Degrees, Programs, and Degree Requirements in East Asian Studies

Select your degree or program to see the requirements:

Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Area Studies

Center for East Asian Studies (Williams 642, 215-573-4203)

This interdisciplinary degree is intended to offer undergraduates a course of study that focuses on East Asia as a region of the world and human experience, and provides an integrated curriculum drawing on the approaches of the social sciences, humanities, and legal studies. The program requires relevant courses in a number of departments and programs--History, International Relations, Political Science, Sociology, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law--while maintaining high standards in language study. The degree is administered by the Center for East Asian Studies, an interdisciplinary institution that also facilitates interdepartmental initiatives and outreach programs.

Basic Requirements:

At least 12 course units on East Asia , to be chosen from the published lists of relevant courses, and including the following:

Three gateway courses (EALC001, EALC002, and HIST 120/EALC081) - 3 credit units
Disciplinary distribution: At least one course in each of the following three categories: History, the Social Sciences, and Humanities- 3 credit units.
Language; Four credit units in one East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese, or Korean), including at least 2 credit units at the 200 (second year) level or above. Note: Students with AP or other language credits may count other East Asian language or content courses toward the major.
Regional coverage: At least one course (beyond the gateway courses) centered on EACH of China , Japan , and Korea . One or two of these may also be courses about the East Asian region in general. [These may also fulfill other requirements.]- 3 credit units.
Two "seminar" courses requiring significant research papers. [These may also fulfill other requirements.]- 2 credit units

The Honors Program

Honors in EAS requires a thesis in addition to the basic requirements listed above. The honors thesis will be written over the course of the senior year under the supervision of an advisor selected from the EAS standing faculty. Adequate foreign language preparation is required; the kinds of sources to be used, and how much language preparation is adequate, will be left to the discretion of the thesis advisor. The thesis must receive a grade no lower than "B" for the student to receive honors in East Asian Studies.

The Difference Between the EALC Major and the EAST Major

The EALC major is a single-country concentration, primarily historical, humanities, and literature. It has a 2-country gateway requirement (EALC 001 and EALC 002) , a larger language component (6 CU) in one country, and allows relatively little work outside the country of concentration. The major culminates in a concentration paper with a linked "major seminar" course.

The EAST major is, as the name implies, area-based rather than country-concentrated; modern and contemporary, with more social sciences. It has a 3-country gateway requirement (EALC 001, EALC 002, and HIST 120) and requires additional courses spread across East Asia. There is no thesis or concentration paper, although Honors requires the writing of a thesis.

You can sum it up in the departmental names: EALC is East Asian LANGUAGES and CIVILIZATIONS while EAST is East Asian AREA STUDIES.

EAST-EALC Comparison Chart

East Asian Area Studies Minor

Center for East Asian Studies (Williams 642, 215-573-4203)

This interdisciplinary minor is intended to offer undergraduates an experience which focuses on East Asia as a region of the world and of human experience, and provides an integrated curriculum drawing on the approaches of the social sciences, humanities, and legal studies. In addition to an introduction to East Asian language, students take relevant courses in such departments and programs as History, International Relations, Political Science, Sociology, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, and Law. The minor is administered by the Center for East Asian Studies, an interdisciplinary institution that also facilitates interdepartmental initiatives and outreach programs.

Basic Requirements:

At least 6 course units on East Asia , to be chosen from the published lists of relevant courses. Courses to be counted toward the Minor must be taken for a letter grade. Within these courses the following must be included:

At least one gateway course (EALC001, EALC002, or HIST 120/EALC081) as an introduction to East Asian Studies.
Two course units in an East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese, or Korean). This requirement may be filled by AP or transfer credit. Students who take intensive first year Chinese or Japanese for a total of 4 course units may count all 4 units toward their minor, in which case the 8 total credit units are required for the minor.
Three course units in East Asian studies content courses taken from the published course lists. At least one course unit must come from courses on China , at least one from courses on Japan , and at least one from courses on Korea.

NB: No more than 2 of the 6 course units may overlap with other courses being counted for major credit.

Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations

The EALC Undergraduate Major

All students majoring in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations must earn a minimum of 14 c.u. within one of two linguistic and cultural concentrations: Chinese Studies or Japanese Studies; or 18 c.u. for the dual major, Chinese/Japanese Studies.

Concentrations & Requirements: Specific requirements vary with the concentration.

The Chinese Major: 14 c.u.

Language Requirement: 6 c.u.
For students without any prior knowledge of Chinese, the 6 c.u. language requirement will be met by taking Intensive Beginning Modern Chinese (CHIN021/022) OR Beginning Modern Chinese (CHIN011/012 and 111/112) and Intermediate Modern Chinese (CHIN211/212). Students who place out of elementary courses must fulfill the 6 c.u. with more advanced courses chosen in consultation with the Chinese Concentration Advisor.
EALC001 and 002: 2 c.u.
Students must take Introduction to Chinese Civilization (EALC001) offered only in the fall and Introduction to Japanese Civilization (EALC002) offered only in the spring. They do not have to be taken in sequence. Students who plan to study in China should complete EALC001 and at least Beginning Modern Chinese before going abroad. EALC001 and EALC002 should be taken at PENN. Similar courses at other institutions will not be accepted in place of EALC001 and/or EALC002 without prior approval.
Seminars 200-level: 2 c.u.
Students must take two 200-level courses focusing on China. Study Abroad credit given as EALC297 or EALC298 does not count toward the seminar requirement.
EALC301: 1 c.u.
Students must take the Major Seminar on China (EALC301). EALC001 is a prerequisite for EALC301.
Electives: 3 c.u.
Majors should consider taking an additional 1 c.u. of Chinese language as an elective so that they may apply for the Language Certificate which requires 7 c.u. of Chinese language. Consult with the advisor for options that fulfill the elective requirement. Courses on China from outside the EALC department are usually acceptable.

The Japanese Major: 14 C.U.

Language Requirement: 6 c.u.
For students without any prior knowledge of Japanese, the 6 c.u. language requirement will be met by taking Intensive Beginning Modern Japanese (JPAN021/022) OR Beginning Japanese (JPAN011/012 and 111/112) and Intermediate Japanese (JPAN211/212). Students who place out of elementary courses must fulfill the 6 c.u. with more advanced courses chosen in consultation with the Japanese Concentration Advisor.
EALC001 and 002: 2 c.u.
Students must take Introduction to Chinese Civilization (EALC001) offered only in the fall and Introduction to Japanese Civilization (EALC002) offered only in the spring. They do not have to be taken in sequence. Students who plan to study in Japan should complete EALC002 and at least Beginning Japanese before going abroad. EALC001 and EALC002 should be taken at PENN. Similar courses at other institutions will not be accepted in place of EALC001 and/or EALC002 without prior approval.
Seminars 200-level: 1 c.u.
Students must take one 200-level course focusing on Japan.
EALC302: 1 c.u.
Students must take the Major Seminar on Japan (EALC302). EALC002 is a prerequisite for EALC302.
Electives: 4 c.u.
Majors should consider taking an additional 1 c.u. of Japanese language as an elective so that they may apply for the Language Certificate which requires 7 c.u. of Japanese language. Consult with the advisor for options that fulfill the elective requirement. Courses on Japan from outside the EALC department are usually acceptable.

THE CHINESE/JAPANESE MAJOR: 18 C.U.

Language Requirement: 12 c.u.
Students must take 6 c.u. of Chinese and 6 c.u. of Japanese. Students who place out of elementary courses must fulfill the requirement with advanced courses chosen in consultation with the Concentration Advisor.

EALC001 and EALC002: 2 c.u.
Students must take Introduction to Chinese Civilization (EALC001) offered only in the fall and Introduction to Japanese Civilization (EALC002) offered only in the spring. They do not have to be taken in sequence. Students who plan to study in Japan should complete EALC002 and at least Beginning Japanese before going abroad. EALC001 and EALC002 should be taken at PENN. Similar courses at other institutions will not be accepted in place of EALC001 and/or EALC002 without prior approval.

EALC301: 1 c.u.
Students must take the Major Seminar on China (EALC301). EALC001 is a prerequisite for EALC301.

