Korean Studies

Entry requirements

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Korean peninsula lies at the centre of landmark geopolitical developments in the early 21st century. North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme and tensions between the two Koreas serve as stark reminders of the fragility of regional and global orders. South Korea has become a major global economic player and an important actor in development assistance. Additionally, Korean culture (including pop culture) has surged to global popularity over the past decade and exported across the globe. Understanding Korean culture, history, current political and economic developments, and international relations is therefore crucial to make sense of key processes in global security, economics and politics in Asia and beyond.

The MSc in Korean Studies is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to critically engage with these developments through recognised Masters-level training in both Korean Studies and East Asian Studies with a focus on history, society, the economy, urban studies, public policy, politics and international relations. The unique combination of Korean, East Asian and disciplinary expertise will enable you to acquire both in-depth knowledge about the Korean peninsula and the analytical skills to make connections between the Korean experience and other countries in the East Asian region and beyond.

The MSc programme in Korean Studies will introduce a variety of innovative assignments to draw on your interests and talents. The various assignments include video-essays, podcasts, blogs, Wikipedia entries, policy briefs and review articles or editorials. During the induction week, you will have various seminars and workshops where you will be familiarised with the new assignments and their requirements. Active participation among students and between students and instructors will be encouraged not only in the traditional classroom format but also online through collective lecture note taking and in group forum on Learn.