EASC offers an interdisciplinary Master's Degree in East Asian Area Studies. Candidates for the M.A. degree are able to design a program of study based on individual scholarly and professional goals.  Students choose from courses offered by departments and professional schools across the university, concentrating on one country (China, Japan, or Korea) or developing region-wide expertise. Students work closely with faculty advisors to design their program of study and to complete the required Masters thesis. There are over fifty faculty members affiliated with the East Asian Studies Center whose teaching and research interests focus on the countries of East Asia. 

USC/UCLA Cross-Enrollment

USC/UCLA Resource Sharing Program Cross-Enrollment Procedures for USC Students

Degree Requirements

Course Requirement
Six courses (24 units) plus a thesis (4 units) are required. Degree candidates must take the “Proseminar on Issues and Trends in Contemporary East Asia” (EASC 592) and one of the following: "Chinese Cultural History" (EALC 531), "Korean Cultural History" (EALC 532), "Japanese Cultural History" (EALC 533). The other four courses may be taken from any department or school with the approval of a faculty advisor.

Language Requirement
Students must demonstrate oral and written proficiency skills in an East Asian language equivalent to three years of study before the M.A. degree is awarded. Degree candidates often satisfy the language requirement before starting the M.A. program, either through undergraduate coursework or by being a native speaker of an East Asian language. Prior language experience, however, is not a requirement for admission, and students may elect to take language courses and degree-related courses at the same time. (Note: language courses do not count toward the 24-unit course requirement for the degree.)