MSt in Korean Studies

University of Oxford

About the course

This course aims to build on a basic knowledge of modern Korean and classical Chinese or modern Japanese.

The MSt aims.

• to build your capability in using at least modern Korean for research purposes;
• to acquaint you with many of the most important classical texts from Korean history, in modern Korean translation or the original Classical Chinese or Old or Middle Korean;
• to enable you to understand and use a range of classical references and historiographical and linguistic research methods for the treatment of primary sources; and
• to allow you to engage in specialised study from a wide range of options and exercise your new skills.

Language instruction, the reading of prescribed texts, and bibliographic or methodological exercises are usually conducted in tutorials for which you are expected to prepare thoroughly in advance. Lectures are provided for instruction on general themes of Korean and East Asian history and critical issues in contemporary and classical Korean linguistics. You are advised to take advantage of public lectures offered on China and Japan, since they also supply historical context, comparative linguistic information, regional background, and comparative perspectives for work in tutorials.

Teaching takes place in tutorials. You are required to prepare thoroughly for whatever is required. language exercises, prescribed readings, essays, bibliographic or methodological exercises, and you should be able to present your preparation in finished form. Depending on the task, the finished form may be written language exercises, essays on linguistics, historical, literary, or cultural topics, or translation from Korean (or Chinese or Japanese) into English.

Assessment

Candidates are required to submit a thesis of not more than 15,000 words on a topic approved by the Board of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. The thesis deadline is the end of the sixth week of the third term. The last time you are able to consult your supervisor for the thesis is one month before the due date.

Aside from the thesis, the course is examined by two three-hour examinations to be sat at the end of the third term, and one examination to be completed in the Bodleian Library as a take-home examination, also at the end of the third term.

Examinations will be in the following three areas.

• Prescribed texts;
• Either Modern Korean unprepared translation or Classical Chinese or Modern Japanese;*
• Methodologies for Classical Koreanology; or
• Korean Linguistics

* Candidates who already possess a sufficient knowledge of Modern Korean will be required to choose Classical Chinese or Modern Japanese.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from this degree have gone on to pursue doctoral research in Oxford and elsewhere and some now hold academic posts in leading universities in the UK, Europe and Korea.

Others have gone directly into business, finance, law, civil service, journalism, government and industry.