Best Universities offering graduate programs in East Asian Studies

Princeton’s Ph.D. program in East Asian Studies (EAS) has long been recognized as one of the leading graduate programs of its kind in the Western world. At present, they offer doctoral (Ph.D.) training in Chinese and Japanese history and literature, Korean cultural studies, anthropology of East Asia, and in the transnational social and cultural study of contemporary East Asia.

Students are expected to complete twelve graduate seminars during the first two years of study in addition to all necessary language classes. The Director of Graduate Studies will determine the course load in each semester in consultation with the student and their advisor.

The Department encourages students to do part of their coursework in other departments as appropriate and pertinent to their fields of study. Students in East Asian history are expected to take History 500 (Introduction to the Professional Study of History) in their first semester. Students in literature are encouraged to take Comparative Literature 521 (Introduction to Comparative Literature). Students in the social and cultural study of contemporary East Asia are encouraged to take an introductory course specific to their discipline, for example, Anthropology 501 and 502 (Proseminar in Anthropology)and/or 503A or B (Co-seminar).

The graduate program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations offers the PhD in East Asian Languages and Civilizations in the principal fields of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean literature; Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Inner Asian history (including Tibet); East Asian Buddhism; and East Asian arts, film, and cultural studies. In addition, the program also offers the PhD in History and East Asian Languages (HEAL) in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Inner Asian history, and in the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Manchu, Mongolian, Uyghur and its literary counterpart Chaghatay, and Vietnamese languages; faculty also offer classical (literary) Tibetan in the Department of South Asian Studies.

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Programs and Policies 2018–2019.

Professors Daniel Botsman (History), Kang-i Sun Chang (East Asian Languages Literatures), Fabian Drixler (History), Aaron Gerow (East Asian Languages Literatures Film Media Studies), Valerie Hansen (History), Edward Kamens (East Asian Languages Literatures), Tina Lu (East Asian Languages Literatures), Peter Perdue (History), Frances Rosenbluth (Political Science), Helen Siu (Anthropology), Jing Tsu (East Asian Languages Literatures Comparative Literature), Anne Underhill (Anthropology), Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan (History of Art).

Associate Professors William Honeychurch (Anthropology), Michael Hunter (East Asian Languages Literatures), Hwansoo Kim (Religious Studies), Chloë Starr (Divinity).

Assistant Professors Lucas Bender (East Asian Languages Literatures), Eric Greene (Religious Studies), Denise Ho (History), Seth Jacobowitz (East Asian Languages Literatures), Daniel Mattingly (Political Science).

Senior Lecturer Pauline Lin (East Asian Languages Literatures).

The Master of Arts (M.A.) program in East Asian Studies is a multidisciplinary program offering a concentrated course of study designed to provide a broad understanding of the people, history, culture, contemporary society, politics, and economy of China, Japan, or a transnational region within East Asia. This program is designed for students preparing to go on to the doctorate in one of the disciplines of East Asian Studies (e.g., anthropology economics history history of art language and literature, including comparative literature, film studies, and theater studies political science sociology etc.), as well as for those students seeking a terminal M.A. degree before entering the business world, the media, government service, or a professional school.

The East Asian Studies graduate program is designed to be completed in either a one-year or a two-year track. It also provides students with an opportunity to pursue additional disciplinary and language training. Students who enter the two-year track with a strong command of one East Asian language will be encouraged to consider beginning a second (or third) language.

In general, students focus their course work on the study of China, Japan, or transnational East Asia. Some students may prefer to focus their course work on one or two disciplines, in addition to language study and courses focused on East Asia. Others may create a highly interdisciplinary program, taking courses in traditional disciplines such as history, literature, political science, art history, or anthropology, as well as in Yale’s professional schools.

Applicants to the East Asian Studies graduate program must indicate on their application whether they are applying to the one-year or the two-year track.

The program of study for completion of the degree on the one-year track consists of eight term courses that must include two terms of language study at or above Yale’s third-year level (unless the language requirement has already been met through previous study or native fluency), plus six other courses selected from the University’s offerings of advanced language study and seminars related to East Asia at the graduate level. For those who meet the language requirement at matriculation, two of the required eight courses may be advanced training in a particular discipline (e.g., economics, history, political theory, statistics, etc.) with no explicit focus on East Asia, but related to the student’s professional goals. The course of study must be approved by the director of graduate studies (DGS).

