Graduate Program

• Introduction
• M.A. in Asian Studies
• Ph.D. in Asian Studies
• Professional Joint Degree Programs:
  • Law
  • Journalism
• Admission
• Expenses and Financial Aid
• Graduate Program Courses
• Education Abroad
• Languages, Libraries, and Area Centers
• Other Graduate Programs

M.A. in Asian Studies

Through the Graduate Division, the Group provides a Master of Arts degree in Asian Studies. This program is intended for applicants who wish to take a terminal interdisciplinary M.A. degree as well as for those who wish to ultimately obtain a research degree in a departmental Ph.D. program. However, because many academic departments prefer to train and evaluate their own doctoral students at the M.A. level, those applicants contemplating a departmental Ph.D. are advised to consult specific departments about the applicability of the interdisciplinary M.A. to the departments' requirements. Other recent graduates have gone on to careers in banking, business, journalism (all of which may require additional professional qualifications), international education, government service, or nongovernmental organizations.

The graduate program is subdivided into four geographical regions: East Asia (China), Northeast Asia (Japan and Korea), South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Although individual programs will be arranged to suit a student's particular interests, the basic degree requirements for the four regions are uniform. All students are required to take Asian Studies 201 (Proseminar in Asian Studies) in their first year. In addition, M.A. students must choose one of the four regions and take all course requirements within that area.

Breakdown of Requirements

1. A minimum of three years of course work in an Asian language relevant to the student's regional specialization or evidence of equivalent preparation.
2. A minimum of six courses (at least 20 semester units) in the student's regional specialization, as determined in conference with the graduate adviser. Three of these courses (at least eight units) must be at the graduate level in two or more departments. No more than 14 of the 20-unit minimum can be in a single department. Relevant language work beyond the three-year minimum requirement is encouraged and may be included among the program units. Asian Studies 201 is required for two semesters. However, the units do not count toward the 20 unit minimum.
3. A Master's thesis that will be supervised by a three-member faculty committee.

The normal workload for a graduate student is twelve units per semester. Depending on the number of courses taken over the minimum, students may expect to complete their degrees in two to four semesters, with the exception of the language requirement. Many students have completed the language requirement before entering the program.