If you’re a native speaker or you have substantial training in Chinese, Japanese or Thai, this programme will prepare you for a career in research with an area specialism.
Half of the programme will give you a solid foundation in East Asian studies and research methodologies, equipping you with a range of subject knowledge, consolidating your language skills and preparing you to conduct independent, theory-driven research. In the other half, you’ll apply all of this to your own research project comprising 50% of the MRes, supervised by a member/members of the Faculty.
You’ll study in a stimulating research environment with plenty of opportunities to attend research events and conferences, not just within East Asian Studies but also at School and University level.
Our tutors are conducting world-class research in diverse fields across East Asian Studies, and you’ll benefit from teaching that’s informed by their own work. It’s a great opportunity to prepare for a career in academic or professional research.
By choosing to study East Asian Studies at Leeds you will be joining a leading centre for research in the region, with over 50 years of history. In addition to the academic strengths that we have accrued over this time, we have developed an extensive and active international network of alumni. Leeds is also home to very substantial and world-renowned specialist library collections.
The programme is divided in half, with 50% advanced research training and 50% independent research on a specialist topic of your choice.
Advanced methodological training will cover the key stages of the research process and equip you to conduct independent research informed by a sound theoretical understanding. You’ll also practice skills such as writing abstracts, papers and proposals as well as verbal presentations and group discussions, preparing you to present and share your research.
The remainder of the programme will be spent working with a supervisor in the faculty on your own research project, focusing on a topic that interests you perhaps laying the foundations for future academic research.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
For more information on typical modules, read East Asian Studies MRes in the course catalogue
We use a range of teaching and learning methods such as lectures and seminars. You’ll be expected to participate fully in these by giving presentations and conducting your own research and reading before taught sessions. Of course, independent research is vital to this programme, allowing you to develop your skills and explore your own ideas and interests.
You’ll also experience a range of assessment methods, depending on the taught modules you choose. These may include exams and essays as well as presentations, literature reviews, project work and in-course assessment among others. Language modules may also include different forms of assessment such as translation tests. Your dissertation will be assessed based on the final, submitted piece of work.
The emphasis on independent research and advanced methodological training on this programme means it offers ideal preparation for PhD study, or professional research roles in government, media, business or the charity and voluntary sectors.
You’ll also gain important skills such as analysis, problem-solving, oral and written communication as well as cultural awareness, all of which are valuable in a wide range of careers in different sectors.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
The master’s programme in Asian Studies at Leiden University offers an outstanding qualification from one of the leading centres for Asian studies in Europe.
The Asian Studies master's programme offers one-year specialisations on East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the History, Arts and Culture of Asia and the Politics, Society and Economy of Asia and two-year specialisations on China, Japan, Korea.
Expertise on Asia at Leiden University is internationally renowned and spans the whole of Asia. Small classes give you direct and regular contact with your lecturers. You will learn from some of Europe's best scholars in the field, many of whom are at the leading edge of Asia-related research.
With an expansive curriculum and flexible programme formats, you may tailor the curriculum to reflect your interests or career ambitions. You can choose to focus on a language and a single country, or on a specific discipline and region. You can also choose from a broad range of electives.
During your studies you will have the opportunity to develop your fluency in a classical or modern language. You also have the option of taking an intensive modern Indonesian language course.
All of the Asian Studies programmes make the most of Leiden University's world-class resources, including its famous collections of Asian artifacts.
The master’s programme in Asian Studies at Leiden University offers an outstanding qualification from one of the leading centres for Asian studies in Europe.
The Asian Studies master's programme offers one-year specialisations on East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the History, Arts and Culture of Asia and the Politics, Society and Economy of Asia and two-year specialisations on China, Japan, Korea.
Expertise on Asia at Leiden University is internationally renowned and spans the whole of Asia. Small classes give you direct and regular contact with your lecturers. You will learn from some of Europe's best scholars in the field, many of whom are at the leading edge of Asia-related research.