EALC302: 1 c.u.
Students must take the Major Seminar on Japan (EALC302). EALC002 is a prerequisite for EALC302.

Seminars 200-level: 2 c.u. Students must take two 200-level courses, one focusing on a Chinese topic and one focusing on a Japanese topic. Study abroad credit given as EALC 297 or 298 does not count toward the seminar requirement.

Other Major-Related Information

Double Majors

EALC welcomes and encourages students majoring in other departments to double-major in EALC. Prospective double-majors should consult the relevant concentration advisor for help in arranging their program and for coordinating the two majors

Submatriculation Information

An undergraduate student may wish to undertake an intensified major program leading to the awarding of both the B.A. and M.A. degrees. Such a program of study must be approved by the undergraduate advisor, the undergraduate chair, and the Dean of the student's undergraduate school.

Undergrad majors in EALC who wish to submatriculate into the EALC Graduate Group may apply to the Graduate Group at pre-registration time in the second semester of the junior year. If there is a question about the student's standing, the faculty may choose to wait until the semester's grades are in before making a final decision. Only graduate courses taken in the senior year will count for both graduate and undergraduate credit. An undergraduate must fulfill the graduate requirements in a course and receive a grade of A before that course can be considered for graduate credit. Courses required for fulfillment of the undergraduate major cannot be counted for graduate credit.

Students wishing to submatriculate as majors in EALC must apply prior to the beginning of the fall semester of their senior year. Students must also apply to the Graduate School. Only graduate courses taken in the senior year will count for both graduate and undergraduate credit. The student must fulfill the graduate requirements in a course and receive a grade of A before the course can be counted for double credit. Undergraduates who wish to sub-matriculate are required to pursue the Honors Program Major (a total of 16 c.u.) in addition to fulfilling all of the graduate program requirements. Students who sub-matriculate can usually complete the M.A. degree in one year after receiving the B.A. degree.

Honors Program

Students must apply for admission to the honors program no later than their junior year. The requirements for the major with honors are the same as those for the major, with the addition of two additional electives in the student's chosen concentration and an honors thesis written under the supervision of an EALC faculty member

The EALC Minor

All students minoring in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations must fulfill a set of Basic Requirements. These requirements are to be met within one of three linguistic and cultural concentrations:

Chinese Studies
Japanese Studies
Korean Studies

In addition to the Basic Requirements, there are further requirements specific to each concentration.

Basic Requirements: 8 c.u.

Language Requirement: 4 c.u.
Both basic language courses and advanced courses in literature in the original language count toward this requirement.
EALC001 (for Chinese minors) or EALC002 (for Japanese minors) or EALC081 (for Korean minors): 1 c.u.
Electives: 3 c.u.
These will normally be content courses within the chosen concentration, but each concentration may specify additional requirements. Electives must be selected for appropriateness with the student's major advisor. Students may count up to two courses from outside the Department (i.e., not cross-listed in EALC) towards the minor electives; and up to four courses, with the special approval of the student's advisor. In no case may a student count more than half of the total minor requirements in non-EALC courses.

Concentrations & Requirements

Chinese:

The 4 c.u. language requirement is normally fulfilled by taking Intensive Beginning Chinese (CHIN021 and CHIN022, 4 c.u.) or four semesters of non-intensive Chinese (CHIN011, 012, 111 & 112). For those who enter at a level equivalent to CHIN022 or above, established by proficiency test or transfer credit, the language requirement is reduced to 2 c.u. so that the total minor requirement for these students is reduced to 6 c.u. The 3 electives must be non-language courses pertaining to China, but may include Classical Chinese (CHIN491 & 492). No other language courses are permissible without prior approval.

Japanese:

The 4 c.u. language requirement is normally fulfilled by taking Intensive Beginning Japanese (JPAN021 & 022, 4 c.u.) or two years of non-intensive Japanese (JPAN011, 012, 111 & 112) although higher level courses may fulfill it as well. Of the three Japan-related electives, 2 c.u. may be additional language courses.

