East Asian Studies MSc

East Asian countries are inseparably linked by their politics, histories, societies and cultures. Our Masters programme is distinct for its border-crossing focus, enabling you to take a transnational and comparative approach to East Asian Studies, or to concentrate on China, Japan or Korea.

With two of the world’s leading economic powers situated in East Asia, there is huge potential for both regional conflict and cooperation. Taking East Asian Studies is as relevant and critical now as it has been at any time since the end of World War II.

Programme flexibility

This programme has been structured to give you the freedom to design your own postgraduate coursework and research on China, Japan, Korea and East Asian Relations.

Unusually for a taught masters programme, it has only one required taught course: a research methods class. You will choose the rest of your taught courses from a wide range of options. These will help you explore the social, political, historical, economic and cultural factors that have made the East Asian region what it is today.

You will write your dissertation towards the end of the programme on a topic related to your own interests and expertise in East Asia and its constituent countries.

We will give you the tools to analyse and understand the complexities of East Asia in a global context, with skills relevant to professional sectors such as diplomacy, international relations, negotiation, and journalism.

No previous knowledge of an East Asian language is required and your classes will not typically involve language learning. If you would like to learn an East Asian language you don’t already know, you can opt to do so as part of the programme (Korean) or for additional credit (Chinese and Japanese).

Programme pathways

If you have completed a degree in Japanese, Chinese or Korean Studies, you may wish to use this opportunity to start learning about another country in East Asia, either on its own or in comparison.

Alternatively, you can opt to deepen your knowledge of the country you already specialise in.

Depending on the courses you take, you will graduate with a Masters (Msc) in:

• East Asian Studies
• East Asian Studies with Japanese Studies
• East Asian Studies with Chinese Studies
• East Asian Studies with Korean Studies

You can indicate when you apply which pathway suits you best and we will confirm your choice when you have joined the programme and selected your courses.

Why Edinburgh

Our programme is carefully designed to introduce skills and knowledge in a way that is clear, coherent and interconnected, supporting your academic development and research training towards your dissertation.

You will study in a stimulating, interdisciplinary environment and an international community of learners, each bringing their own perspective to class.

Our programme draws on unparalleled staff expertise across the East Asian region and across disciplines. Our thriving Asian Studies department has expertise in Japanese, Chinese and Korean Studies, and a great programme of cultural events, including its own seminar series.

You will benefit from the resources of a leading cultural capital city, from the University of Edinburgh Library (some two million borrowable volumes) to the National Library of Scotland. A compact, green and historic city, with excellent restaurants, cinemas and theatres, it’s a great place to live and study.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

East Asia is widely perceived to be the focus of future global politics, with tensions between North Korea and the US, for example, dominating headlines worldwide.

Giving you a thorough grasp of historical and contemporary factors, our programme is designed to equip you with the knowledge to critically engage with these developments, either as they relate to one particular country or in comparison.

You will acquire the tools to analyse, understand and articulate the complexities of East Asia and its constituent countries in a global context, and in career-ready ways.

Your skills will give you an advantage in a range of careers across the private, public, not-for-profit, and for-benefit sectors, including in:

• diplomacy, negotiation and international relations
• politics, policy work, civil service and law
• journalism, broadcasting and media
• business, finance and commerce
• communications, marketing, advertising and public relations
• education, outreach, advocacy and training
• leisure, tourism and travel
• publishing, culture, heritage and the arts
• research and development

The enhanced research skills you will develop through training, coursework and your dissertation are a valuable asset if you wish to continue on to PhD study.