M.A. – China Studies

This program information is for M.A. students who started this program in Autumn 2024 or before.

This M.A. degree program will be discontinued at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year and will be updated into a new degree program: M.A., East Asia Studies. The new degree combines China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan Studies programs. 

 

The M.A. program in China Studies at the University of Washington offers students the opportunity to develop a substantial understanding of Chinese culture, history, society, and contemporary issues. Language learning and facility are a core element of the program of study. The more than twenty faculty members of the China Studies Program provide a broad and deep range of course offerings in the social sciences and humanities, and some of the professional schools at the University of Washington. The M.A. program is relatively small, and there is close faculty-student interaction. Students may combine their graduate study in China Studies with professional degrees (subject to acceptance by those programs and schools). Advanced work can also be pursued in disciplinary departments after completion of the M.A. degree.

The China Studies Program is recognized as one of the best programs in the country. There are generally two faculty members in each social science discipline, eight faculty in the humanities, and one in the School of Law. Particular strengths are found in Chinese language and literature, history, geography, demography, economics, Chinese film and anthropology. The University of Washington has been the center for the study of the minorities of China. In addition to faculty strengths, the East Asia Library is one of the ten largest East Asian language libraries in the United States.

Besides course offerings, the program sponsors a lively, regular China Colloquium, bringing scholars outside of the University to campus to present their research. Seattle is home to the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the University of Washington has a partnership with the Burke Museum, a growing museum of natural history and anthropology on campus. The state of Washington is the most trade dependent state in the US, and most of that trade is with Pacific nations. This offers the opportunity for paid and unpaid internships, and makes China a focus of community and academic concern.

Some of our graduates have gone on to Ph.D. programs, and are now teaching at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California-Los Angeles. Others have gone on to work in business, including Microsoft, Weyerhauser, and other major companies. Still others work in the US government and law firms, both in the US and in Asia.

The course of study combines a structured series of courses in Chinese language with great flexibility in the rest of the student’s course of study. Students are free to take courses concentrating on one particular issue or to broadly take courses on China. Students may also take two upper level courses related to their career interests outside of China studies that can count for their degree.

– Madeleine Dong, Graduate Program Coordinator

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be submitted by January 31 for admittance to the autumn quarter cohort. We only accept students into the M.A. program during autumn quarter.

You can find information about the application requirements and process on our website.

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2025-2026 HANDBOOK

Our handbook serves as a compilation of UW and Jackson School resources for students and a reference guide containing the school’s academic requirements, deadlines, policies, and procedures. You are responsible for knowing and adhering to the contents of this handbook. Any questions about this handbook can be directed to the appropriate adviser as listed in the general advising section.

We encourage you to seek out and take full advantage of the opportunities all over the UW campus as well.

Information about advising, M.A. degree requirements, curriculum requirements, language requirement, capstone research paper(s), and a timeline to finish the degree in 1 or 2 years is included below.

1. General Advising
2. M.A. Degree Requirements
3. Course of Study
4. Capstone Research Paper(s) and Oral Exam
5. Prerequisites and Language Proficiency
6. Model Timeline for Completing the Degree

In addition, you will find more information about policies, procedures and other resources related to the program on the following webpages:

1. Concurrent Degrees
2. Graduate Certificates
3. Tuition & Funding
4. UW Academic Policies
5. Graduation Processes
6. Other Resources

GENERAL ADVISING

The Jackson School staff and faculty offer a variety of support and guidance to prospective and current students.

Professor David Bachman is the Director of the China Studies program. Professor Madeleine Yue Dong, the program’s Associate Director, is the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC).

Professor Madeleine Yue Dong is the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) for our M.A. in China Studies. As the GPC, Dr. Dong serves as the academic adviser for the program. Please meet with her at least once per year to review your course of study and request any necessary approvals required. After you have formed your supervisory committee in your second year, your committee chair also advises you. Please see the section titled supervisory committee for more information on your committee’s role, duties, and your responsibility to it.

Jesús Hidalgo is the Graduate Program Adviser (GPA) for for all our graduate programs. He will advise you regarding degree requirements, academic planning, policies and procedures, and graduation. Please meet with him at least once per year to ensure you are on track to graduate. >

The adviser-student relationship implies mutual responsibility. Faculty and staff advisers have office hours over Zoom and in person, where you can drop by to talk, and they may also be available by appointment at other times. Students are responsible for seeking out faculty and staff either during office hours or by making appointments. Please be proactive about your advising and ask early for the assistance that you need.

If you find yourself struggling academically, meet with the GPC or GPA to discuss your options.

