Korean Studies

The two-year specialisation in Korean Studies is unique in the Netherlands. It stems from a long line of Leiden-based Korean scholars, with the first centre for Korean Studies in Western Europe offering classes at Leiden in 1947. Since then the department has grown from strength-to-strength, capitalising on its strong connections with Korean universities and institutions and its international reputation for the quality of its research. Today, staff participate in research projects with colleagues from around the world and sit on a variety of editorial and advisory boards.

The programme is led by staff internationally renowned for their research on cultural and societal issues in pre-modern and modern Korea. You will have access to teaching and research opportunities—including original source materials— within the fields of:

• Religious practice and popular culture
• Literature
• The social history of religions
• Modern nationalism and collaboration
• Modern and contemporary history and Historiography

Through the Department of Korean Studies you will have access to an international network of academics who specialise in Korean Studies—throughout Korea, Europe, North America and Australasia—and will be able to take advantage of the department’s exchange agreements with such universities as:

• Seoul National University
• Sungkyunkwan University
• Yonsei University
• Korea University
• The Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
• Sookmyoung Women’s University

As this is a relatively small-scale programme, you will have the opportunity to interact with staff regularly and informally, with classes taught in groups small enough to allow you to focus on your specific areas of interest.

It is also possible to focus on Korean Studies within the two-year Research Master’s programme Asian Studies and the one-year East Asian Studies programme.