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The requirements listed below are special to this department and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School.

Columbia University offers the following graduate programs to students in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALAC):

1. Students in the free-standing M.A. Program in East Asian Languages and Cultures may study Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, or Tibetan literature or history. The program is intended for students who show academic promise but do not possess the language skills or background in East Asian studies to qualify for the Ph.D. program.

2. Students in the M.A./M.Phil./Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Cultures may study Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Tibetan studies. The program requires a minimum of three years of study in an East Asian language for admission, and is designed for qualified full-time students. Some exceptions to this three-year minimum requirement of language study may be granted for promising students of Tibetan Studies, due to the limited availability of such language training in the academic community; in these cases, previous study of Chinese will be expected. Requirements for literature candidates appear below under Chinese, Japanese, or Korean Literature. Requirements for history appear under East Asian History.

Note: All entering students, regardless of background, are required to take the language placement examination in the East Asian language of specialization at the beginning of the semester in which they enter the program. Those Ph.D. degree candidates who feel prepared should also consider taking the Ph.D. qualifying examination at this time.

Chinese, Japanese, or Korean Studies

For the M.A.

All candidates for the Master of Arts degree must fulfill the following requirements:

Course requirements: Six one-semester courses taken for a letter grade. At least one of these courses must be outside the student’s East Asian country of specialization. Some courses can be taken outside the department to meet this requirement. Students are strongly urged to take graduate-level colloquia when possible. Students should also take a discipline – appropriate methodology course, chosen in consultation with the advisor or DGS. The choice of courses must be approved by the student’s advisor and by the DGS. Language courses cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.

M.A. thesis requirement: The student must, under the supervision of an advisor, write an M.A. thesis that makes significant use of sources in the East Asian target language. The thesis, which should be between 30 and 60 pages, must be approved by the advisor and submitted to the DGS.

Language requirements: All entering students must take a language placement exam during registration period of the fall semester. Language requirements are listed below by field:

Chinese Studies: Four years of modern Chinese, or three years of modern Chinese and one year of classical Chinese. Literature students must complete at least one semester of classical Chinese.

Japanese Studies: Four years of modern Japanese, or three years of modern Japanese and one year of classical Japanese. Literature students must complete at least one semester of classical Japanese.

Korean Studies: Third-year Korean or the equivalent.

Tibetan Studies: First-year Tibetan or the equivalent preferred. Chinese language training also is considered relevant.

Note: Students in the M.A. program can, in the second year of study, seek admission to the Ph.D. program by application to the Graduate School. If accepted, course credits and residence units from the M.A. program are applied to fulfillment of the Ph.D. requirements.

Chinese, Japanese, or Korean Literature

For the M.Phil. and Ph.D. Degrees

Prior to entry into the program, the student must have completed at least three years of study in the East Asian language of specialization. In addition, a student who is a candidate for the M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees must fulfill the following requirements:

Course requirements: Twelve one-semester courses for grade credit, at least six of which must be graduate-level colloquia or seminars. One of the twelve courses must be outside the student’s East Asian country of specialization. The student is strongly urged to take a methodology course appropriate to his or her discipline to be determined in consultation with the advisor. The student should take a bibliography course, when available, dealing with or appropriate to the country of specialization. The methodology and bibliography courses are counted as two of the twelve required courses. The choice of courses must be approved by the student’s advisor and by the DGS. Courses in first-year classical Chinese can be counted toward the twelve courses. Second-year classical Chinese can be counted as a graduate colloquium/seminar.

Research papers: All students write the M.A. essay or its equivalent (for those entering with an M.A., a research paper), to be completed by the end of the third semester. Two additional papers must be completed by the time of the orals, one paper based on research in primary sources, and one paper outside the student’s primary specialization, to be chosen in consultation with, and submitted to, the advisor.

Language requirements: Each entering student must take a language placement exam during registration period of the fall semester. The student is required to complete with a grade of B or better, the requirements appropriate for his or her primary, second, and third language as listed below. Students with equivalent course work completed elsewhere must take the language placement examination to demonstrate that they have attained the required level of proficiency.

The Primary Language

Chinese language: Fifth-year modern Chinese or the equivalent; two years classical Chinese or the equivalent.

The second year of classical Chinese includes Chinese W4007x (Readings in Classical Chinese, part 1) and Chinese W4008y (Readings in Classical Chinese, part 2). One of the following courses may be substituted for W4008y: Chinese G8027 (Ch’ing Documents), Chinese G8009 (Seminar in Classical Chinese Literature), History—East Asia G8060 (Seminar in Sources of Chinese History), or History—East Asian G8034 (Seminar on Korean Historical Texts in Chinese).

Japanese: Fourth-year Japanese or the equivalent; one year of classical Japanese or the equivalent; one semester of Kanbun or one year of classical Chinese.

Korean: Fourth-year Korean or the equivalent.

Tibetan: Third-year Tibetan or the equivalent; one year classical Tibetan or the equivalent. Chinese language training also relevant (see below).

Second and Third Languages

Chinese language requirements: For premodern literature: three years of Japanese or the equivalent; for all students: one European language, chosen in consultation with the advisor, or two years of a second Asian language in either classical or modern form in consultation with the advisor.

Japanese language requirements: For all students: one European language, chosen in consultation with the advisor, or two years of a second Asian language in either classical or modern form, in consultation with advisor.

Korean language requirements: For all students: three years of Japanese or the equivalent.

For students in premodern literature: One year of classical Chinese or the equivalent.

Tibetan language requirement: For all students: reading knowledge of one European language or Japanese, chosen in consultation with advisor. For most students: three years of modern Chinese or two years of modern Chinese and one year Classical Chinese, chosen in consultation with advisor. In exceptional cases in which Chinese is not necessary for research interests, this requirement may be waived in consultation with advisor.

For all students: One European language, if required by the advisor.

Teaching requirement: Participation in the instructional activities of the department for three years. As a rule, in the second, third, and fourth years of study, students gain exposure through teaching apprenticeships in the undergraduate East Asia program, largely offered by EALAC and the Committee on Asia and the Middle East. These assignments are determined by the DGS. Students who are interested in broadening their teaching apprenticeships are eligible to teach in the Core Program once they have received the M.Phil. Students may only apply to be a preceptor if they have or expect to have the M.Phil. by the May prior to being appointed as a preceptor, and if they are not past their sixth year of registration during the first year of the preceptorship. Students may not hold instructional appointments after year seven.

M.Phil. oral examination: The student must take a two-hour comprehensive oral examination in three or four subject areas defined in consultation with the advisor and the DGS. One of these subject areas must lie outside the student’s country of specialization. The committee for the oral examination, which is put together by the advisor, consists of three or more faculty members. It is up to the student to consult carefully with the advisor and DGS in constructing an effective program and schedule. The defense of the dissertation prospectus (see below) occurs in conjunction with the oral examination.

Ph.D. dissertation prospectus: In order to receive the M.Phil., the student must pass an oral defense of the dissertation prospectus before his or her oral examination committee. The prospectus is usually a revision of the grant proposal submitted in the third year to outside funders for dissertation research.

East Asian History

Columbia University offers a program in East Asian History to Ph.D. students registered in either the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures or in the Department of History. The faculty, requirements, teaching assignments, and East Asian History program are the same for all students, regardless of their departmental affiliation. The History–East Asia Coordinator who works with the Directors of Graduate Studies in both Departments oversees the program.

Courses: First-year students in East Asian History are required to enroll in History—East Asian G8910 (Introduction to History and Historiography) and are encouraged to enroll in History—East Asian W4103 (Historiography of East Asia). A total of twelve one-semester courses for credit are required, of which nine must be colloquia or seminars and one must be a bibliography course, or the equivalent, selected in consultation with the advisor.

Languages: All entering students must take a diagnostic placement examination in the primary language of specialization during registration period of the fall semester. The results are forwarded to the History–East Asia Coordinator, to the DGS in EALAC, and to the respective advisors. The Ph.D. language requirement is fulfilled by receiving a B+ or better in the required Asian language courses, or by demonstrating equivalent proficiency in the language placement examination. European language requirements can be fulfilled by exam either in the History department or the corresponding language department. Students must pass all required languages before taking the comprehensive oral examination and are encouraged to do so as early as possible.

The Primary Language

Requirements for students specializing in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Tibetan histpry are listed below.

Chinese history: Fifth-year modern Chinese or the equivalent; two years classical Chinese or the equivalent.

The second year of classical Chinese includes Chinese W4007x (Readings in Classical Chinese, part 1) and Chinese W4008y (Readings in Classical Chinese, part 2). One of the following courses may be substituted for W4008y: Chinese G8027 (Ch’ing Documents), Chinese G8009 (Seminar in Classical Chinese Literature), History—East Asia G8060 (Seminar in Sources of Chinese History), History—East Asian G8034 (Seminar on Korean Historical Texts in Chinese).

Japanese history: Fifth-year Japanese (plus one semester of a translation-intensive course); one year classical Japanese or the equivalent; one semester of Kanbun, or the equivalent.

