Degree Requirements

Master’s Program

The department offers a master’s degree in East Asian languages and cultures. The student declares his or her concentration in 1 of 3 options.

• Chinese language and literature
• Japanese language and literature
• East Asian cultures

Students of Chinese or Japanese language and literature gain in-depth knowledge of these ancient civilizations, which have produced some of the world’s greatest literature.

Students of East Asian cultures develop a broad interdisciplinary knowledge of East Asia. This concentration is for students pursuing professional or noncollege teaching careers, for students in the early stages of language training, or for students who have already acquired competence in an East Asian language.

Prerequisites

Entrance requirements for a concentration in either Chinese or Japanese language and literature include

• 3 years of the modern language and, for Chinese language students, one year of classical Chinese or the demonstrated equivalent. Students not meeting this prerequisite may be admitted with deficiencies provided they achieve this level of proficiency outside the minimum of 30 graduate credit hours required for the degree.
• 2 lecture courses dealing with East Asia.

Entrance requirements for a concentration in East Asian cultures are

• At least 2 years of an East Asian language. Students not meeting this prerequisite may be admitted with deficiencies provided they achieve this level of proficiency outside the minimum of 30 graduate credit hours required for the degree.
• 2 lecture courses dealing with East Asia.

Requirements for Chinese or Japanese Language and Literature Concentration

1. A minimum of 30 graduate credit hours:
   (a) Fourth-year level of language courses.
   (b) At least 18 credit hours must be taken in the department in residence.
   (c) 6 of these 18 credit hours must demonstrate research capacity in the student’s major language in lecture courses or seminars.
   (d) EALC 700 Introduction to East Asian Studies and the relevant bibliography course must be included.
   (e) No more than 3 hours of directed readings courses may be included in the required 30 hours.
   (f) Students are expected to take at least one course at the 500 level or above in the literature of their concentration.
   (g) Students must take 1 course that deals wholly with an East Asian country outside their concentration.
2. A thesis (3 credit hours) involving significant use of materials in the student’s major language.

Requirements for East Asian Cultures Concentration

1. A minimum of 30 graduate credit hours:
   (a) Third-year level of language courses.
   (b) At least 24 credit hours, taken in the department in residence.
   (c) EALC 700 Introduction to East Asian Studies must be included in the student’s curriculum.
   (d) Students are expected to select 1 of the East Asian cultures for concentration and to include in their programs at least 2 courses dealing wholly with an East Asian culture outside their concentrations.
   (e) Students may not take more than 3 hours of directed readings.
   (f) Students may, in consultation with the department graduate advisor, take other credit hours in a discipline or disciplines closely related to their studies. East Asian area courses are offered in anthropology, film and media studies, geography, history, history of art, linguistics, philosophy, political science, religious studies, sociology, and theatre.
   (g) Students must take 1 course at the 500 level or above in the literature or thought of the country of their concentration.
2. A thesis (3 credit hours) that must deal with a subject in the concentration chosen by the student.

East Asian Courses in Other Departments

Anthropology

• ANTH 565 Popular Images in Japanese Culture, Literatures, and Films

Communication Studies

• COMS 557 East Asian Communications

Economics

• ECON 583 Economic Issues of East Asia

Film and Media Studies

• FMS 541 Asian Film
• FMS 743 Contemporary Japanese Film

Geography

• GEOG 596 Geography of China
• GEOG 796 Asian Regions: _____

History

• HIST 510 Topics in: _____
• HIST 582 Ancient Japan
• HIST 583 Imperial China
• HIST 584 Modern China
• HIST 587 Early Modern Japan
• HIST 588 Japan, 1853-1945
• HIST 589 Japan Since 1945
• HIST 590 Cultural History of Korea
• HIST 593 Modern Korea
• HIST 605 Medieval Japan
• HIST 696 Seminar in: _____

History of Art

• HA 503 Japanese Prints
• HA 545 Early Chinese Art
• HA 687 Art of Modern China
• HA 705 Major Artist: _____
• HA 766 Calligraphy of China and Japan
• HA 782 Japanese Painting
• HA 783 Edo Period Painting
• HA 785 Masters of Sung and Yuan Dynasty Painting
• HA 786 Masters of Ming and Ch’ing Dynasty Painting
• HA 787 Chinese Painting
• HA 788 Proseminar in Japanese Art
• HA 789 Proseminar in Chinese Art
• HA 822 Seminar in Buddhist Art: _____
• HA 824 Seminar in Edo Period Painting: _____
• HA 825 Seminar in Zen Painting and Calligraphy
• HA 826 Seminar in Japanese Literati Art
• HA 980 Seminar in Chinese Art: _____
• HA 990 Seminar in Japanese Art: _____

Political Science

• POLS 656 Governments and Politics of East Asia
• POLS 668 Reform in Contemporary China
• POLS 676 International Relations of Asia
• POLS 678 Chinese Foreign Policy
• POLS 956 The Governments and Politics of Asia

Religious Studies

• REL 508 Religion in China
• REL 509 Religion in Japan
• REL 510 Religion in Korea
• REL 733 Seminar in Eastern Religious Texts: _____
• REL 762 Seminar in Eastern Religious Thought: _____
• REL 776 Seminar in Religion and Society in Asia: _____

Theatre

• THR 527 Asian Theatre and Performance

For additional courses in the above disciplines, see appropriate sections of the online catalog.

