Master of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies

The M.A. program in East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies emphasizes advanced language training as the foundation for research on East Asian cultures. The philosophy of the M.A. program is to provide students with a solid foundation in one or more East Asian languages in addition to broad opportunities for cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary studies of East Asian traditions and modernities. Coursework concentrates on the humanities, including history, literature, religious studies, anthropology, linguistics and the arts, as well as social and cultural anthropology and sociology. Students progress through a sequence of mandatory core seminars that provide a shared foundation in key methodological and theoretical issues in the academic study of East Asia. Applicants to this M.A. degree program should have a grounding and a background, through studies or heritage speaking, of 2 years minimum (3 years preferred) in one of the core languages: either Chinese or Japanese. The graduation expectation is for students to have completed 3rd year modern, although a 4th year is highly recommended, as well as Classical Chinese and Japanese.

Applicants who have conducted their post-secondary education outside of the United States must have completed an undergraduate degree program equivalent to a University of California bachelor's degree by the beginning of their graduate program at UCSB. Equivalent undergraduate degrees usually include a minimum four years of university work and above-average scholarship. The degree must be awarded by an accredited institution. Satisfaction of minimal standards does not, however, guarantee admission, since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of spaces available. An excellent command of written and spoken English is required prior to enrollment at UCSB. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test (DET). TOEFL paper-based test (PBT) \u2013 550, TOEFL internet-based test (iBT) and TOEFL iBT Home Edition \u2013 80, IELTS Academic and IELTS Indicator - Overall Band Score of 7.