The Department of East Asian Studies admits to its Ph.D. program select students who have a strong undergraduate record and appropriate academic preparation. Normally, at least three years of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean at the college level and substantial course work in Asian culture are required to enter the Ph.D. program.
Each student’s program is determined in consultation with a faculty adviser and with the director of graduate studies in East Asian studies. Courses in other departments may be included whenever appropriate. In order to complete the Ph.D. requirements, the student must acquire 72 points, which are equivalent to 18 courses. All students must complete First-Year Seminar: Introduction to Critical Asian Studies, EAST-GA 1001. A maximum if 16 points in reading and research courses may be taken.
At the end of the first year, the student is required to submit a research paper that addresses the theoretical-historical questions concerning the field of East Asian studies. This paper should be one that has been written for any of the courses they have completed, that they feel is most representative of their work over their first year. Two members of the faculty (the DGS, and one of the student’s advisors) will review the paper; in the event of a failed performance, the student will be allowed one opportunity to rework it. A list of acceptable departmental courses from which this paper might be drawn will be compiled for students to see at the start of each academic year.
Students must demonstrate proficiency in either two East Asian languages or in one East Asian language and a major European language as determined by the advisor in conjunction with the student’s research interests. This should be completed by the end of the second year of enrollment.
The student is advised to take the comprehensive examination in three distinctively different subfields of East Asian studies by the end of the fall semester of the third year. The exams questions are initially presented as a take-home written exam, followed by an oral exam component one week later. A three-member faculty committee (including the student’s adviser) is formed for each student for their comprehensive exam. The student and the adviser decide on the formation of the committee after consultation.
After the successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student submits a dissertation prospectus, which should include a thesis and methodological statement, a preliminary table of contents, a bibliography, etc. The student must pass the oral examination based on his or her prospectus to advance to candidacy. Normally the prospectus is defended before the same committee used for the comprehensive examination and should be completed by the end of the third year of study.
Finally, students must complete and orally defend a thesis before a committee of at least five faculty, at least three of which must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Science.