Joint Degrees

MBA/M.A. Joint Master's Degree Program

Offered in conjunction with the KU School of Business, the Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultures is designed to combine a business education with a specific focus on China, Japan, Korea, or Pan-Asian geographic areas and languages.

Course Requirements

The joint MBA/M.A. degree program requires 60 credit hours, structured as follows:

MBA Requirements: 36 Credits

• Foundation Courses: 16 credits
• Environmental Courses: 2 credits
• Breadth Courses: 6 credits
• Elective Courses: 12 credits

Note: Some business courses may be offered at Edwards Campus in Overland Park rather than at Lawrence Campus.

Area Studies Requirements: 25 Credits

• Introductory Course: 1 credit
• 2 semesters of advanced language study: 6-10 credits depending on language chosen
• Graduate level literature or thought course: 3 credits in country of concentration
• 2 additional graduate courses in country of concentration: 6 credits
• 1 graduate course outside country of concentration: 3 credits
• Unifying research thesis

Note: See the MBA-M.A. EALC Curriculum Guide for details about eligible classes.

Joint Degree Program in Law and East Asian Languages and Cultures

The J.D./M.A. EALC program, which leads to the J.D. and M.A. in East Asian Languages and Cultures degrees, combines into four years and one summer of full time study the Juris Doctor program offered by the School of Law and the Master of East Asian Languages and Cultures program offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Growing interdependence with East Asia, particularly with China, provides a need for lawyers versed in culture and language. A joint degree in Law and East Asian Languages and Cultures opens many doors for its recipients. One can find opportunities in international trade and finance, immigration law, and other related fields, as well as a greater ability to work with clients from various backgrounds.

Admissions Requirements

To be admitted to the joint J.D./M.A. EALC Program, an applicant must hold an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, complete the admission processes, meet the admission requirements for both the School of Law and the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and be admitted to both programs no later than the end of the first year of study in Law or the completion of more than 16 credit hours in EALC. Full-time study is required for the joint J.D./M.A. EALC program. The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the only standardized test required for an applicant to the joint degree program.

For information about applying to the Law School, see the school website. For information about applying to the EALC Department, see Graduate Program General Application Information.

Degree Requirements

To receive the J.D./M.A. EALC, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 106 credit hours, 81 in the School of Law and 25 in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures The School of Law requires a 2.0 grade point average, while the Graduate School requires a 3.0 GPA for all courses counting toward the M.A. in EALC portion of the degree.

J.D. Requirements

All candidates for the J.D. must complete the following required courses:

First Year

LAW 804 Civil Procedure I (3)
LAW 805 Civil Procedure II (3)
LAW 809 Contracts I (3)
LAW 810 Contracts II (3)
LAW 814 Criminal Law (2)
LAW 818 Criminal Procedure (3)
LAW 820 Lawyering I (3)
LAW 821 Lawyering II (3)
LAW 826 Property I (3)
LAW 827 Property II (2)
LAW 831 Torts I (4)

Upper-class

LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions (3)
LAW 882 Constitutional Law (4) LAW 908 Evidence (3)
LAW 972 Professional Responsibility (2)

Students must complete all required first year courses (32 credit hours) during their first year of Law School enrollment. In addition to these course requirements, the School of Law has an upper-class writing requirement, a residence requirement, and a time limit for completion of the degree. Please refer to the current School of Law Catalog for details.

In addition to the 44 credit hours of coursework (described above) required of all law students, students in the joint J.D./MA EALC program must complete an additional 12 credit hours of coursework consisting of courses in any two of the following four areas of concentration:

International Trade:


LAW 944 International Trade Law (3)
LAW 864 Advanced International Trade Law (3)

International Commerce:


LAW 945 International Commerce and Investment (3)
LAW 936 International Economic Law and Development (3)

Public International Law:


LAW 974 Public International Law (3)
LAW 932 International Human Rights Law (3)

Comparative Law:


LAW 879 Comparative Law (3)
LAW 918 Islamic Law (3)

Students may choose courses to complete the remaining hours necessary to reach the total of 81 hours of law school credit needed for the joint degree from any part of the Law School curriculum.

EALC Requirements

Students shall consider the degree in East Asian Cultures to be interdisciplinary in nature:

1. A minimum of 22 graduate credit hours plus one of the two options listed in part 7.
2. Each student is expected to select one of the East Asian Cultures (Japan, China, or Korea) for concentration and to include in his or her program at least two courses dealing wholly with an East Asian culture outside of his or her concentration. Up to two courses can be pan-East Asian courses including the student’s country of concentration.
3. Students must complete a third year of language of the country of concentration.
4. EALC 700, Introduction to East Asian Studies, must be included in the student’s curriculum.
5. No more than 3 hours of directed reading in a language may count toward the MA degree.
6. Students are required to take one course in the literature or thought of the country of concentration at 500 level or above.
7. Students are required to fulfill one of the following requirements:

   a. Write a thesis (3 credit hours) which must deal with a subject within the concentration chosen by the student, or

   b. Practical thesis: Hold an internship or job in the country of concentration for a period of at least 8 weeks, at the advisor’s approval, and write a 40 page analysis of the cultural aspects of the experience (3 credits)

8. Students must see the Graduate Advisor in EALC at the commencement of this program and consult with the advisor during advising periods each semester.

