The Department of Asian Studies offers a Research MA program in three sections: China, Japan, and India & Indonesia. Students will specialize in the same geographical region (China, Japan, or India & Indonesia) they majored in during their BA studies. As part of their MA studies, students will participate in seminars, guided reading classes, and other courses from within and outside the department upon approval from the MA adviser of the department.
Applicants to the MA program in the China Section who did not major in China studies at the undergraduate level should consult the following page for detailed information about admission requirements.
Applicants to the MA program in Japan and India & Indonesia Sections who received their BA from another department or another section in the Department of Asian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will be required to complete the mandatory classes for BA studies, including language courses.
Students who are continuing their studies after a break will be required to take a test to prove their language skills in their language of specialization. In case of failure in the test, students will be required to retake the appropriate BA-level language course/s.
The China Section currently offers an English-language MA Research program. For further information, please press the link.
The research program for MA studies in each of the sections (China, Japan, and India & Indonesia) consists of 28 credit points (excluding written assignments)
Course grades will constitute 35% of the final MA grade. Students will be required to submit a seminar paper in one of the courses. The grade on the seminar paper will constitute 15% of the final MA grade. Seminar papers do not award credit points.
Students who participate in the MA research program will be required to submit one seminar paper with a research aspect (the MA thesis). The grade on the thesis constitutes 35% of the final MA grade.
Students in the MA Research program are also required to take a final examination, which constitutes 15% of the final MA grade.
Students who are continuing for PhD studies will be required to submit a research proposal, which will constitute 15% of the final grade. In such cases, the PhD research proposal may substitute the seminar paper requirement
As part of the research program for the MA, students in each of the sections (China, Japan, or India & Indonesia) are required to study a second modern foreign language in addition to the language they are already learning, up to an advanced level, meaning two years of studies at the very least. The selected second language requires a written approval from the student's MA supervisor and the department’s MA advisor. In general, the department recommends a secondary Asian language (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, or Hindi, depending on the section). In some cases, a European language that is used for extensive research about Asia (French, German, and in some topics – Russian, Dutch, Spanish or Italian). Under certain circumstances, other languages relevant to the student's research (such as Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish) may also be approved.
Students in the China section whose thesis focuses on contemporary China (1978-present) may be exempt from the second foreign language requirement upon the approval of their MA supervisor and the department's MA advisor. Students who receive this exemption will be required to participate in research skills (methodological) courses in the social sciences, law, or business management, which are relevant to their research area. The research skills courses will constitute 4-8 credit points, which will be taken in addition to the required 28 credit points. The grades in these research skills courses will not be counted towards the final grade of the MA.
After completing all the assignments required for their MA studies, students in each of the sections (China, Japan, and India & Indonesia) will be required to take a written and oral final examination.
GUIDED READING OF CHINESE/JAPANESE TEXTS – 4 CREDITS
SELECTIVE COURSES FROM WITHIN/OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT (UPON APPROVAL BY ADVISOR) – 22-24 CREDITS
RESEARCH METHODS OF MODERN CHINESE SOCIETY & POLITICS OR RESEARCH METHODS IN CHINESE HISTORY (CHINA SECTION ONLY) – 2 CREDITS
28 CREDITS IN TOTAL
ONE SEMINAR PAPER/ PHD RESEARCH PROPOSAL
ONE SEMINAR PAPER WITH A RESEARCH ASPECT (THE MA THESIS)
FINAL EXAMINATION
SECTION SEMINARS: 8-10 CREDITS
SELECTIVE COURSES WITHIN/ OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT (UPON APPROVAL BY ADVISOR) – 6-8 CREDITS
TEXTUAL COURSES – 8 CREDITS
GUIDED READING WITH SECTION TEACHER/S – 4 CREDITS
28 CREDITS IN TOTAL
ONE SEMINAR PAPER/ PHD RESEARCH PROPOSAL
ONE SEMINAR PAPER WITH A RESEARCH ASPECT (MA THESIS)
FINAL EXAMINATION
For registration to the MA Program, please press the link