! If the student fails to satisfy the required coursework by the end of the following quarter, the Incomplete Grade will revert to a Failing Grade of F (not easy to later remove from the student transcript).

Fees Current fees are listed on the UCLA Graduate Division website . California residents are exempt from Non-Resident Tuition. Non-California residency are encouraged to obtain California residency for tuition purposes as soon as possible. International students are not eligible for California residency and should expect to pay the Non-Resident Tuition throughout their studies at UCLA.

Graduate Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database Search Form.

GRAPES is not a fellowship or scholarship, rather it is an extensive database created by UCLA to help graduate students search for funding opportunities from institutions all over the world. Graduate students in need of funding (from all disciplines) are encouraged to become very familiar with the GRAPES database, and to reference it regularly.

Funding opportunities stemming directly from UCLA are sometimes limited. With GRAPES, however, graduate students may search for hundreds of potential funding sources from many universities and institutions outside of UCLA.

Boren Fellowships provide funding for U.S. graduate students to study world regions critical to U.S. interests (including Africa, Asia, Central Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East). The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. The fellowship is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.

The Burkle Center awards outstanding minority graduate students who have financial need and research interests relating to globalization and international relations with scholarships up to $4,000.00 each academic year. Scholarships are granted to qualified applicants who demonstrate leadership skills and academic achievement.

This one-year fellowship program provides recipients with a stipend plus tuition (and nonresident supplemental tuition if necessary). The program supports a limited number of entering students pursuing either terminal or professional master degrees.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or undocumented students who qualify for nonresident supplemental tuition exemptions under AB 540 (eligibility for undocumented AB540 students is effective January 1, 2013). The intent of this fellowship is to provide access to higher education for students who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to successfully pursue graduate study.

The U.S. State funds 600 students for summer language institutes abroad at various skill levels. CLS is a program of the U.S. State and provides fully funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven to ten weeks for U.S. citizen graduate students. Scholars will complete language coursework as well meeting with a native speaker language partner. Languages offered: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu. Language levels are classified as Beginning, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced. The CLS Program provides academic credit through Bryn Mawr College. Upon completion of the program, participants also receive a certified American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) score.

The Payne Fellowship is a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Program, administered by Howard University, which seeks to attract and prepare outstanding individuals for careers as USAID Foreign Service Officers. Candidates can be graduating seniors or college graduates with strong academic records and a desire to promote positive change in the world. The Payne program encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service and those with financial need. Selected fellows will receive support for graduate school and gain employment with USAID in an exciting rewarding career in the Foreign Service.

Applicants must have U.S. citizenship and be seeking admission to graduate school for a two-year program in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service at a U.S.-based institution. Up to $22,000 annually toward tuition, fees and living expenses for a two-year master’s degree in fields related to the Foreign Service such as development, economics, public administration, business administration, global health, agriculture, or environmental science at a U.S.-based institution.

Graduate students interested in teaching positions are encouraged to subscribe to the TA Marketplace group. Departments that need to fill TA vacancies post job announcements through that group. Students need to be registered in order to have access to the group announcements.

The Judith Boyajian Travel Fellowship is designed to provide graduate students with support for purposeful travel to and cultural immersion in Africa. Key for any student who applies for the grant would be a commitment to public service, and whether in an established program or under an original project, students will also be required to be engaged in it.

Through a grant from the Taiwan Ministry of Education, the UCLA Asia Institute will offer awards of up to $6000 to UCLA graduate students for pre-dissertation or dissertation-level research in Taiwan for summer 2015 or academic-year 2015-16. Students from any discipline may but research must incorporate topics or methodologies of the humanities or social sciences.

Awards of up to $7000 will be made to students working on a dissertation or comparable research project with a substantial cross-cultural or comparative dimension, preferably one concerning Japan or other Asian country and North America. Applications should discuss how the proposal meets the requirements of the award to continue in the spirit of Prof. Wagatsuma work.

The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) annually offers 10 yearlong scholarships to graduate students majoring in Korean studies in North America. It covers students only through the year that they are advanced to candidacy and only if they are in residence (not overseas research). Scholarships are for one academic year only. Scholarship recipients may reapply in succeeding years for additional support. Fellowship recipients are required to submit reports on their research or coursework at the conclusion of their one-year fellowship period.

Through this program, graduate students live and work in a region of Latin America and work with universities,international institutions and or community organizations involved in activities focused on improving health and social conditions of local populations.

Currently enrolled in UCLA Latin American Studies Graduate MA Program. Departmental Scholars are eligible. Applications available Winter quarter.

Note that the East Asian Studies graduate program offers a Master degree (M.A.) only. There is no PhD in East Asian Studies offered at UCLA.

General admissions information, instructions applying, and the application for admission can be found at UCLA’s Graduate Division Website.

Applications are only accepted for Fall term. The deadline to East Asian Studies interdepartmental graduate program is December 1. All applicants must electronically for graduate admission. The applicants will be notified the admission decision by mid-March.

Statement of purpose (maximum two pages, double space). Statement of purpose should describe academic, East Asia-related and or professional experience.

Graduate Record Examination scores (use Institution Code 4837 and Department Code 5199).

Official transcript. An unofficial transcript may be uploaded via on-line admission application. Official copies of transcripts (only from the institution where you received an or Graduate degree) must be sent to the program office in a sealed envelope. If transcript is not in English, an authorized translation has to be provided. Applicants do not need to send official copies of transcripts from Community College or Study Abroad programs.

TOEFL scores (international applicants only). Applicants who hold a degree from a university located in U.S. or another country where English is both a primary spoken language and the language of instruction, or who have completed at least two years of full time study at such institution are not required to submit TOEFL scores.

UCLA Graduate Division offers student support through fellowships, grants, scholarships and loans.

36 Months Duration
12 Credit hours
No GRE Required
Yes Scholarships Available

Composition of student population

4 Female Students
4 Internation Students
29 Graduate Students Enrolled

. UCLA East Asian Studies

Each quarterly list will indicate courses that may be applied to MA degree requirements.

Failure to do so can result in the seizure of the student Transcripts and Official Records and or legal action by the University.

California residents are exempt from Non-Resident Tuition. Non-California residency are encouraged to obtain California residency for tuition purposes as soon as possible. International students are not eligible for California residency and should expect to pay the Non-Resident Tuition throughout their studies at UCLA.

Scholarships are granted to qualified applicants who demonstrate leadership skills and academic achievement.

Applicants must have the students.S. citizenship and be seeking admission to graduate school for a two-year program in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service at a the students.S.-based institution. Up to $22,000 annually toward tuition, fees and living expenses for a two-year master’s degree in fields related to the Foreign Service such as development, economics, public administration, business administration, global health, agriculture, or environmental science at a the students.S.-based institution.

All applicants must electronically for graduate admission. The applicants will be notified the admission decision by mid-March.

If transcript is not in English, an authorized translation has to be provided. Applicants do not need to send official copies of transcripts from Community College or Study Abroad programs.

How does the East Asian Studies Master’s degree program tuition at University of California-Los Angeles compared with other universities in California?

Tuition for Master’s in East Asian Studies program at University of California-Los Angeles

$13,029 In-state Tuition & Fees
$28,131 Out-of-state Tuition & Fees
UniversityIn state Tuition / Year
East Asian Studies Masters program at Occidental College$56,576
East Asian Studies Masters program at University of California-San Diego$13,529
East Asian Studies Masters program at University of California-Irvine$13,354
East Asian Studies Masters program at University of California-Davis$13,598

Which other public university offers Master’s program in East Asian Studies in California?

Here is the list of top 4 public universities offering East Asian Studies Master’s program.

Program NameTuition / Year
East Asian Studies at University of California-Berkeley

In-state: $14,245

Out-state: $29,347

East Asian Studies at University of California-Santa Barbara

In-state: $13,568

Out-state: $28,670

East Asian Studies at University of California-San Diego

In-state: $13,529

Out-state: $28,631

East Asian Studies at University of California-Irvine

In-state: $13,354

Out-state: $28,456

Which other private university offers Master’s program in East Asian Studies in California?

Here is the list of top 2 private universities offering East Asian Studies Master’s program.

Program NameTuition / Year
East Asian Studies at University of Southern California$48,715
East Asian Studies at Occidental College$56,576

Jobs, Salaries and Career after Masters in East Asian Studies

Overall employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 139,600 openings for postsecondary teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

The median annual wage for postsecondary teachers was $80,560 in May 2020. Number of Jobs in 2020 was 1,276,900.

Universities with similar Graduate Program

Program NameTuition / Year
East Asian Studies Masters program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$12,522
East Asian Studies Masters program at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$24,772
East Asian Studies Masters program at University of Arizona-Sierra Vista$12,115
East Asian Studies Masters program at Regent University$17,052