Japanese Studies

Specialisatie van: Asian Studies
Graad: Master of Arts in Asian Studies
Onderwijsvorm: Voltijd
Duur: 2 jaar
Start: September
Taal: Engels
Vestigingsplaats: Leiden
Croho/isatcode: 60840
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De tweejarige specialisatie Japanese Studies is uniek in Nederland. Het onderwijs en onderzoek van wereldklasse dat Oost-Azië beslaat, beschouwt de regio vanuit een multidisciplinair oogpunt, waarmee de master je unieke inzichten biedt in een uitgebreide reeks van onderwerpen in (pre-)modern Japan.
Deze specialisatie is zeer internationaal georiënteerd en trekt studenten uit de hele wereld. Dit zorgt voor een naar buiten gerichte houding en een creatieve sfeer waarin de ontwikkeling van wereldburgerschap net zo belangrijk is als de vorming van eerste klas wetenschappers.
Door de ongekend lange en nauwe relatie tussen Nederland en Japan, is de Universiteit Leiden een van de oudste en meest gevestigde centra voor Japanese Studies in de westerse wereld.

Programme

One of the central tenets of the MA specialisation in Japanese Studies is that you master the Japanese language. However, language skills are a tool rather than an end in themselves. This MA programme therefore emphasises disciplinary specialisation, capitalising on the range of academic expertise available in Leiden. MA students should be able to develop graduate-level competencies in Japanese History, Philosophy, Religion, Literature, Politics, Sociology, Anthropology and others. Your tutor will advise you on which disciplines are available in specific years.

This is a two-year programme. You will spend the second semester of the first year and the first semester of the second year in Japan. The remaining two semesters will be spent at Leiden.

Year 1

September until March – Leiden

The first year of the programme is split into two periods, with the first period spent at Leiden. You will follow intensive language and disciplinary training in Japanese and Asian Studies to prepare you for your year abroad.

You will be free to follow a variety of academic courses – known as Master Classes in Asian Studies and State of the Field seminars. These include classes in:

  • History (modern and pre-modern)
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Philosophy
  • Religion
  • Literature
  • Social science
  • Linguistics

You have to reach at least the equivalent of JLPT level 2 in Japanese in order to follow courses at Japanese universities. Students who do not reach the required level by March, will not be allowed to progress to the year in Japan.

Year 2

As in year one, the second year of the programme is split into two periods, with the first semester spent in Japan. When you return to Leiden in the second semester you will continue to further develop your language skills and concentrate on your chosen specialist area(s) in preparation for writing your final thesis. The aim is that you will be able to integrate your language and academic skills to allow you to write your final thesis using primary sources in Japanese.

You are free to choose the topic of your thesis from any field supported within the department – although we recommend that the topic closely mirrors one or more of the classes you followed while in Japan. Your thesis supervisor will be available to advise you. Currently the department can supervise theses from the following specialisations:

  • History
  • Philosophy
  • Religion
  • Literature
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Anthropology
  • Sociology
  • Linguistics
  • Material Culture

During the final stages of the programme you will also concentrate on honing your language skills to a level that will be effectivein your professional life (post graduation). This includes for example, the study of legal, commercial and political language use.

For the most up to date course overview, see the e-Prospectus.