Korean:

Students must complete 4 c.u. of Korean language (KORN011 & 012: Elementary Korean I & II and KORN111 & 112: Intermediate Korean I & II). For those entering students who are placed in KORN 112 due to qualifying exam or transfer credit, the language requirement is 2 c.u. taken at PENN and a total of 6 c.u. is required to complete the MINOR. Students are also required to complete EALC081 (Korean History before 1860, 1 c.u.) and 3 c.u. of Korean language or area electives.

Advisors:

Chinese Studies:
Dr. Xiaojue Wang, 854 Williams Hall, xiaojuew@sas.upenn.edu, 215-746-3140
Japanese Studies:
Dr. Linda Chance, 852 Williams Hall, lchance@sas.upenn.edu, 215-898-6334
Korean Studies:
Dr. Frank Chance, 642 Williams Hall, chancefl@sas.upenn.edu, 215-573-4203

Bachelor of Arts with East Asian Content

Department of History (HIST) (207 College Hall, 215-898-8452)

All students must earn a minimum of 12 c.u. in history or major-related courses. Normally 10 of these will be in History courses, including 1 c.u. in History 200 or a 400-599 level seminar in the non-Western area. The number of related courses from other departments that may be counted toward the History major may not exceed 4 c.u.'s. At least two courses must deal with the period before 1800, and one course each in the European and American History tracks must be taken.

History and Sociology of Science (HSSC) (1 Smith Hall, 215-898-8400)

The minimum requirement for the major is 14 c.u. At least 8 c.u. must be taken within the Department, and at least six (6) courses in related departments. In a double major, courses in the second major will count automatically as major-related.

International Relations (INTR) (206 Logan Hall, 215-898-4052)

Prerequisites for the major are: PSCI 001 or PSCI 050, HIST 002, and ECON 001-002. The minimum requirement for the major is 12 c.u. The required core courses (5 c.u.) are: PSCI 150 or INTR 101; ECON 050 or 150 or the ECON 053/054 sequence; HIST 420 or 421; HIST 331 or HIST 451 or PSCI 152: INTR 301 (the senior seminar). Electives (7 c.u.) are: 1 c.u. in the field of security or foreign policy; 1 c.u. in the field of international political economy; 1 c.u. in a field of non-western policy, culture, or history: 4 c.u. in fields relevant to international relations (a list of approved courses is available in the INTR office). An East Asian concentration could include courses in history, culture, or politics.

For a minor in INTR, a student must do passing work in all the core courses listed above accepted for the senior seminar, and at least two other approved INTR electives. These courses cannot be taken pass/fail and cannot be double-counted for other majors. For a minor, only the ECON 001 and 002 prerequisites are required.

Department of Religious Studies (RELS) (201 Logan Hall, 215-898-7453)

The minimum requirement is 12 c.u. in Religious Studies and related courses, including RELS 200 and the senior seminar, RELS 300. Various types of concentrations are possible, to be worked out with the undergraduate chairperson. The Religious Studies major provides an excellent opportunity for intensive concentration in the study of particular religious (e.g., Buddhism, Taoism) or geographical groupings (e.g., the religions of China or Japan). An honors major in Religious Studies is also possible and requires competence in a foreign language pertinent to the field of specialization.

Graduate Degrees in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations

Note: this is a general overview of graduate courses of study in East Asian Studies, though each individual student's program will differ depending on area of focus. For further information, please consult an advisor or the graduate chair.

For graduate programs in other departments or schools, see the graduate chair of the relevant department.

Master of Arts in East Asian Studies

The Graduate Group in EALC administers a Masters of Arts degree in the East Asian Humanities. The degree is both an entry into higher-level graduate study and preparation for careers in teaching, administration, some professions, and the public and private sector. This degree is extremely valuable to students who plan to seek employment in East Asia. The program offers flexibility for students who desire to combine this degree with another Masters of Arts at Penn or who would like to pursue the degree on a part-time basis. The main feature that distinguishes the Masters in EALC from the Masters of Arts in East Asian Studies administered through the Center for East Asian Studies is its focus on humanistic disciplines such as literature, philosophy, religion, art, and archaeology of East Asia, and often the more rigorous language requirements such as classical Chinese or Japanese in addition to the modern languages.

