Our M.A. Programs in International Studies
NEW: M.A. – East Asia Studies
Our new East Asia Studies M.A. degree combines these four programs:
China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan Studies.
Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year will start in early September, and the deadline is January 31st, 2026.
The M.A. program in East Asian Studies at the University of Washington offers students the opportunity to develop a substantial understanding of culture, history, society, and contemporary issues across China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The more than 55 faculty members of the China Studies Program, Center for Japanese Studies, JSIS Japan Studies Program, Center for Korea Studies, and Taiwan 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 has close faculty-student interaction as well as cohort camaraderie. Students may combine their graduate study in East Asian 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, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan programs at UW are recognized as among the best in the country. Particular strengths are found in history, political science, geography, demography, political economy, language and literature, film and media studies, and anthropology. In addition to faculty strengths, the Tateuchi East Asia Library is one of the ten largest East Asian language libraries in the United States.
Besides course offerings, all the East Asia programs sponsor substantial numbers of academic colloquia, lectures, conferences, and other events, 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 internships and makes East Asia a focus of community and academic concern.
Many of our graduates work at Microsoft, Nintendo, Amazon, Accenture, Weyerhauser, and other major companies. Others work in government, nonprofits, think tanks, and law firms, both in the US and in Asia. Others have continued in Ph.D. programs, and are now teaching at Harvard, Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California-Los Angeles.
The course of study combines a structured series of courses in area studies of the chosen primary track (China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan) as well as selected core courses from other (non-primary) tracks, along 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 East Asia.
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.
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.
- General Advising
- M.A. Degree Requirements
- Course of Study
- Capstone Research Paper(s) and Oral Exam
- Prerequisites and Language Proficiency
- 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:
- Concurrent Degrees
- Graduate Certificates
- Tuition & Funding
- UW Academic Policies
- Graduation Processes
- 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 current Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) for our M.A. in East Asia Studies. As the GPC, Dr. Bachman teaches the proseminar (JSIS A 550) for the East Asia M.A. program.
Students are also encouraged to discuss academic questions about their specific track with these professors:
- Prof. Madeleine Yue Dong (China track)
- Prof. Robert Pekkanen (Japan track)
- Prof. Hajin Jun (Korea track)
- Prof. James Lin (Taiwan track)
Please meet with your track adviser 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. In addition, your respective track adviser can offer advice about language programs, community outreach, and fellowships opportunities.
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
- Ellen Eskenazi (Program and Operations Specialist): esky@uw.edu; THO 302-A
- Paul Carrington (Associate Director, Division 1 East Asia): pauldc@uw.edu; THO 406
- Lucy Li (Interim China and Taiwan Studies Librarian): Suzzallo Library. China and Taiwan Studies collections; Research
- Hyokyoung Yi (Korea Studies Librarian): Suzzallo Library. Korea Studies collections; Research
- Azusa Tanaka (Japan Studies Librarian): Suzzallo Library. Japan 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)
M.A. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Students receive the M.A. degree when they have fulfilled the following requirements:
- Complete curriculum requirements, including forty 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;
- Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above;
- Achieve second-year level proficiency in research language (Chinese, Japanese, or Korean);
- Complete either a thesis or two article-length papers under faculty supervision;
- Pass the oral exam; and
- 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 of absence. Under extraordinary circumstances, your GPC and GPA may agree to extend this limit.
COURSE OF STUDY
A summary of the curriculum is provided below.
JSIS A 550 Proseminar in East Asian Studies: Explores the East Asia region and the distinct societies of China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Students examine both shared and unique aspects of these societies, analyzing their politics, history, political economy, social structures, and foreign relations. Fosters a deeper understanding of East Asia’s complexities and interconnections through critical inquiry and comparative perspectives.
