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FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS:
M.A. in East Asian Studies
Quick
Index:
1.
What is required in the application?
- An
application form, available online through the Graduate
School of Arts and Sciences website: http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/admissions/apply.html
- A statement
of purpose
- Transcripts
from all universities attended
- Official
GRE General Test scores (UVa's code is 5820)
- Official
TOEFL scores if your undergraduate degree was conferred
by a non-English language institution
- Two
letters of recommendation
2.
What about a writing sample?
An academic/critical
writing sample is recommended, but not required.
If you choose to submit one, it should be between ten and
twenty pages, and should be indicative of your academic
capacity and achievement. A paper on a subject relevant
to East Asia is most helpful.
3.
Can I submit other materials with the application?
Yes.
Applicants in the past have submitted their resumes or CVs,
additional letters of recommendation, or other documents
relevant to their experience or education.
4.
Do you accept students from China or Japan?
Yes.
However, the program is designed to give students a broad,
interdisciplinary introduction to the field of East Asian
Studies. In accordance with our mission, we are not likely
to accept applications from students wishing to study their
own country (i.e., while a student from China wishing
to study Japan may have a successful application, a student
from China wishing to study China is less likely to be offered
admisison).
5.
Do you offer financial aid?
Unfortunately,
we are not currently able to offer grant assistance or teaching
opportunities to any students in the M.A. program. Many
students in the program find part-time work at the University
or in Charlottesville to help defray expenses.
6.
What are the application deadlines?
- March
15 for Fall Admission
- November
1 for Spring Admission
7.
Should I be proficient in an Asian language before I apply
to the program?
The
degree requires third-year proficiency in Chinese or Japanese.
Though language proficiency is not necessary for admission
to the program, students should allow themselves time to
gain proficiency, understanding that credits earned through
languages courses do not count towards the required number
of credits for the degree.
8.
Can I study Southeast Asian nations in the program?
In a
word, no. Our program is focused mostly on China and Japan;
we also have courses in Sino-Tibetan studies and a very
limited number of courses on Korean studies. We do not have
sufficient course offerings to warrant a concentration in
Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia,
Singapore, Malaysia, or other Southeast Asian/Pacific countries.
When offered, though, a limited number of courses on Southeast
Asia may be counted towards the degree.
9.
Do you offer a Ph.D. in East Asian Studies?
No. At this time, we only offer the interdisciplinary M.A.
However, many departments doctoral programs allow concentration
in East Asia. Graduate students have recently written dissertations
involving East Asia in the departments of history, anthropology,
religious studies, and politics.
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