Students who are able to pass the language examination (in either Chinese or Japanese) on admission and who are prepared to produce a research paper of superior quality in courses offered by the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) may normally expect to receive their degrees in one year. Those unable to speak and read modern Chinese or Japanese must expect to spend more than one year (probably two, with summer work) in the program.

Applicants must present the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English at the graduate level. Foreign students must be fully prepared to understand lectures and write papers in acceptable English. For a non-native speaker of English, TOEFL scores should accompany applications. Since admission to the Masters program depends on the GRE and/or TOEFL scores, as well as a student's grade point average and letters of recommendation, the prerequisite tests should be taken well in advance of application. Applicants may be accepted as part-time students but normally will not be eligible for fellowships in that status.

Requirements for the Masters of Arts in EALC

8 c.u. of courses at the University of Pennsylvania at the 400 level or above on East Asian subject matter, including at least two seminars. For the MA in Chinese, no more than 4 c.u. may be taken from the following: Readings in Modern Chinese: Literature; Readings in Modern Chinese: Documents; Advanced Commercial Chinese. Familiarity with pre-modern Chinese or Japanese culture must be demonstrated by either courses completed or examination.
In addition to the 8 basic courses mentioned above, language skill in speaking and reading modern Chinese, Japanese or Korean equivalent to the third-year level of instruction at Penn is required. Proficiency may be demonstrated by coursework or examination, which may be taken upon entry to the program or at any time during it. Students who need elementary or intermediate language study may take it as part of the Masters program, but no courses in first or second year modern East Asian languages may be counted toward the Masters degree. Students who need these courses should expect to take them in the summer or to be enrolled in the program longer than students who enter with higher-levels of language skills.
An acceptable Masters thesis in which the student demonstrates the ability to do graduate-level research. The thesis must reflect familiarity with scholarly format (references and bibliography) and the use of Chinese, Japanese or Korean research tools. The thesis must be on a topic approved by a faculty advisor early in the semester preceding the one in which the student plans to graduate. It is standard for a Masters thesis to be more than 50 pages in length. In most cases, this length will be necessary to explicate or argue the subject fully. It is also standard for a student to spend a full semester on research, prior to beginning the writing of the Masters thesis. The completed thesis must be defended before two members of the Graduate Group in EALC.

Doctoral Programs in EALC

The cross-disciplinary Ph.D. program in East Asian Languages and Civilizations is designed to train graduate students who can teach and conduct independent research in a variety of humanistic disciplines using Chinese, Japanese, Korean and occasionally other languages of East Asia, defined roughly as China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Chinese-speaking Mongolia, Central Asia and Tibet. Before completion of the degree, each student is required to: 1) master the requisite linguistic tools and research methods, 2) demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the history and culture of his or her area of expertise, 3) gain an in-depth expertise in one or more period and/or subject areas, and 4) attain the necessary level of training in his or her humanistic discipline.

Admission

While the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC) does not require a minimum level of Chinese, Japanese or Korean prior to admission, students who have not completed the equivalent of two years of at least one East Asian language before beginning graduate work will be accepted into the graduate program only with provisional or special standing. Sometimes it is advisable for those students to matriculate into an M.A. program rather than begin Ph. D. work while gaining intermediate language skills. Students with questions about language skills should consult a member of the EALC faculty. Applicants must present the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English at the graduate level. Students whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL test. Since admission to the Ph.D. program depends on the GRE and/or TOEFL scores, as well as a student's grade point average and letters of recommendation, the prerequisite tests should be taken well in advance of application.

Prospective students should familiarize themselves with the areas of expertise of the Penn EALC faculty. In most cases, a student whose interests fall outside the strengths and collective expertise of Penn faculty will not be admitted to the program, regardless of qualifications.

Schedule for Graduate Work and Performance

Entering students are urged to meet each member of the Graduate Group in EALC. These introductions will make it possible to make an informed selection of courses and become more fully acquainted with the strengths and research of the faculty.

As soon as a student matriculates into the University, an advisor will be appointed. The advisor, who may be changed at any time, will serve as the student's chief mentor. Before the beginning of the third year of residency, in consultation with the advisor, a student should select three areas of inquiry that will form three examination fields. The student should then identify three members of the faculty with whom he can take these exams. If an examiner is not a member of the EALC Graduate Group, the student must have the permission of the Graduate Chair and agreement of the examiner in order to continue in that field.