With an expansive curriculum and flexible programme formats, you may tailor the curriculum to reflect your interests or career ambitions. You can choose to focus on a language and a single country, or on a specific discipline and region. You can also choose from a broad range of electives.
During your studies you will have the opportunity to develop your fluency in a classical or modern language. You also have the option of taking an intensive modern Indonesian language course.
All of the Asian Studies programmes make the most of Leiden University's world-class resources, including its famous collections of Asian artifacts.
The programme is directed to anyone interested in foreign politics as well as international economic relations and basic legal issues. Each and every student has to take the core courses in both European and Asian studies. All students are required to study either French or German. In addition, several other European languages as well as Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Korean can be taken as free electives.
The programme is unique in the region because of its balanced attitude towards the European Union and Asia-Pacific area. Teaching is supported by research in both directions. Cooperation partners abroad include Bologna University, Stanford University, Canterbury University in New Zealand, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Pusan National University, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies and many other outstanding centres of social sciences all over the world.
The two-year Master’s program in International Relations and European-Asian Studies builds upon bachelor studies and is designed to prepare specialists with the potential to work in various areas of International Relations such as diplomacy and the conduct of foreign relations as well as mass media, policy planning or academic research etc. The program aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to take advantage of an increasing range of professional opportunities of an international dimension. The students can develop their specialisation in the narrower fields of political, legal and economic studies.
The students obtain a solid basic knowledge and skills in planning and doing research in their field. They learn about the basics and latest developments in theories of political science and international relations. Current issues on the scene of international life today are frequently discussed in class with a special focus on the problems concerning security, conflict resolution and terrorism. The students take a special module concerning European-Asian studies, including European/Asian politics, economy and EU law. This educational background offers them the possibility to obtain excellent qualifications for a successful career in the EU and Asian institutions. In addition, academic career is open for those willing to pursue it.
The Department of International Relations at Tallinn University of Technology offers advanced programmes in the field of International Relations at the Bachelor and Master level, which are unique in the region. International Relations as an interdisciplinary field of social science typically consists of international politics, international law and international economy. These fields are in the main focus of our programmes. Concerning teaching the law courses, we are developing cooperation with The Tallinn Law School. In addition, there is an emphasis on courses introducing the history and basics of diplomacy, security studies, political and cultural communication, etc. Our students learn about the foundation, historical development and current trends of the democratic society in the international context. Language-based area studies are becoming an important research focus of the department. This brings us into direct contact with the developing world. Our students have the requirement to learn at least two foreign languages.
In addition, our students have an opportunity to take or choose from seven Asia-related courses framed by the interdisciplinary joint educational module that is offered by our university as well as Tartu and Tallinn University. The aforementioned module is called ‘Asian Societies, Economy and Politics’.
The graduates of our programmes have a wide range of opportunities open in front them. They can work in different types of institutions ranging from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies to several kinds of international organisations and companies in both public and private sectors.
Besides local Professors, the faculty comes from a large variety of different regions of the world, i.e., the USA, Spain, 1 Netherlands, Italy, New Zealand, Japan and Ukraine. The faculty members have solid academic background and substantial teaching experience. In addition, we have interesting practitioners with a background in diplomacy, foreign office and other areas of political activity as part time faculty. Our cooperation partners abroad include Bologna University, Stanford University, Canterbury University in New Zealand, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Pusan National University, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies and many other outstanding centers of social sciences all over the world.
Our graduates work in different types of foreign services, including diplomatic ones. They can be political analysts and observers in the media or work for private companies that are active internationally. Our graduates have been employed in the organisations adjacent to the EU. But we can also find a commander of an anti-piracy squad among them. We are aiming at keeping the brightest graduates as the reserve for our own faculty.
Our graduates can continue their studies in doctoral programmes of a large variety, specialising in International Relations and Political Science, European Studies, Asian-Pacific Studies, Conflict Resolution, Intercultural Communication, etc.