Korean history: Fifth-year Korean or the equivalent.

Tibetan history: Third-year Tibetan or the equivalent; third-year classical Tibetan or the equivalent.

Second and Third Languages

Chinese history: Pre-Qing history: three years of Japanese or the equivalent; Qing and later: advanced proficiency in a relevant language, such as Japanese, Korean, Manchu, Mongolian, Tibetan, etc., chosen in consultation with the adviser. For all: one European language, chosen in consultation with the adviser.

Japanese history: Pre-1800 history: two years of classical Chinese. For all: one European language, chosen in consultation with the adviser. Students are encouraged to take another Asian language or languages.

Korean history: Pre-20th-century history: two years of classical Chinese, or the equivalent; 20th century history: three years of Japanese, or the equivalent. For all: one European language, chosen in consultation with the advisor.

First-year essay and research papers: All students, including those already holding an M.A., write a first-year essay, to be completed by the end of the second semester. Students who enter the program without an M.A. can apply to their department to receive the M.A. degree upon completion of the first-year essay and other relevant requirements. Two additional research papers, normally written for a seminar, must be completed by the time of the oral examination. At least one of these papers must be based on research in primary sources, and at least one must deal with a topic outside the student's major field of specialization. On completion of the first-year essay, continuation to the Ph.D. requires approval by the adviser, in consultation with the History-East Asia Coordinator and the DGS in the relevant department. Students must submit a one-page progress form at the end of each academic year.

M.Phil. oral qualifying examination: The purpose of the oral examination is to help students develop a general knowledge of several fields of history and scholarship so as to equip them to teach and write in areas beyond those of their specific research interests. The examination committee consists of four examiners in four fields, one of which will typically be in the major field of specialization (e.g., modern Chinese history), two outside the specialization, and one outside East Asia (e.g., 20th-century France, theories of imperialism, etc.), the exact composition to be determined in consultation with the adviser.

Teaching fellowships: After the first year, all students in History and EALAC get teaching assignments in the undergraduate East Asian program, offered mainly by EALAC and the Committee on Asia and the Middle East. These assignments are determined through consultation among the History-East Asia Coordinator and the DGSs of History and EALAC. Students may only apply to be a preceptor if they have or expect to have the M.Phil. by the May prior to being appointed as a preceptor, and if they are not past their sixth year of registration during the first year of the preceptorship. Students may not hold instructional appointments after year seven.

Dissertation prospectus: Within six months of the oral examination or before leaving for field research (whichever occurs first), the student will defend the dissertation prospectus before a committee of four faculty, including one outside the major field of specialization or representing issues of method. The composition of the committee is determined in consultation with the advisor. The prospectus is usually a refined version of the grant proposal submitted at the beginning of the third year to outside funders for dissertation research in Asia.

Dissertation defense: See the University rules of dissertation preparation, defense, and deposit at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/sub/dissertation/main/welcome/index.html.

Dissertation: Those students who complete the requirements for the Ph.D. program except for the dissertation receive the M.Phil. degree. Ph.D. candidates are then required to complete and submit a dissertation, which must be prepared through research by the student conducted in close consultation with his or her Ph.D. faculty sponsor. After the M.Phil. oral exam has been passed, the DGS, in consultation with the student’s dissertation sponsor, establishes a committee of two faculty members to oversee the dissertation. The dissertation committee must approve the dissertation prior to its submission for the defense, which, in accordance with University regulations, is held before five faculty members, two of whom must be from outside the department. The accepted dissertation (subject to whatever revisions the defense committee may deem appropriate) must be typed in conformity with the University’s dissertation format and deposited with the Dissertation Office.

Advanced standing: Students who enter the Ph.D. program with an M.A. or equivalent degree in East Asian Studies may be eligible for advanced standing. In order to receive advanced standing, the student must submit his or her M.A. thesis or its equivalent, a research paper, for the department’s approval. Students with advanced standing must take eight (instead of ten) one-semester courses for a grade letter at least four of these must be graduate-level colloquia or seminars. Specific course requirements may be waived, if taken for the M.A., subject to the approval of the DGS. All other requirements remain the same as those of the Ph.D. program.

Note: The Admissions Committee of the Department may recommend transfer of a student into the free-standing M.A. program if he or she does not show sufficient progress after the first year in the Ph.D. program.

Financial Aid

Funding is provided to Ph.D. students for five years as long as satisfactory academic progress is maintained. Funding includes the prevailing stipend and appropriate tuition and health fees. No GSAS funding is available after the sixth year of study. If students receive a year of advanced standing, they are entitled to only four years of fellowship funding.