Each student's progress is evaluated formally in every class. Faculty also evaluates each student annually. In cases of extraordinary performance or weak performance, a student will receive a letter from the Graduate Chair. A grade of B- should be considered a warning sign. According to the rules of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the grade of Incomplete is acceptable only for six weeks. After that, the student may be subject to penalty.

Comprehensive examinations will normally be taken within one year after a student has completed all coursework (20 cu) and passed the required language examinations. The date of exams should be formally scheduled before the end of the student's last semester of coursework. "Formally scheduled" means that a letter of intent, stating the proposed fields, examiners, and month of exams, should be sent by the student to the Graduate Chair.

Upon successful completion of the comprehensive examinations, a dissertation committee of at least three persons will be appointed. The chair of the committee will be the student's advisor. Other members will normally be members of the EALC Graduate Group. This committee may, but need not be, the same as a student's examination committee. When appropriate, one of the members may be a University faculty member who is not part of the EALC Graduate Group or faculty from another university. A thesis prospectus must be submitted and approved no more than one year after the successful completion of the comprehensive examinations. The optimum time for completion of the Ph. D. from matriculation to defense is five years for students who enter the program without an MA or the equivalent.

Any student who does not progress according to the schedule recommended here must justify why in writing. Otherwise, the student jeopardizes continuation of fellowships or other forms of support. Any student who does not complete the dissertation within six years of the date of passing the qualifying examinations may be asked to re-take one or more qualifying exams in order to verify that he or she has kept up with current knowledge in the field(s) in which exams were taken.

Coursework and Examination Fields

Students must complete a minimum of 20 graduate c.u.'s, that is, courses numbered 400 or above, of which 12 must be taken at the University of Pennsylvania. Up to 8 may be transferred from an accredited graduate program other than one at Penn upon completion of 8 graduate c.u.'s here.

Students should plan their courses of study and examination fields in consultation with their advisors. Every student is expected to meet with his or her advisor at least once every semester, both when enrolled in courses and afterward.

Students should plan their examination fields with professional goals in mind. Thus even though the three examination fields will be tailored to the specific interests of each student, it is in a student's best interest that the exams demonstrate breadth or credentials that will help in gaining employment. Sample examination fields are: Chinese Buddhism of the Tang and Song periods; Vernacular literature of Ming-Qing China; Chinese thought up to the Han dynasty; Heian literature; Popular culture in Japan; Archaeology of Central Asia through the Tang dynasty; Buddhist texts of a given time period. It is also often advisable for a student to develop one field in the methodology of a discipline, such as folklore, ethnomusicology, comparative literature, or linguistics.

Every Ph.D. student must reach a level of expertise necessary to do research in primary sources in one East Asian language and basic skills for secondary-source research in the second East Asian language. These standards are necessary for dissertation research and will be required for teaching and research after the dissertation. In practical terms, this means that a student will have taken the highest-level courses offered in the modern and classical tracks of one East Asian language, or will have received equivalent training elsewhere, and will have taken three years or the equivalent of Japanese or Korean (for students focusing on China) or two years of classical Chinese (for students focusing on Japan). Research in seminars will serve as one demonstration of a student's level of expertise and readiness to conduct research in primary and secondary source materials in East Asian languages. Students, in addition, must pass a reading examination in a European language, usually French, German, or Russian, other than English before the comprehensive exams can be administered. Most students will need to take Sinological Methods or Japanese Bibliography. Students should expect to master all languages necessary for their chosen dissertation topic and future research goals, such as Sanskrit, Uighur, Sogdian, or Tibetan.

The Comprehensive Examination

In order to take the comprehensive examination, a student must have completed 20 c.u.'s of coursework, have no "incompletes" on the transcript, have demonstrated the necessary level of preparation in two East Asian languages, and have passed the European language examination. In addition, a student must have written two seminar papers of high quality. The student's advisor should notify the Graduate Chair that papers meeting this standard have been completed before the student is allowed to petition to take the examinations.

