Languages and Cultures M.A.

The M.A. in Languages and Cultures of Asia is designed for three broad groups of students: those planning to continue for a Ph.D. in Languages and Cultures of Asia; those seeking certification of regional expertise en route to a Ph.D. in some other discipline; and those seeking a M.A. en route to careers in Asia-related fields, including employment in business, government, information processing, media, and international organizations. 

Major Language Requirement

3 years (6 semesters) of an Asian language offered by the Department, or 2 years (4 semesters) of two Asian languages offered by the Department. In all cases the student's required competence will be determined by an examination prior to the student's M.A. oral examination. The form of the examination will be determined by the faculty member administering the examination. Elementary and intermediate languages taken in the course of fulfilling this language requirement cannot be counted toward the "credit requirement" described below. 

Additional Language/s Requirement

It will be the responsibility of the student's M.A. adviser to establish additional language requirements (if any). This should be attended to as soon as the adviser is chosen. At that time, the Department Chair, the student's M.A. adviser (if different from the Chair), and the student will sign an Adviser/Additional Language Form that will be filed with the Graduate Coordinator. The student must complete the additional-language/s requirement before taking the M.A. oral examination. 

Credit Requirement

24 credits taken in courses numbered 300 or higher. Elementary and Intermediate language courses do not count toward the 24 credits. "Directed Study" and "Independent Study" courses are not accepted toward the fulfillment of the 24 credits unless approved in writing in advance by the Academic Programs Committee. The 24 credits include: 

a) Two courses in Literature one of which may be taken, if the adviser so advises, in either the Department of Linguistics or in the Department of Comparative Literature. 

b) Two seminars or pro-seminars in the Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia. 

c) (Optional) Up to 3 credits in Research and Thesis (990) for preparation to satisfy the Research requirement; however these credits do not satisfy the requirements in a or b. 

d) Additional courses in the Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia to bring the total to 24 credits. With prior approval in writing by the Academic Programs Committee, courses with 25% or more Languages and Cultures of Asia content can be taken in other departments to bring the total to 24 credits. 

Research Requirement

In order to pass the research requirement, students in the M.A. Program must write an M.A. thesis on a topic chosen in consultation with their M.A. adviser and written in consultation with a committee of at least three faculty members, one of whom is the M.A. adviser, and no more than one of whom may be from outside the Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia. The committee members will be recommended by the student's M.A. adviser and appointed by the Department Chair. The M.A. thesis may not be a paper for a specific course, unless it has been substantially revised. Candidates for the M.A. degree must submit the defense copy of the thesis to the M.A. committee no less than two weeks prior to the date of the oral examination. 

Students in the M.A. program must pass an M.A. oral examination focusing on the M.A. thesis. The student's M.A. adviser and committee will administer the oral examination, decide by majority vote if the student has passed the research requirement.