The research master's programme in Asian Studies gives you access to Leiden University's leading expertise in the countries of Asia from their politics and literature to their languages.
Designed for high-achieving students, Leiden University's Asia Studies (Research) programme offers access to unique resources and expertise. Asian Studies at Leiden University has a reputation for excellence that is unmatched in Europe. You can choose subjects from a curriculum that spans virtually the entire Asian region both in geography and time.
You will be able to focus your studies on a region, such as China, Japan, Korea, South Asia or Southeast Asia, or on a discipline, such as politics, religion, art and material culture, languages and literature, with the option to work with a primary language. A comparative, area studies approach to learning encourages a broader, contextual understanding of the issues at hand. The programme not only encourages intra-Asian comparisons, but cooperates closely with the Middle Eastern Studies (Research) programme. This cooperation is institutionalised, for example, through a common introductory course on Area Studies.
An important focus of this programme is developing your ability to conduct high-quality scientific research. You also have the opportunity to conduct field research in a country of your choice in Asia.
The political map of West Asia, home to more than 60 per cent of the world’s oil and gas wealth, is in flux. The on-going process of forming fundamentalist ideologies in the region, new waves of political Islamic revival, and the re-emergence of sectarian struggles in the region have heightened concerns about religio-political dynamics which are still not fully understood by scholars and policymakers. Moreover, the growing number of organised Islamic groups in the region, representing diverse political goals, are generating tensions that threaten to move beyond the borders of West Asia.
The MA in Islamic and West Asian Studies is designed for students interested in the Islamic and West Asian world, as well as those wishing to pursue either a career in international affairs or further research on Muslim and West Asian communities.
The course is taught by scholars affiliated with Royal Holloway’s Centre for Islamic and West Asian Studies (CIWAS), an inter-disciplinary centre whose mission is to promote the exchange of ideas and knowledge among scholars from East and West. You will have the opportunity to engage critically with the history and politics of West Asian societies and Muslim communities, and have access to a wide range of regional resources which CIWAS has recently acquired.
Core modules
You must also take at least one from the following:
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
Teaching and learning is delivered primarily by means of seminar discussions, informal lectures, oral presentations, guided independent research, and guided independent study.
Assessment takes the form of various formative and summative assignments, including, in the case of some modules, an unseen written exam.
The final assignment is a dissertation on a topic developed in consultation with an assigned supervisor. It is expected that the dissertation will be researched and written primarily in the summer months, although supervision and dissertation training will begin during the academic year.
Graduates of political degrees have much to offer potential employers having developed a range of transferable skills, both practical and theoretical, whilst studying with us. With up to 90% of our most recent graduates now working or in further study, according to the Complete University Guide 2015, it’s true to say our graduates are highly employable.
The methodological nature of a politics degree provides graduates with valuable analytical and research skills in preparation for careers in government, political consultancy, NGOs and research organisations.
In recent years, departmental graduates have secured jobs in a wide range of professions, such as the law, the civil service, accountancy, management, journalism, broadcasting, teaching, international development and diplomacy. In fact, six-months after graduation, 90% of our most recent graduates are enhancing their skills with further study or forging careers in companies and institutions such as:
Edinburgh has one of the largest concentrations of South Asianists in the UK, constituting a wide range of expertise.
Examples of our recent research include the study of:
Other cross-disciplinary areas where students are particularly welcome include:
The MSc by Research in South Asian Studies offers core research skills and conceptual grounding for a research career or further study.
The PhD and MPhil programmes combine work on an individual thesis project with systematic training in research skills.
The Centre for South Asian Studies hosts a weekly research seminar as well as regular workshops and conferences.
The University’s Main Library has many manuscripts in oriental languages originating from the countries of the Middle East and South Asia.
You will also have access to rich library and archive resources across the University including divinity and Celtic and Scottish studies, as well as the National Library of Scotland (holding the papers of several Viceroys of India) and the Scottish National Record Office.
Find out more about scholarships and funding opportunities:
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