Normally, all the examinations will be written. In special circumstances, a student may petition for an oral exam in one or more of the fields. Oral exams must be presided over by at least two members of the Graduate Group and will last approximately one-and-a-half hours. In addition to the three field exams, the student must demonstrate that he/she has achieved the linguistic and research skill to do dissertation work. This component may take the form of a separate written research examination or may be incorporated into one or more of the three field exams.

The specific scheduling of comprehensive exams will vary from student to student depending on concentration and examiners. In the Chinese concentration, it is usual for exams to take place during a specified two-week period; field exams are allotted three hours each and the research exam has a deadline of seventy-two hours. In the Japanese concentration, students are typically given all three of their field exams at one time, and are allotted two weeks to complete and return all three. Each examination will be graded "pass" or "fail," and in certain cases, "pass with distinction." In the event of failure, the faculty will decide whether the examination may be repeated, in what form, and after what period, within the guidelines set forth in the Graduate Bulletin. Additional work may be required before the student is allowed to retake the examination.

Ph.D. Dissertation

Only after successful completion of all exams should a student embark on dissertation research. The first step in the preparation of the dissertation is a proposal. This proposal, usually 5-7 pages in length, including bibliography, should include a summary of previous scholarship on the subject, the candidate's proposed original contribution, outline of the whole projected dissertation, and a preliminary bibliography. Included on the cover sheet should be the names of three people in the field of the dissertation who are capable of serving as readers. The candidate should already have talked to each of them about the dissertation and each should have already agreed to be a reader. It is fine for one or even two readers to be outside the department or the university. However, if this is the case, the student must also have discussed the choice of readers with the main thesis advisor. Only in rare instances will the primary dissertation advisor not be a member of the EALC Graduate Group. Samples of accepted proposals are available in the EALC office.

No one method is suggested or recommended for successful dissertation writing. Usually drafts of chapters or sections are submitted first to the advisor, who then often suggests substantial additional research or rewriting of each section. Usually, partial drafts are read only by the principal advisor. A complete draft of the dissertation is normally given to the second reader only after the advisor is satisfied with such a draft that has incorporated his or her suggestions. If the second reader is satisfied with the draft, or after the second reader's suggestions are addressed or incorporated, the dissertation is given to the third or other additional readers. It is usual for each reader to make suggestions or raise issues that must be incorporated or addressed by the dissertation writer.

Only after three readers have approved a complete draft will the defense be scheduled. Two copies of the draft must then be submitted to the EALC office. The defense must occur at least three weeks after submission of the complete draft so that all Graduate Group members have the opportunity to read the dissertation. The defense will be attended by at least three members of the Graduate Group and all members of the Group are invited.

Upon successful defense of the dissertation, a student is responsible for preparing the dissertation in the required format, carefully proofread and adhering to University requirements. Sometimes final changes will have to be made as a result of the defense. The student should assume the dissertation will be microfilmed. The advisor should have agreed upon the extent to which and manner in which uncommon or non-Western orthographic symbols and illustrations are included before the dissertation is submitted to the Department and University. The dissertation also must be indexed prior to submission. The final step is to make an appointment for submission of the dissertation to the Graduate School of Art and Sciences. Students should be aware of this final necessary step, because it is sometimes difficult to get an appointment in the weeks before graduation.

Programs in East Asian Studies at Penn

East Asian Language Programs

Please see the following webpages and faculty members for questions regarding language placement, credit, course recommendations or general information about the particular language.

The Chinese Language Program

Mien-hwa CHIANG
Director, Chinese Language Program
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations
702 Williams Hall / 6305
(215) 898-6338
mhchiang@sas.upenn.edu

Chinese Language Program Website

The Japanese Language Program

Hiroko Kimura SHERRY
Director, Japanese Language Program
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations
850 Williams Hall / 6305
(215) 898-7459
hsherry@sas.upenn.edu

Japanese Language Program Website

The Korean Language Program

Haewon CHO
Director, Korean Language Program
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations
802 Williams Hall / 6305
(215) 898-6049
haewcho@sas.upenn.edu

Korean Language Program Website