You must take 10 credits (2 courses) from this list of core courses:
- JSIS A 521 Seminar: Introduction to the Interdisciplinary Study of China
- JSIS A 555 Introduction to Japanese Studies
- JSIS A 584 Survey of Korean Society
- JSIS A 588 Making Modern Taiwan
You must take at least 15 elective East Asia Studies related credits (3 courses) from the East Asia approved course list. At least one of these courses should be from your selected track. These credits must be fulfilled by 400-, 500-, or 600-level classes.
It is possible to apply JSIS 600 A: Graduate Independent Study to these credits if approved by your Graduate Program Coordinator, but JSIS 700: Master’s Thesis credits do not count toward this requirement.
Students are welcome to find UW faculty members across campus teaching courses on China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan through the East Asia Center faculty website.
Electives (10 credits): While most of your work should focus on East Asia, you may take a maximum of two courses counted towards the forty credit requirement not specifically focused on East Asia 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 East Asia 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.
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. The thesis can be an expanded version of a seminar paper or an Independent Study project.
A thesis is typically about 20,000 words long.
You must register for at least nine JSIS 700: Master’s Thesis credits 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.
Two research papers
Alternatively, students may choose to write two research papers expanding on papers written for their seminar classes.
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.
PREREQUISITES & LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Language proficiency is not required for admission.
Language study is an essential part of the program. Courses in Chinese, Korean and Japanese language and literature are offered by the Department of Asian Languages and Literature (AL&L). While you are required to complete second-year proficiency in any of these languages, you are urged to take instruction beyond this level if your schedule permits.
Students must attain competency in any of these East Asian languages through at least the second-year level. This competency may be demonstrated either by results from the UW proficiency test or through coursework. Students are strongly encouraged to take language throughout their studies at the University of Washington. Those who enter the program with proficiency beyond the second-year level should continue language study through classes in third-, fourth-, and fifth-year, or a variety of literature courses based on texts in the target language. Summer courses in intensive language training are offered at lower levels only.
Before you register for language classes, please follow the AL&L Placement procedures. You may need to take a placement test or a placement interview.
MODEL TIMELINE FOR COMPLETING DEGREE IN ONE YEAR
This timeline is for students who have 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 from the path concurrent students will take. This model does not include JSIS 700 credits, required for students writing a thesis.
- Autumn (15 graduate credits):
- JSIS 550 (5 cr)
- Two (2) of these three courses: JSIS A 521 or JSIS A 555 or JSIS A 584 (5 cr each)
- Winter (15 graduate credits):
- JSIS A 588 or East Asia Relevant Seminar (5 cr)
- East Asia Relevant Seminar (5 cr)
- Elective (5 cr)
- Spring (10 graduate credits):
- East Asia Relevant Seminar (5 cr)
- Elective (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 40 graduate credits you have to accumulate for your M.A. degree.
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 from 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):
- Language Year 101 (5 cr)
- JSIS 550 (5 cr)
- JSIS A 521 or JSIS A 555 or JSIS A 584 (5 cr)
- Winter (15 credits: 10 graduate cred + 5 language cred):
- Language Year 102 (5 cr)
- JSIS A 588 (5 cr)
- East Asia Relevant Seminar (5 cr)
- Spring (15 credits: 10 graduate cr + 5 language cr):
- Language Year 103 (5 cr)
- East Asia Relevant Seminar (5 cr)
- East Asia Relevant Seminar (5 cr)
YEAR 2:
- Autumn (15 credits: 10 graduate cr + 5 language cr):
- Language Year 201 (5 cr)
- JSIS A 521 or JSIS A 555 or JSIS A 584 (5 cr)
- Elective (5 cr)
- Winter (14 credits: 5 graduate cr + 5 language cr + 4 thesis cr):
- Language Year 202 (5 cr)
- Elective (5 cr)
- JSIS 700 (4 cr)
- Spring (10 credits: 5 language cr + 5 thesis cr):
- Language Year 203 (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 38 graduate credits you have to accumulate for your M.A. degree.
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: