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Asian Studies (60 EC): Politics, Society and Economy

Master

Students with disabilities

The university is committed to supporting and accommodating students with disabilities as stated in the university protocol (especially pages 3-5). Students should contact Fenestra Disability Centre at least four weeks before the start of their courses to ensure that all necessary academic accomodations can be made in time conform the abovementioned protocol.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with Leiden University policies on plagiarism and academic integrity. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you submit any work with your name affixed to it, it is assumed to be your own work with all sources used properly indicated and documented in the text (with quotations and/or citations).

For Students starting in September

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester (Fall semester)
Introduction to Asian Studies 5
Thesis & Methods Classes 5

PSE core elective courses (select minimally 10 and maximally 20 EC):
Modern China: Political Participation in China 10
Sociology of Japan 10
The Politics of Culture in North Korea 10
The Politics of Culture in North Korea 5
Crime and Criminal Justice: East Asian Perspectives 10
Colonial Modernity and Gender in Korean Literature and Film 10
Colonial Modernity and Gender in Korean Literature and Film 5
Nation, State and Security in Post-war Japanese Political Thought 10
Economic Development and Social Change in Southeast Asia 10
China's International Political Economy 10

Electives: optional courses (select maximally 10 EC).*
BRIC: emerging powers and changing global relations 10
Politics of Culture in Southeast Asia 10
Politics of Culture in Southeast Asia 5
Histories of Southeast Asia 5
Cultures of Resistance in the Post-colonial World 5
Cultures of Resistance in the Post-colonial World 5
Transnational Entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia 10
Indonesian Language 1 10
Hindi 1 10
Tibetan 1 10

Language Electives: Chinese, Japanese, Korean at beginners or intermediate level to a max of 15EC

Second semester (Spring semester)
MA Thesis Asian Studies (60 EC) 15

Electives (select 15 EC):
Democratizing Histories: Asia and the World (twice a week, until March) 10
Democratizing Histories: Asia and the World (twice a week, until March) 5
Asia through Consumption (twice a week, until March) 10
Creativity and Culture in Contemporary China 10
Political Economy of Southeast Asia 10
Political Economy of Southeast Asia 5
Buddhism and Social Justice 10
Contemporary Indian Politics 5
The Cultural Revolution(s) of China 10
Human Rights Discourses on North Korea 10
Human Rights Discourses on North Korea 5
Confucianism, Idealism and Power in East Asia's Past and Present 10

Only a total of 15EC of beginner's or intermediate level language courses can be counted towards the degree
Indonesian Language 2 10
Hindi 2 10
Tibetan 2 10

For students starting in February:

Students who start in February, the Spring Semester, take their Thesis and Methods Class (5 EC) in their first (spring) semester and the Introduction to Asian Studies (5 EC) together with the other students in their second (the fall) semester, and also write their MA-thesis (15 EC) in the fall semester. In the spring semester they take 25 EC Core Courses and Electives and one 10 EC Core Course in the fall semester.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester (Spring semester)
Thesis and Methods Class (only for new students starting in spring semester 2015) 5

Electives (select 25 EC from Spring selection of Electives)

Second semester (Fall semester)
Introduction to Asian Studies 5
MA Thesis Asian Studies (60 EC) 15

select 10 EC from 2016-2017 fall semester Electives (not yet available)

More info

1-year Master Asian Studies

Objectives

In the one-year Master’s program in Asian Studies you will be able to deepen and broaden your knowledge of Asia as a whole or one of the regions within Asia. The different specialisations offered within this program cater for students both with and without prior proficiency in one or more Asian languages. In Asian Studies, you may focus on a specific region, choosing between China, Japan, Korea, South Asia or Southeast Asia. Alternatively, you may opt for an interregional, disciplinary emphasis, focusing on History, Arts, and Culture topics in the HAC specialisation, or on issues in Politics, Society and Economy in the PSE specialisation. The MA also has a special track Critical Heritage Studies as part of its History, Arts and Culture specialisation. The rich collections of the University Libraries in Asian Studies incorporate both the long textual tradition of Leiden University and the most up-to-date theories and approaches of history, literature, linguistics and the social sciences. Museums and other long-standing institutions in Leiden related to Asia provide much material for study. The one-year Master Asian Studies specifically encourages in-situ internships as part of the curriculum.

Programme Structure

The master’s program in the one-year Asian Studies Master is divided into two semesters (each subdivided into two periods for some courses). Each semester consists of 30 EC. Students starting in September follow two compulsory courses in the fall (first) semester: Introduction to Asian Studies ( period I), and the Thesis & Methods Class (period II). Each counts for 5 EC, 10 EC in total.

In addition to these common courses, students take one or two courses that are specific to their specialisation – Core Electives. Students are permitted to choose one of the electives outside their own specialisation but within the Asian Studies Master to a maximum of 10 EC . In the spring (second) semester students take one or two Core Electives for a minimum of 15 EC, or fulfill this partially by an internship, and write their MA-Thesis (15 EC). Students of HAC and PSE tracks have a new compulsory Methods course in the spring ( their second) semester. Other MAAS students can take this as an Elective.

For students who start in February, the Spring Semester the programme has slightly been adapted. They take their Thesis Class (5 EC) in their first (spring) semester and the Introduction to Asian Studies (5 EC) together with the other students in their second (the fall) semester, and also write their MA-thesis (15 EC) in the fall semester. In the spring semester they take 25 EC Core Courses and Electives and one 10 EC Core Course in the fall semester. Students of East Asia tracks can only start advanced language courses in their second (fall) semester.

For students outside the East Asia tracks, a maximum of beginner’s language course credits can be applied toward degree requirements. MA East Asia Students can only count the Advanced Language credits that are a compulsory part of their program (15 EC) toward graduation.

Master’s thesis and requirements for graduation

In order to graduate, students must have successfully completed the 60 EC programme, including the MA thesis. The thesis is 15 EC, written in English and up to 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and bibliography. More details on the procedures regarding the MA-Thesis can be found in the course description.

Specialisations

The 1-year MA programme in Asian Studies offers the following specialisations:
History Arts and Culture , with an option Critical Heritage Studies
Politics, Society and Economy
East Asian Studies , subdivided into Japan, China and Korea tracks
South Asian Studies
Southeast Asian Studies