East Asian Studies

PROGRAMS, REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

THIS INFORMATION APPLIES TO APPLICATIONS FOR 2020.

Web: as.nyu.edu/eas
Email: gsas.eas.graduate@nyu.edu

 

Degrees and Fields of Study

Ph.D.

  • East Asian Studies

M.A.

  • East Asian Studies

Joint M.A.

  • East Asian Studies/Journalism

Note: The field of study descriptions may not exactly match the actual program name on the degree that is conferred. Please refer to the GSAS Bulletin section Degree and Certificate Programs as Registered by the New York State Education Department for the actual program name and degree conferred.

 

Application Deadlines

Ph.D

  • January 4, fall only admission

M.A. in East Asian Studies

  • March 13, fall only admission
  • November 1, spring 2021 admission

Late M.A. applications for fall will be accepted until April 30.

Joint M.A. in East Asian Studies/Journalism

  • January 4, fall only admission

All application materials must be received by 5 p.m. eastern time on the deadline date. If an application deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal U.S. holiday, then the next business day will be the deadline date.

 

Application Requirements for East Asian Studies

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit a complete application for admission. A complete application includes the online application, academic transcripts, test scores (if required), letters of recommendation, a résumé or curriculum vitae, a Statement of Academic Purpose, and an application fee. Applicants also have the option of providing a short Personal History essay. Please refer to the Instructions section of the online application. In addition, the department specifically requires the following:

GRE for Ph.D. Applicants: GRE general test required. See test score requirements.

GRE for M.A. Applicants: GRE general test not required. Please do not send us GRE test scores. If you do, the scores will not be reviewed or considered by the department's Admissions Committee. 

GRE for Joint M.A. Applicants to East Asian Studies/Journalism: GRE general test required. See test score requirements.

TOEFL or IELTS: Either the TOEFL or the IELTS is required of all applicants who are not native English speakers or who do not have a bachelor's or master's degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English. See test score FAQ.

Statement of Academic Purpose (Ph.D.): In a concisely written statement, please describe your past and present work—and your academic training—as it relates to your intended field of study and your academic and career goals. Although you are not yet expected to provide a specific dissertation topic, please do your best to indicate your principal area(s) of topical and geographic interest and the central theoretical questions that are motivating your pursuit of a graduate degree. Finally, please indicate your reasons for choosing to work within the Department of East Asian Studies at New York University. The statement should not be more than 1,200 words in length.

Statement of Academic Purpose (M.A. in East Asian Studies): In a concisely written statement, please describe your past and present work—and your academic training—as it relates to your intended field of study and your academic and career goals. Also indicate your reasons for choosing to work within the Department of East Asian Studies at New York University. The statement should not be more than 1,000 words in length.

Statement of Academic Purpose (Joint M.A. in East Asian Studies/Journalism): In addition to the Statement of Academic Purpose instructions above, Journalism requires applicants to write a personal essay. The essay is an extremely important part of the application, so treat it accordingly. The essay should be 1,000 to 1,500 words in length.

The goal of the essay is to give the Admissions Committee a concrete sense of who you are as someone who aspires to a career as a professional journalist, writing and reporting for print, online or broadcast media. It should address the following questions: What do you expect to get from the program? What aspects of your experience are most relevant to your interest in journalism? Tell us about your background--your academic degree, intellectual interests, work experience, life experience, and other sources of inspiration--and explain how this background informs what you want to do as a journalist.

Applicants should also describe their existing "body of work" as a journalist, critic or just someone who writes. We are mostly interested in published work, but if you have yet to break into print, then tell us what kind of writing you have done. What have been your major themes? What issues and phenomena most engage you? What publications do you read regularly and why? Which journalists do you admire, which do you dislike, and which have influenced you?

Please append to your essay a brief statement of your plans for financing your graduate work. This statement must be included, whether or not you are applying for financial aid.

Writing Sample (all programs except the Joint M.A. in East Asian Studies/Journalism): An academic writing sample is required. It should be an academic paper (e.g., term paper or other academic writing) of about 15-30 double-spaced pages for the Ph.D. program, or 15 double-spaced pages for the master's program. The paper must be in English, and should be an indicator of your best work, ideally with some relation to your proposed field of study.

Writing Sample (Joint M.A. in East Asian Studies/Journalism): Two different writing samples are required. One should be an academic writing sample as described above. The second should represent your aptitude for journalism. A clip from your college newspaper, a personal essay, academic research paper, and short fiction are all acceptable.

Other: Please be aware of the department's non-English language requirements. See the department's website for further information.

 

The Graduate School of Arts and Science reserves the right to change this information at any time. This document supersedes all previous versions.

 

Last updated June 15, 2020.

 

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