Master of Arts in Modern East Asian Studies (MA MEAS)

The Master's programme in Modern East Asian Studies (MA MEAS) is an English-taught, social science-based degree programme with a contemporary and interdisciplinary profile. The programme provides research-focused training for highly motivated and qualified graduates holding a BA degree or equivalent qualification in East Asian regional studies, possessing advanced knowledge of an East Asian language, and demonstrating a strong background in social science or economics relevant to the region. The MEAS programme aims to train students in the theoretical and problem-centred analysis of social, political, and economic phenomena in East Asia. The objective of the programme is to deepen and enrich students' ability to assess contemporary change, challenges for the East Asian region, and implications of such developments for Europe. Students will meet this objective by utilising strong language competencies in Chinese, Japanese or Korean and applying sound knowledge of disciplinary methods and theories. The MA programme in Modern East Asian Studies cultivates three core sets of skills: It deepens students’ existing methodological skills by applying them to the analysis of the East Asian context. It broadens their knowledge of East Asia in regional, disciplinary and interdisciplinary aspects. It enhances their proficiency in one of three East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese or Korean). The one-year (equivalent to two semesters) MA MEAS programme offers advanced Chinese, Japanese or Korean language classes and a choice of a discipline corresponding to the student’s previous training (sociology, political science or economics). The programme combines strong language skills with interdisciplinary and discipline-specific modules focusing on Chinese, Japanese and Korean studies. Methodological training is integrated into the Advanced East Asian modules.