Asian Studies (research)
| Degree: | Master of Arts in Asian Studies (research) |
|---|---|
| Mode of Study: | Full-time |
| Duration: | 2 years |
| Start date: | September, February |
| Language of instruction: | English |
| Location: | Leiden |
| Croho/isat code: | 60841 |
Asian Studies scholarship in Leiden has a justly deserved worldwide reputation. Its breadth and depth are not only unparalleled in the Netherlands, but represent the very best of Asia-related research and teaching in Europe and beyond. In the Research MA in Asian Studies, you may focus on a specific region, choosing between China, Japan, Korea, South Asia or Southeast Asia. Alternatively, you may conduct your research with the primary emphasis not on a region but rather on a discipline, focusing on such topics as politics, religion, art and material culture, languages, and literature, regionally or cross-regionally.
Programme
Core courses
Throughout the two-year programme, you will participate in three compulsory core courses, that bring all students of the Asian Studies and Middle Eastern Studies research master’s together.
- ‘Theory and Method in Area Studies’ in the first semester will provide you with the theoretical and methodological tools that are common to the field of Area Studies, and will equip you to engage in professional debates about the significance and utility of these tools in different fields.
- The second semester offers two core courses, of which you will pick one depending on your thematic focus. One course focuses on the deployment of socio-scientific methods in Area Studies, and the other is centered around the deployment of cultural studies methods in Area Studies.
- The third semester contains a final core element, focused on concrete research skills and academic writing in Area Studies.
Specialisation
The common core courses are complemented by courses that are specific to either Asian Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. These courses give you ample opportunity to make individually motivated choices. Depending on the content of the course, it is also possible to combine elements of Asian Studies with Middle Eastern Studies or vice versa.
Thesis
You will conclude your research master’s programme with a thesis, which, in summary form, may be suitable for consideration as a publishable scholarly article. The thesis will be central to your formal examination, in which you will be expected to give a presentation that meets the standards of international conferences. You will start working on your thesis by semester three, and continue writing the whole of semester four. In semester four you will also participate in thesis writing workshops, presentations etc. as part of your training.
For the most up to date course overview, see the e-prospectus.
