For a complete outline of degree requirements, see "Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees" available in the program office and on the Graduate Division homepage.
Course Requirements
Nine courses are required for the degree, at least five of which must be graduate seminars (200-level courses) in the student’s area of concentration.* The other four may be upper division courses (100 level classes) or additional graduate courses. Please note: lower division language classes (below the 100 level) do not count toward completion of the required nine classes.
At least one course should be in a cultural area other than the area of concentration. No more than two courses in the 500 series (independent studies) may apply toward the nine courses and only one of these courses may be counted toward the minimum of five graduate courses required for the degree.
*Please note that students who matriculated prior to Fall 2024 are required to take one survey course, in consultation with the staff academic advisor.
Language Requirements
A minimum of three years of an East Asian language, either Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, or demonstrated equivalency is required in addition to the nine courses required to complete the degree.
Some students enter the program already proficient in their East Asian language of choice, and may therefore be able to complete the degree in a shorter period of time. For those students seeking further language development, the East Asian Studies MA is a great way to pursue an additional year (or perhaps two for some students) of language study while simultaneously engaging in graduate level coursework. Taking such language courses will, however, inevitably lengthen the time necessary to complete the degree. Finally, students who have mastered one East Asian language are free to use their time to study a second East Asian language, but such classes will be purely electives and will not count toward the degree. Students requiring significant language study are encouraged to do intensive summer work either at UCLA or abroad.
Students should be advised that some graduate level classes require advanced proficiency in an East Asian language (or perhaps its ancient variant such as classical Chinese or Japanese) in order to enroll. While such enrollment requirements are not the norm, they are not uncommon.
Capstone Project
The Capstone Project consists of the submission of three research papers (at least one seminar and two upper division papers) and evaluation of them by the ad hoc committee. The original evaluators of each paper will constitute each student’s three-person ad hoc committee.
Note: It is the student’s responsibility to contact each member of the committee as early as possible, so that faculty can indicate if they want revisions in the papers before they are formally submitted to program's office. Please make sure that you give the committee members plenty of time to review your papers, recommend corrections, and make comments.
The average acceptable paper for comprehensive examination is between 15 and 20 pages in length. Each paper submitted should include the professor’s comments and their evaluation (this may take many forms, edits on the paper, notes written in the margin, typed comments, etc.).
Additional requirements:
• Papers must be written under the supervision of three different professors;
• The papers are required to be a minimum of 15-20 pages in length each;
• The papers are to reference at least 10 sources, listed in a bibliography.
Students submit submit hardcopies of each paper to the program’s counseling office (Bunche Hall 10256) during their last term. Electronic copies can be accepted as well. The papers should be submitted by the last day of classes during the quarter the student wishes to graduate. The departmental chair will review the comments from the grading professors to determine satisfactory/unsatisfactory. Please submit the three papers along with the Capstone Project Approval Form to the program office.
Thesis
The thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research. The thesis option is available by permission of the graduate adviser. Upon obtaining permission, the student, in consultation with the graduate adviser, selects a three-member faculty committee to supervise and assess the thesis. Please review regulations governing the nomination of master's committee members. The thesis committee works closely with the student in the development, writing, and revision of the thesis, and is responsible for reading, evaluating, and approving the drafts and final version of the thesis, ensuring thereby that it meets the University standards of scholarship. Once the final version is approved, the thesis committee recommends the award of the M.A. degree.
Academic Advisors
Upon entrance into the program, the chair of the program will serve as each student’s temporary academic advisor. In this capacity, the chair and the advising office will serve to aid incoming students during the first quarter.
Students who are interested in pursuing a thesis as the final project and who are interested in working with a particular faculty should contact them directly to express their interests. Working closely with a particular faculty member is not required, especially if a student is considering a Capstone Project option.