Other advisers

• TBD (China Studies Program Coordinator): China Studies events
• Paul Carrington (Associate Director, Division 1 East Asia): pauldc@uw.edu; THO 406. Language Programs, Fellowships Opportunities
• Lucy Li (Interim China Studies Librarian): Suzzallo Library. China Studies collections; Research
• TBD (Assistant Director of Student Services): jsisjobs@uw.edu or jsisalum@uw.edu; THO 111A. Career Services; JSIS 497 Internship Course; Alumni Relations
• Office of Academic Services: jsisoas@uw.edu for Course Registration & General Inquiries; & Additional Advising contact: jsisadv@uw.edu (THO 111)

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M.A. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Students receive the M.A. degree when they have fulfilled the following requirements:

1. Complete curriculum requirements, including thirty-six credits of graduate level work (400-level classes and above,of which eighteen credits must be 500-level and above), not including language classes or thesis credits;
2. Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above;
3. Achieve third-year level proficiency in Chinese;
4. Take courses from at least two different departments;
5. Complete either a thesis or two article-length papers under faculty supervision;
6. Pass the oral exam; and
7. Comply with the rules and regulations of the UW Graduate School.

All degree requirements must be met within six years of the start of your program. This time limit includes leaves ofabsence. Under extraordinary circumstances this limit may be extended with the agreement of your GPC and GPA.

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COURSE OF STUDY

A summary of the curriculum is provided below.

JSIS A 521-522 Seminars: Introduction to the Interdisciplinary Study of China These seminars (5 credits each) are offered during the winter and spring quarters and are designed to introduce students to interdisciplinary analysis of selected problems of modern China through readings drawn from several academic disciplines.

At least 26 elective China Studies related credits These credits must be fulfilled by 400-, 500-, or 600-level classes. The courses taken to fulfill this requirement must be from at least two departments or disciplines other than Asian Languages and Literature to ensure that your coursework is interdisciplinary. First through fourth-year Chinese and first-year classical Chinese do not count toward your twenty-six credit requirement.

You must take twenty-six additional credits focused on the study of China or China’s relationship with other countries. At least eight of those credits must be taken at the 500- or 600-level. It is possible to apply JSIS 600A: Graduate Independent Study to these credits, but JSIS 700: Master’s Thesis credits do not count toward this requirement.

The courses taken to fulfill this requirement must be from at least two departments or disciplines other than AsianLanguages and Literature to ensure that your coursework is interdisciplinary. First through fourth-year Chinese and first-year classical Chinese do not count toward your twenty-six credit requirement.

Students are welcome to find UW faculty members across campus teaching courses on China through the China Studies Program website and the East Asia Center website.

While most of your work should focus on China, you may take a maximum of two courses counted towards the twenty-six credit requirement not specifically focused on China for the purposes of fulfilling specific educational or professional objectives, or if these courses will contribute to more fully understand an issue for your thesis or one of the final papers.

For instance, those planning to pursue a Ph.D. may find that the departments they wish to enter have prerequisites not related to China that they must fulfill. Additionally, students pursuing non-university careers may determine that coursework from one of the departments or schools relevant to their career objectives (e.g., Public Affairs, Communications, Business Administration, Education, etc.) will be useful. In both cases, students should consult advisers from the appropriate schools or departments well in advance. Students adopting this option must obtain written approval from the GPC. These courses must be 400-level or higher.

**You must cc the GPA on all approval emails with the GPC to ensure your approvals are noted in your academic record.

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CAPSTONE RESEARCH PAPER(S) AND ORAL EXAM

Students can complete either a thesis or two separate research papers. Each student must form a supervisory committee to advise them during their work and assess their completed work. You should consult what option you would like to select with the GPC initially and then regularly with your supervisory committee members for guidance in research and writing.

Thesis

This option is designed for students who wish to undertake a major research project that involves extensive use of primary sources. Generally, work on the thesis begins in a graduate seminar.

You must register for at least nine credits of JSIS 700: Master’s Thesis in order to complete this option. Your supervisory committee chair generally supervises and submits grades for these credits. You can take them all in one quarter or spread out over several quarters.

A thesis is typically about 20,000 words long.

Two research papers

Alternatively, students may choose to write two research papers expanding on papers written for their seminar classes, including JSIS A 521 and JSIS A 522.

Each research paper is typically about 8,000 words long and must be revised to incorporate comments from the instructor on the original versions.

Concurrent degree students may submit the written paper required through their professional degree program as their second paper. These papers must have sufficient international substance to qualify; as determined by the GPC.

ORAL EXAM

The final oral exam is based on the thesis or two research papers, any implications of your topic(s), and its relevance to global trends. All exams are different and you should ask your committee about your exam specifically. Below is an example of how the exam may be structured.

The oral exam is to be scheduled no earlier than one week after the research paper(s) have been submitted to the committee members. The discussion in the oral exam will be based on your research paper(s). All exams are different and you should ask your committee about your exam specifically. Below is an example of how the exam may be structured.

