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The MPhil programme in Korean Studies is a specially designed one-year graduate seminar and research course with substantial taught elements for students who want to expand on their undergraduate education and/or prepare for a PhD in Korean Studies. It aims to support research into early modern and modern Korean history, intellectual history, history of knowledge, cultural history, South and North Korean politics, and international relations in East Asia. Candidates should have Korean language ability of at least level 3 TOPIK or equivalent.
All students in the year group attend one of two mandatory classes on theory: the Theories and Methodologies in the Japanese Studies Seminar (JM1); or the Asia in Theory seminar (EA1). In either class, they meet regularly with a variety of the Faculty's instructors and are introduced to various disciplinary approaches in Korean and East Asian studies. In addition, they are guided through the various steps of academic research, writing, presentation and career development. Students then take a core Korean Studies class. Finally, for their third paper, they are free to choose from a variety of options so that each student receives a tailor-made education. Approximately half of the time is allocated to individual research and the writing of a dissertation under the guidance of leading scholars.
The aim is to equip students to carry out independent academic work, including training in how to use Korean-language sources for research purposes, which lies at the heart of the programme. Our guiding principle is to ensure that each student receives the best possible education, providing a coherent course but with the flexibility to cater to individual needs.
The Educational Aims of the course are:
- To give students with a relevant undergraduate degree and sufficient subject-language ability training in research skills and methodologies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies;
- To develop students’ expertise in relevant aspects of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies;
- To give students the opportunity to carry out focused research under close supervision.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:
- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in modern Korean;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on modern Korean studies;
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and to produce a well-constructed argument to answer them, in the form of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources; and
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.
Continuing
All applicants should submit, via the Applicant Portal, a workable and relevant research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.
Those students who are enrolled in an MPhil by Advanced Studies at the University of Cambridge and wish to continue to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies will be required to obtain at least 67 per cent overall in their MPhil by Advanced Studies degree and satisfy any pre-existing requirements also set by the Degree Committee, i.e. English language requirement.
Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set of rules and regulations.
Open Days
The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:
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Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.
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Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.
For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages.