The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) offers advanced degrees in the modern and traditional literatures and cultures of East Asia based on substantial knowledge of at least one East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese or Korean). Students may specialize in one linguistic tradition or pursue transcultural or multidisciplinary studies. EALC offers the Master of Arts (AM) in East Asian Languages and Cultures as well as the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in East Asian Languages and Cultures and the Joint PhD in East Asian and Comparative Literatures. 

The goal of these programs is to produce scholars who are well trained in their chosen languages, firmly grounded in the relevant linguistic and literary traditions, and thoroughly conversant with the critical discourses (indigenous and Western) relevant to their fields. With research strengths that cover modern and premodern literary studies, gender and sexuality, translation, material culture, identity, digital humanities and more, our internationally recognized faculty is poised to offer graduate students careful and consistent mentoring. By admitting only a select number of graduate students each year, our programs allow for individualized guidance. After completing these programs at the PhD level, candidates have extended firsthand exposure to the modern societies whose languages, literatures and cultures they study as well as significant teaching experience in both language and literature or culture classes.

Contact Info

Phone:	314-935-4448
Email:	ealc@wustl.edu
Website:	http://ealc.wustl.edu

Master of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultures

Degree Requirements

1. A minimum of 10 courses (30 units), chosen in consultation with the advisor, to include the following:

• At least one course in theory or methodology, chosen in consultation with the advisor. Examples include Global Asias, Introduction to Comparative Literature, Film Theory, Advanced Moving Image Analysis, Feminist Literary and Cultural Theory, and Modeling Cultural Systems.
• Language study. Students must achieve third-year competence in one East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese or Korean) by the end of the program. Students who place out of third-year course work via the placement exam or who attain that level after the first year in the program are expected to continue with fourth-year, fifth-year, and/or classical language. Students who place beyond these levels or who are native speakers are encouraged to take up study of a second East Asian language. No more than four semester-long courses in language may count toward the 10 required courses. Note that courses numbered below the 500/5000 level (i.e., first- and second-level courses) must be taken as an overload.
• At least two courses outside of the country of specialization or that involve the comparative treatment of more than one East Asian culture.
• At least two courses focused on the modern era and at least two courses focused on the premodern era.

2. One of the following:

• Students who plan to continue their academic training at the PhD level should complete a master’s essay or a master’s thesis:
  • Master's essay. The essay will be based on a research paper written for one of the student’s AM courses. Students will be expected to revise the paper in consultation with their advisor, lengthening the paper to provide appropriate context and explanation but also tightening, where necessary, to offer an incisive, analytical exploration of the topic. Essays should range from 8,000 to 10,000 words (34 to 40 pages). Students who elect this option may choose to register for 3 units of EALC 596 Guided Readings in East Asian Languages and Cultures and will graduate "Masters without thesis." Each student will assemble a committee of three faculty members who will read the essay; the student will meet with the committee for a short oral defense of the essay.
  • Master's thesis. This option allows students to complete a longer master’s thesis under the direction of a thesis advisor. The thesis must be based on original research in an area of interest. It generally runs at least 50 pages in length, and it must utilize sources in the relevant East Asian language. Upon completion of the thesis, students sit for a defense with three to four faculty members, chosen in consultation with the thesis advisor. Students who elect this option may choose to register for 3 units of EALC 591 Thesis Research and will graduate "Masters with thesis." Students writing a thesis must complete and return to the EALC office the Notice of Title, Scope, and Procedure form six months in advance of the intended graduation date.
• Students who do not plan to continue their academic training at the PhD level complete a comprehensive written examination focusing on two major areas to be determined by an advisory committee comprised of at least three faculty members. The examination is administered near the end of the candidate's term of study and followed by a short oral examination in which the student discusses the written examination with the advisory committee.

PhD in East Asian Languages and Cultures

Degree Requirements

Program length: Six years

The EALC doctoral program combines the study of Chinese, Japanese or Korean literature and cultural history as its major component courses in two minor fields: in literary theory and critical methodology, in studies in one or more other disciplines, or in a second East Asian literature and/or culture. All students will have a range of teaching experiences as part of their professional training with extensive hands-on instruction in pedagogical methodologies. Some students may have the opportunity to teach in related programs outside the department as well.

1. Course requirements. All PhD candidates must complete a minimum of 12 graduate-level courses selected to yield a broad and deep familiarity with the literary and cultural history of the country of specialization and a secondary area (or areas) of concentration.

For the EALC degree, the 12 courses must include the following:

• At least two courses in literary and cultural theory, methodology, and pedagogy to be determined in consultation with the advisor
• Two courses in the literary and cultural traditions of a second East Asian culture
• For students focused on modern literature and culture, two courses focused on premodern East Asia, among which at least one must be in the major country. Students focused on premodern literature and culture must take at least two courses focused on modern East Asia.
• Two East Asia-focused courses offered through other departments and programs. Students may either concentrate on one discipline for their secondary area or take courses from several areas to broaden their expertise.

Beyond these requirements, students may take up to three additional courses to fulfill requirements for a certificate or to supplement their training. Language courses will not count toward the 12 required courses.

2. Language requirements. All PhD students must demonstrate native or near-native competence in both the language of specialization (Chinese, Japanese or Korean) and English. Course work in premodern forms of the language of specialization may also be required. If it is required for research in the chosen area of specialization, students must achieve proficiency in one or more languages in addition to the language of specialization and English (normally French or German among the European languages or a second East Asian language).

3. Qualifying evaluation. The Graduate Committee will conduct a screening of PhD students no later than the end of their second year. By November 15 of their third semester, students will submit a research statement (500 to 800 words) and a writing sample (complete seminar paper). During reading week, they will be expected to give a 10-minute formal presentation to the department faculty. By the end of the fall semester, primary faculty advisors will submit an evaluative report of progress for each of their advisees. The Graduate Committee will then assess each student's academic performance and either recommend or not recommend advancement. Regardless of the outcome of this assessment, all students meeting the requirements will be recommended for conferral of the AM degree. The second element of this qualifying evaluation assesses the student's progress in their primary language of specialization (Chinese, Japanese or Korean). This evaluation will be waived in the case of native speakers.

4. Comprehensive examinations. The PhD comprehensive examinations are intended to test a student’s general knowledge as well as their mastery of their area or areas of specialization. Near the end of formal courses, students begin preparing to complete three examinations, which include the following:

• Their major field, generally defined as the modern or premodern literature/culture of China, Japan or Korea
• Two minor fields, defined in consultation with and approved by the student’s advisory committee. One minor field may be directly related to the student’s dissertation research, but the second must demonstrate greater breadth in terms of period, discipline, or cultural-linguistic area. One of the minor fields may be comparative or theoretical.
• Students who have completed a certificate in Film and Media Studies; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Data Science in the Humanities; Early Modern Studies; or Translation may, with advisory committee permission, waive one of the minor exams.

In consultation with relevant faculty, students will prepare a comprehensive bibliography prior to each exam.

Students should expect to begin the exams before the start of the sixth semester and to have completed all three no later than the end of the eighth semester.

5. Dissertation prospectus. Following the successful completion of the three examinations and prior to starting their fifth year in the program, students will present their dissertation prospectus in a public forum before a panel of relevant faculty. The Research Advisory Committee form must be submitted before the end of the student's third year, and the Title, Scope and Procedure form must also be submitted before the start of the fifth year.

6. Mentored experiences. Students will complete eight mentored teaching experiences during their six years in the program. A mentored professional experience may be substituted for one of the eight. Another of the eight may be waived for students conducting research abroad during the academic year.

7. Dissertation. Students will complete a doctoral dissertation based on extensive research on a literary or cultural topic that produces new knowledge of publishable quality in the field of East Asian Studies. Dissertation research and writing is usually completed during the last two years of graduate study.

Joint PhD in East Asian and Comparative Literatures

Degree Requirements

Program length: Six years

This joint doctoral program combines the study of Chinese, Japanese or Korean literature and cultural history as its major component courses in two minor fields: in literary theory and critical methodology, in studies in one or more other disciplines, or in a second East Asian literature and/or culture. All students will have a range of teaching experiences as part of their professional training with extensive hands-on instruction in pedagogical methodologies. Some students may have the opportunity to teach in related programs outside the department as well.

