Graduate

World-class Research. Financial Aid. Individual Guidance.

The MA thesis-based program in East Asian Studies aims at providing graduate students with advanced disciplinary training and a profound understanding of research methods in Asian cultures. All applicants are automatically considered for financial aid, and most students admitted to the program receive substantial aid packages, competitive with the best MA programs in Asian Studies across Canada.

We have a special program dedicated to helping students who need additional language training prior to beginning their research ("Qualifying Year Abroad"), and we can accept foreign students (including those who already have an MA from an institution in their home countries) who need to adjust to Western research methods before applying to PhD programs in North America.

As a Master of Arts in East Asian Studies student you will:

  • Be immersed in one of Canada’s top learning environments for in-depth research on China, Japan, and Korea
  • Benefit from studying in a department that is a MA-only program. 100% of our funding goes to our MA students
  • Be provided with individualized attention and guidance while having the opportunity to pursue a wide range of research topics
  • Gain professional development skills and mentorship in research publication, grant writing, and preparing top applications to doctoral programs
  • Have the opportunity to find a career in places such as Canada, Europe, and Asia.
  • Previous students found jobs in in a wide variety of fields including international trade, diplomacy, finance, arts management, education, and creation content
  • Gain the skills needed to continue your learning at the PhD level. Previous students have gone on to study at top schools in the US and Canada, including the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and Stanford University

Faculty members in the Department of East Asian Studies are able to supervise graduate students in the following fields:

  • Chinese Linguistics/Pedagogy
  • Chinese Literature
  • Chinese Art History
  • Japanese Linguistics/Pedagogy
  • Japanese Literature
  • Japanese Art History
  • Japanese Religions
  • Japanese Film
  • East Asian Buddhism
  • East Asian Music
  • Korean Literature
  • Taiwanese Film
  • Ryukyuan Linguistics

Questions? Contact: eastgrad@ualberta.ca