Approved EALC courses

EALC 700

China
ANTH 810 Ethnolinguistics of China
EALC 530 Chinese Culture
EALC 590 History of Tibet
EALC 594 Law & Society in Traditional China
EALC 620 Life in China Opium War-Present
EALC 646 Chinese Law
ECON 586 Economic Issues in China
HIST 583 Imperial China
HIST 584 Modern China
HIST 585 Reform in Contemporary China
HIST 800 China in Global Perspective
HIST 583 Imperial China
HIST 800 Readings in Chinese History
HIST 800 Graduate Seminar on Modern China
HIST 800 Readings in Modern China
HIST 800 China in Global Perspective
HA 545 Early Chinese Art
HA 546 Chinese Sculpture
HA 604 Medieval Chinese Art
HA 650 Classical Chinese Art Text
HA 687 Art of Modern China
HA 785 Masters Sung & Yuan Dynasty
HA 787 Chinese Painting
HA 789 Proseminar in Chinese Art: Sculpture
HA 982 Seminar in Later Chinese Art
IBUS 425/895 Business in China
LING 572 Structure of Chinese
PHIL 506 Chinese Thought
POLS 668 Reform in Contemporary China
POLS 678 Chinese Foreign Policy
REL 508 Religion in China
REL 775 Rel & Soc in Asia: Chinese Buddhist Ritual & Institution
REL 776 Seminar in Religion & Society in Asia: Chinese Popular Religion


Japan

ANTH 567 Japanese Ghosts & Demons
BUS 686 Business and Society in Japan
EALC 575 Love, Sexuality & Gender in Japanese Literature
EALC 590/790 Japanese Pedagogy
EALC 590 Nature & The Environment in Japan
EALC 590 Visual/Literary Culture of Modern Japan
EALC 712 Traditional Japanese Literature in Translation
EALC 716 Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
HIST 586 Ancient & Medieval Japan
HIST 587 Early Modern Japan
HIST 588 Japan 1853-1945
HIST 589 Japan Since 1945
HIST 595 Business & Industry in Japan
HIST 596 Defining Japan: Marginalized Groups & National Identity
HIST 597 Japanese Theater History
HIST 660 Biography of a City: Kyoto
HIST 800 Readings in Modern Japanese History
HIST 800 Readings in Pre-Modern Japan
HIST 800 Readings in Early Japanese History
HIST 801 Colloquium in Pre-Modern Japanese History
HIST 801 Colloquium in Modern Japanese History
HA 503 Japanese Prints
HA 587 History of Japanese Sculpture
HA 782 Japanese Painting
HA 783 Edo Period Painting
HA 788 Seminar in Japanese Art
LING 575 Structure of Japanese
REL 509 Religion in Japan
REL 776 Religion & Society in Asia: Religion & Gender in Japan
TH&F 702 Japanese Film Makers
TH&F 702 Survey of Japanese Film
TH&F 827 Japanese Theater & Film

Korea

EALC 590 Traditional Korea
EALC 593 Modern Korea
EALC 593 The Korean War: Representation and Public Memory
HA 706 Special Problems in Art History: Korean Painting

Pan-Asian Courses

COMS 677 East Asian Communication
EALC 590 Entrepreneurship in East Asia
ECON 583 Economic Issues of East Asia
HA 585 Art of Buddhism
HA 766 Calligraphy of China and Japan
INTL 750 The Politics & Cultures of Asia
POLS 656 Government & Politics of East Asia
POLS 666 Political Economy of East Asia
POLS 676 International Relations of Asia
REL 602 Buddhism in East Asia
REL 762 Pure Land Buddhism
REL 762 Seminar in Eastern Religious Thought
TH & F 702 War & Memory in Asian Film

Third and fourth year Chinese, Japanese, and Korean language courses fulfill the requirements, as well.

Other courses as permitted by the student’s M.A. advisor.

Typical Enrollment Pattern

	Law	EALC	Total
First Year	32	0	32
First Summer	0	1st year language	0*
Second Year	15	2nd year language	18*
Third Year	12	3rd year language	28*
Fourth Year	22	6 (including thesis	28
Total Credit Earned	81	25	106
Law credit allowed		8	8
EALC credit allowed	9		9
Total credit required	90	33	123

*There is no credit toward the degree for first and second year language. First and second year language are 10 credits each. Third year language is 10 credits and counts toward the degree.

Students will be eligible to apply for FLAS funding for 1) summer language study equivalent to one full year of language study, and 2) academic year study that includes two semesters of language and six credits or more of East Asian culture courses.