1. Course requirements. All PhD candidates must complete a minimum of 12 graduate-level courses selected to yield a broad and deep familiarity with the literary and cultural history of the country of specialization and a secondary area (or areas) of concentration.

For this joint degree, the 12 courses must include the following:

• Four courses in one East Asian literature, including two seminars at the 500/5000 level
• Four courses in a second literature or other field to be determined in consultation with the advisor
• Four courses comprising the Comparative Literature core requirement, including Comp Lit 502 Introduction to Comparative Literature and three additional courses distributed among designated categories

Beyond these requirements, students may take up to three additional courses to fulfill requirements for a certificate or to supplement their training. Language courses will not count toward the 12 required courses.

2. Language requirements. All PhD students must demonstrate native or near-native competence in both the language of specialization (Chinese, Japanese or Korean) and English. Course work in premodern forms of the language of specialization may also be required. In addition, for this joint PhD, reading knowledge of a third language on at least the research level is required. Students should select these languages in consultation with their advisory committee.

Competency in the third language must be demonstrated before students defend their dissertation prospectus by doing one of the following:

1. Earning at least a B in a 500/5000-level course that requires the use of the language in which students wish to develop competence. (For example, in the case of a 500/5000-level EALC course taught in English, the student's written work must incorporate research in and/or analysis of material in the original language in which the student seeks to demonstrate competency.)
2. In the case of an East Asian language, placing out of at least the third level of the language in the department's standard placement exam

3. Qualifying evaluation. The Graduate Committee will conduct a screening of PhD students no later than the end of their second year. By November 15 of their third semester, students will submit a research statement (500 to 800 words) and a writing sample (complete seminar paper). During reading week, they will be expected to give a 10-minute formal presentation to the department faculty. By the end of the fall semester, primary faculty advisors will submit an evaluative report of progress for each of their advisees. The Graduate Committee will then assess each student's academic performance and either recommend or not recommend advancement. Regardless of the outcome of this assessment, all students meeting the requirements will be recommended for conferral of the AM degree. The second element of this qualifying evaluation assesses the student's progress in their primary language of specialization (Chinese, Japanese or Korean). This evaluation will be waived in the case of native speakers.

4. Comprehensive examinations. The PhD comprehensive examinations are intended to test a student’s general knowledge as well as mastery of their area or areas of specialization. Near the end of formal courses, students begin preparing to complete three examinations, which include the following:

• Their major field, generally defined as modern or premodern literature/culture of China, Japan or Korea
• Two minor fields, defined in consultation with and approved by the student’s advisory committee. One minor field may be directly related to the student’s dissertation research, but the second must demonstrate greater breadth in terms of period, discipline, or cultural-linguistic area. One of the minor fields may be comparative or theoretical.
• Students who have completed a certificate in Film and Media Studies; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Data Science in the Humanities; Early Modern Studies; or Translation may, with advisory committee permission, waive one of the minor exams.

In consultation with relevant faculty, students will prepare a comprehensive bibliography prior to each exam.

Students should expect to begin the exams before the start of the sixth semester and to have completed all three no later than the end of the eighth semester.

5. Dissertation prospectus. Following the successful completion of the three examinations and prior to starting their fifth year in the program, students will present their dissertation prospectus in a public forum before a panel of relevant faculty. The Research Advisory Committee form must be submitted before the end of the student's third year, and the Title, Scope and Procedure form must also be submitted before the start of the fifth year.

6. Mentored experiences. Students will complete eight mentored teaching experiences during their six years in the program. A mentored professional experience may be substituted for one of the eight. Another of the eight may be waived for students conducting research abroad during the academic year.

7. Dissertation. Students will complete a doctoral dissertation based on extensive research on a literary or cultural topic that produces new knowledge of publishable quality in the field of East Asian Studies. Dissertation research and writing is usually completed during the last two years of graduate study. For the joint degree, the dissertation must be of a comparative nature, and the dissertation committee must include at least two Comparative Literature faculty or affiliated faculty.