The program of study for completion of the degree on the two-year track consists of sixteen term courses that must include four terms of language study, two terms of which must be at Yale’s fourth-year level (unless the language requirement has already been met through previous study or native fluency), plus twelve other courses selected from the University’s offerings of advanced language study and seminars related to East Asia at the graduate level. Students who have achieved advanced proficiency in one East Asian language are strongly encouraged to pursue study of a second East Asian language, but for those who have met the language requirement in one language at matriculation, two of the required sixteen courses may be advanced training in a particular discipline (e.g., economics, history, political theory, statistics, etc.) with no explicit focus on East Asia, but related to the student’s professional goals. The course of study must be approved by the director of graduate studies (DGS).

Students must earn four Honors grades ( H ) over the course of their four terms at Yale. Honors grades earned in any language course cannot be counted toward satisfying this requirement, except with the permission of the DGS. A master’s thesis is also required.

A master’s thesis is required of students enrolled in the two-year degree program. M.A. students must register for EAST 900, which may count toward the sixteen required courses. EAST 900 may not be taken for audit. Students may register for an additional independent study to prepare topics and begin research. The master’s thesis must be prepared according to CEAS guidelines and is due in the student’s second year on a mid-December date (if completed in the fall term) or an early-May date (if completed in the spring term) as specified by CEAS.

The Council on East Asian Studies (CEAS) collaborates with three of Yale’s professional schools—Forestry Environmental Studies, Law, and Public Health—and has developed joint-degree programs that offer a strong connection between two demanding courses of study while also fulfilling the requirements of each separate school. Only students enrolled in the two-year track of the East Asian Studies M.A. degree program are eligible for a joint degree.

Each joint program leads to the simultaneous award of two graduate professional degrees: the M.A. in East Asian Studies from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and an M.F., M.E.M., M.E.Sc., M.F.S., J.D., or M.P.H. from the relevant professional school. Students can earn the two degrees simultaneously in less time than if they were pursued sequentially.

With the exception of the joint M.A. J.D. program, which requires four years, completion of all requirements takes three years. Typically candidates spend the first year in one program and the second year in the partner program. During the third and final year of study, students register in one program each term.

Candidates must submit formal applications to both the Graduate School and the relevant professional school and be admitted separately to each school, i.e., each school makes its decision independently. It is highly recommended that students to and enter a joint-degree program from the outset, although it is possible to second program once matriculated at Yale.

EAST 500a HSAR 803a, Reflecting Truth: Meiji Photography between Performativity and Representation, Modernity and EmpireAyelet Zohar.

EAST 511b RLST 598b, Modern Korean Buddhism from Sri Lanka to JapanHwansoo Kim.

This course situates modern Korean Buddhism in the global context of the late nineteenth century to the present. Through critical examination of the dynamic relationship between Korean Buddhism and the Buddhisms of key East Asian cities—Shanghai, Tokyo, Taipei, and Lhasa—the course seeks to understand modern East Asian Buddhism in a transnational light.

Reading and discussion of significant themes in China and world history in the first decade of the twentieth century. We concentrate on topics that contain international, transnational, and comparative implications, and include discussion of literary and historical material. Most readings are in English, but selected primary sources in Asian languages may be used. Open to all History, East Asian Studies, and East Asian Languages and Literatures students, and others by request. Includes research paper and weekly writing exercises.

EAST 575b ANTH 575b, Hubs, Mobilities, and Global CitiesHelen Siu.

Readings and research are done in preparation for the required master’s thesis.HTBA.

The Department of East Asian Languages & Civilizations is a multidisciplinary department, with faculty specialists in history, art, philosophy, languages, linguistics, literature, and religions, offering a program of advanced study of the traditional and modern cultures of China, Japan and Korea. At the same time, students are encouraged to pursue their interests across traditional disciplinary lines by taking courses in other departments in the Divisions of the Social Sciences and the Humanities Division.

The department offers both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, though the M.A. degree is usually viewed as preparatory to doctoral studies. Graduate education is primarily geared toward the Ph.D. degree and the department does not have an independent Masters degree program. Students who arrive with a Master's Degree will be expected to fulfill the requirement outlined for Scholastic Residence.

The University of Chicago offers Masters level study in East Asian Languages and Civilizations through the Master of Arts Program in Humanities. In this one-year program, students build their own curriculum with graduate-level courses in any humanities department (including East Asian Languages and Civilizations) and have the option of completing a thesis with a faculty advisor.

During the first two years, students take courses, nine each year. Depending on students' interests and preparation, some of the course work may take place outside the department.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures offers a PhD (MA/MPhil/PhD) program with an interdisciplinary approach to the literature, culture, history, and languages of East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and Tibet) and a particular emphasis on critical methodology and comparative study. An array of East Asian courses in other areas such as political science, sociology, anthropology, art, law, history, and business is also available, as are interdisciplinary programs with the departments of Religion and History and the Interdepartmental Committee in Comparative Literature and Society. The department’s close ties with various East Asian institutions in New York City and abroad provide a stimulating cultural environment.

Columbia's C.V. Starr East Asian Library, with more than a half million volumes of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages books, is one of the largest East Asian library collections outside East Asia and a premier center for East Asian research in the United States. The collection, which is particularly strong in literature, philosophy (especially Buddhism and neo-Confucianism), and history, is supported by more than 1.1 million volumes of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan Books. As well as 2.5 million E-Book titles, 40,000 E-Journals, and 90,000 volumes of secondary materials in Western languages on all aspects of East Asia, past and present.

The Asian Pacific Studies Institute at Duke offers a master degree in East Asian Studies, as well as a certificate in East Asian Studies (available to students enrolled in other degree programs at Duke in the Graduate School, the Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Sciences, the Law School, the Fuqua School of Business, the Pratt School of Engineering, and the Sanford School of Public Policy).

Duke East Asian Studies program offers comprehensive coverage of East Asian politics, societies, history, and cultures, with particular strengths in literature modern history comparative history and culture film, media and visual studies comparative studies of capitalism and religious studies. Duke’s interdepartmental concentrations in Japanese history and East Asian colonialism, and in modern Chinese literature, film and cultural studies are among the deepest in the nation.

To earn the MA, students must complete a total of 10 courses (30 semester hours). At least 8 must be courses on East Asia. One of the required courses is an integrated core course. Courses must be taken from at least two different departments with no than four courses from one department. Students must complete a capstone project and pass an oral exam. Proficiency in an Asian language equivalent to 3rd-year collegiate-level (or higher) is also required.

The certificate requires completion of four courses from an approved list of courses relating to this region, as well as minimum language proficiency (two years) in an East Asian language.

While priority is given to applications received by the Graduate School deadline of January 30, East Asian Studies will consider fall applications until May 1.

East Asian Studies: Master Admissions and Enrollment Statistics.

The Graduate Group in EALC administers a Masters of Arts degree in the humanistic study of East Asia: China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. The degree is both an entry point into higher-level graduate study and preparation for careers in teaching, administration, and the public and private sector. This degree is extremely valuable to students who plan to seek employment in East Asia. The program offers flexibility for students who desire to combine this degree with another Master of Arts at Penn or who would like to pursue the degree on a part-time basis. The Master's in EALC focuses on humanistic disciplines such as literature, history, philosophy, religion, art, and archaeology of East Asia. They encourage training in the more rigorous classical forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Mongolian in addition to communicative proficiency in modern forms of these languages.

The masters program in East Asian Studies aims to provide students with cultural literacy in East Asia by offering a broad-ranging study of East Asia across national, historical, and disciplinary boundaries. The EAS MA is an interdisciplinary program with faculty who both specialize in China, Japan, and Korea, and take broadly comparative and transnational approaches to the study of East Asia. The university have particular strengths in art history, film studies, history, literature, and religious studies.

Masters students in East Asian Studies at WashU work closely with the dedicated faculty. They boast an active intellectual life that includes frequent lectures and workshops by visiting speakers from academia, business, law, and international relations. Student and faculty research are well supported by our East Asian Library, with strong Chinese, Japanese, and Korean collections. Strong language-training programs in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean prepare students for careers in academia, business, and law. Students admitted to the MA program receive a high percentage of tuition remission, which helps to ease the burden of pursuing a graduate degree.

The Master of Arts in East Asian Studies at the University of Virginia is an interdisciplinary program intended for students who want in-depth exposure to East Asia at the graduate level while also gaining competence in an East Asian language. The program is designed for students who seek a rich knowledge of East Asia as preparation for careers in business, government service, and media, or as preparation for entering professional schools or doctoral programs. The department encourage students who have begun college-level study in Chinese or Japanese to apply. In addition, they offer language training in Korean and Tibetan.

Students in the M.A. program explore a variety of course subjects suited to their individual interests and career goals. The range of possible specialty tracks within the program extends from modern and contemporary China or Japan to the East Asian religious traditions. Classes concentrating on East Asia are offered in the departments of Anthropology; Art (art history); East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures; History; Media Studies; Politics; and Religious Studies.

The MA in East Asian Studies is a terminal Master’s program. Students usually take 21 months—-two academic years and the intervening summer—to complete all requirements for the degree, though the program can be completed more quickly if no additional language work is necessary. Second-year teaching assistantships are available to qualified students. M.A. students are also eligible to apply for Ellen Bayard Weedon Travel Grants to support travel to Asia in the intervening summer to pursue language study and conduct research.

East Asian Languages and Cultures offers graduate students advanced training in the languages, literatures, and cultures of China, Japan, and Korea. The students have combined approaches from cultural studies, literature, linguistics, film and media studies, and other disciplines to broaden traditional paradigms and provide a different perspective on the reading of the texts in their fields. By allowing a greater degree of flexibility, the interdisciplinary approach enhances students' research skills and enables them to become well-rounded scholars. Appropriate cross-registration with other departments allows students to enhance their theoretical and methodological training.

EALC currently offers a Doctorate of Philosophy in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Students seeking a terminal M.A. degree should consider applying to the Ph.D. program instead.

A student total graduate course work must be at least 60 units, including 4 units of doctoral dissertation (794ab) and the following courses:.

Four courses in East Asian languages and literaturesIII. Four courses in East Asian cultures and civilizationIV. Three additional courses in a target discipline or field.

No than four courses at the 400 level may be applied to the total requirement of 60 units. The Graduate Studies Committee in EALC determines the fulfillment of the course requirements.

The Graduate Studies Committee will conduct an annual review of all Ph.D. students at the end of the Spring semester. By April 1, all students in year 1, 3, and later will submit a 1-page (single-spaced) progress report and an updated curriculum vitae. These materials will be the basis of each student’s one-on-one consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies to occur during the month of April.

The Graduate Studies Committee will conduct an early-year screening of Ph.D. students at the end of their second year. All second-year students are required to submit, by April 1, a research statement (1 to 2 single-spaced pages), a research paper representing their best work (20 to 30 double-spaced pages), a curriculum vitae, and a course transcript. The Graduate Studies Committee will then assess the students’ academic performance and either recommend or not recommend advancement to the qualifying exam stage. Regardless of the outcome of this assessment, all students meeting the requirements will be recommended for conferral of the MA degree.

Upon successful completion of the screening procedure, the student is expected to begin forming a 5-member guidance committee, whose purpose is to help the student prepare for the qualifying examination. The committee must be approved by the Graduate School at the time the student applies to schedule a qualifying examination.

During the third year of study, a student should complete the qualifying procedure. This procedure has both a written and oral component. Student sits for written examinations in three fields approved by the guidance committee. An oral examination based on the written exams follows. At the time of the oral examination, the student will submit a dissertation prospectus. The dissertation prospectus must be approved within six months of completing the oral examination. Upon successful completion of the written and oral examinations, the student officially enters candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

In addition, the student should acquire or demonstrate competence in a second East Asian language. This requirement may be met by two years’ worth of course work. The Graduate Studies Committee in consultation with a student’s academic advisor will determine whether the second East Asian language should be classical or modern.

Defense and presentation of the dissertation will follow regulations defined by the Graduate School.

The certificate in Foreign-Language Teaching provides certification in the theory and practice of second or foreign language teaching for student language teachers concurrently enrolled in graduate degree programs in foreign languages or related graduate programs at USC for graduates of such programs who are teaching languages for external candidates concurrently enrolled in similar programs at accredited colleges or universities for graduates of such programs who are teaching languages. The certificate is meant to supplement graduate study in the literature or linguistics of foreign languages. It is also meant to supplement classroom teaching.

At any stage of the program, regardless of scheduled reviews, a student may receive a warning for failing to maintain satisfactory academic performance. Warning letters are issued by the Graduate Studies Committee under recommendation and submission of evidence by the student’s primary advisor. Each warning must come with a probationary period, and it must specify a set of requirements that the student must meet by the end of probation. A student’s dismissal will be contingent upon failure to satisfy the requirements in the concurring judgment of the primary advisor and the GSC.