At the start of the exam, students are asked to step out of the exam room, while the committee members deliberate about the student’s candidacy and the line of questioning they will pursue. Students are expected to prepare a brief, ten to twenty minute, presentation about their research projects. Following these deliberations, committee members will ask the student questions for about forty-five to sixty minutes. The student will then leave the room while the committee deliberates on the results of the oral exam. Following their second deliberation, the chair will invite the student back to the exam room to inform them of the results of their exam.

You will take your oral exam with your supervisory committee during the quarter you intend to graduate.

Committee members may award distinction to students with outstanding performance in their written work (essay or two papers) as well as in their oral exam. The following two categories of distinction will be awarded to students for their overall body of work and with unanimous consent of all committee members.

• High Pass: A High Pass will be awarded to students who (1) showed overall mastery of material in their thesis or, whose two papers exhibit a close to publishable quality; and (2) delivered an impressive performance during their oral exam that showed substantial theoretical and empirical knowledge of their fields of study.
• Honors: Honors will be awarded to students who (1) showed excellent mastery of material in their thesis or, whose two papers are of publishable quality; and (2) delivered an outstanding performance during their oral exam that showed excellent and broadly situated theoretical as well as empirical knowledge of their respective fields of study in the context of international affairs.

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PREREQUISITES & LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Language study is an essential part of the program. Courses in Chinese language and literature are offered by the Department of Asian Languages and Literature. While you are required to complete third-year Chinese, or second-year Heritage Chinese, you are urged to take instruction beyond this level if your schedule permits.

Students with minimal background in Chinese may wish to take first-year Chinese in their first year, intensive second-year Chinese during the summer term, then third-year Chinese in the second year.

The Department of Asian Languages and Literature requires a placement exam before you register for Chinese. Contact the department at asianll@uw.edu for more information.

If you are a native Chinese-speaker, you do not need to take any Chinese-language classes or take a proficiency exam.

If you believe you are at or beyond the required language level but do not have a transcript to show this, you should arrange to take a proficiency exam. Do this early before you start your first quarter of your program; if your exam results do not show the required proficiency, you will need time to take the appropriate course work. Chinese proficiency exams are offered once at the beginning of autumn, winter, and spring quarters and cost $20. Please contact asianadv@uw.edu to register.

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MODEL TIMELINE FOR COMPLETING DEGREE IN TWO YEARS

This timeline is for students who have no prior training in a language. It is intended to be a guideline and model for courses taken as a full-time M.A. student, not a required path for all students. It is also different than the path concurrent students will take. This model includes JSIS 700 credits, required for students writing a thesis. If you are not writing a thesis, please fill these spots with other credits.

YEAR 1

• Autumn (15 credits: 10 graduate cr + 5 language cr):
  • Chinese Year 101 (5 cr)
  • JSIS A 521 (5 cr)
  • China Related Seminar (5 cr)
• Winter (15 credits: 10 graduate cr + 5 language cr):
  • Chinese Year 102 (5 cr)
  • JSIS A 522 (5 cr)
  • China Related Seminar (5 cr)
• Spring (15 credits: 10 graduate cr + 5 language cr):
  • Chinese Year 103 (5 cr)
  • China Related Seminar (5 cr)
  • China Related Seminar (5 cr)

• Summer (15 credits):
  • Intensive Chinese Year 2 (15 cr)

YEAR 2:

• Autumn (10 credits: 5 graduate cr + 5 language cr):
  • Chinese Year 301 (5 cr)
  • Non-China Related Seminar (5 cr)
• Winter (14 credits: 5 graduate cr + 5 language cr + 4 thesis cr):
  • Chinese Year 302 (5 cr)
  • Non-China Related Seminar (5 cr)
  • JSIS 700 (4 cr)
• Spring (10 credits: 5 language cr + 5 thesis cr):
  • Chinese Year 303 (5 cr)
  • JSIS 700 (5 cr)

* If approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator, up to five (5) 400-level credits taken at the Jackson School as an undergraduate student can be counted towards the 39 graduate credits you have to accumulate for your M.A. degree.

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HANDBOOKS

M.A. in China Studies Handbook 2023-24

M.A. in China Studies Handbook 2022-23

AFFILIATED CENTERS

The Jackson School houses 14 outreach centers. These centers provide opportunities for educators, students, and the community to learn about the world. Some of them have specific scholarship opportunities and other resources that may be useful. Here are those you might find particularly useful:

CHINA STUDIES PROGRAM TAIWAN STUDIES PROGRAM EAST ASIA CENTER JAPAN STUDIES PROGRAM CENTER FOR KOREA STUDIES