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This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Master of Arts Programs in Asian Languages

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Graduate Programs in Asian Languages

The M.A. is granted in Chinese and in Japanese. The normal length of study for the degree is two years.

No financial aid is available for those applicants who wish to obtain the M.A. only.

Students who wish to spend the first year of graduate study at the Beijing or Yokohama centers must obtain department approval first.

Candidates for the degree must be in residence at Stanford in California during the final quarter of registration.

A thesis or an annotated translation of a text of suitable literary or historical worth is required for the M.A. degree. Under special circumstances, a paper approved by the graduate adviser may be substituted.

The University's basic requirements for the master's degree, including a 45-unit minimum requirement, are given in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin. Department requirements are set forth below.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE M.A. IN CHINESE

The M.A. program in Chinese is designed for students with strong academic records and an interest in pursuing postgraduate research in Chinese literature, history (pre-modern), philosophy, or linguistics, but who have not yet acquired the language skills or disciplinary foundation necessary to enter a Ph.D. program. (Note: Students who wish to pursue advanced language training in preparation for post-graduate research in other fields of Chinese studies are referred to the interdisciplinary M.A. program in the Center for East Asian Studies.)

The candidate must:

  1. Demonstrate proficiency in both modern and classical Chinese through:
    1. completion for a letter grade of 'B' or higher of third-year Chinese through CHINLANG 103 and
    2. advanced classical Chinese through CHINLANG 223.

    (Note: qualified students may, upon consultation with the graduate adviser, be permitted to certify that they have attained the equivalent level of proficiency by passing examinations.)

  2. Complete the following for a letter grade of 'B' or higher:
    1. four courses in Chinese literature or linguistics numbered between CHINLIT 230 and 292
    2. CHINLIT 201. Proseminar: Bibliographic and Research Methods in Chinese Studies
    3. two upper-division or graduate-level courses in fields such as Chinese anthropology, art history, history, philosophy, politics, and religion, as approved by the graduate adviser in consultation with the student's individual adviser
    4. a master's thesis; CHINLIT 299. Master's Thesis or Translation.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE M.A. IN JAPANESE

The M.A. program in Japanese is designed for students with strong academic records and an interest in pursuing postgraduate research in Japanese literature, cultural history, or linguistics, but who have not yet acquired the language skills or disciplinary foundation necessary to enter a Ph.D. program. (Note: Students who wish to pursue advanced language training in preparation for postgraduate research in other fields of Japanese studies are referred to the interdisciplinary M.A. program in the Center for East Asian Studies.)

The candidate must:

  1. Complete third-year Japanese (JAPANLANG 127B, 128B, 129B) plus one of the following:
    1. fourth-year Japanese through JAPANLANG 213, or
    2. classical Japanese through JAPANLANG 246 and 247.

    (Note: qualified students may, upon consultation with the graduate adviser, be permitted to certify that they have attained the equivalent level of proficiency by passing examinations.)

  2. Complete the following for a letter grade of 'B' or higher:
    1. four adviser-approved courses in Japanese literature or linguistics from among the offerings of the Department of Asian Languages, not including courses taken to fulfill the language requirement
    2. JAPANLIT 201. Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Study in Japanese
    3. two upper-division or graduate-level courses in fields such as Japanese anthropology, art history, history, philosophy, politics, and religion, as approved by the graduate adviser in consultation with the student's individual adviser
    4. a master's thesis; JAPANLIT 299. Master's Thesis or Translation.

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