Southeast Asian Studies MA

The M.A. degree in Southeast Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program designed to meet the unique needs of two broad groups of students: those seeking certification of area expertise en route to a disciplinary doctoral degree and those seeking a terminal M.A. en route to a wide range of careers in Southeast Asia, including employment in business, journalism, and various government and international organizations.

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies administers a formal graduate program in Southeast Asian studies and facilitates interdisciplinary study on Southeast Asia in intercollege, professional, and other degree programs throughout the university. The Southeast Asian studies program provides students with the opportunity to concentrate their study of this dynamic region in several disciplines and professional areas: anthropology, communications (journalism), development, education, economics, environmental studies, geography, history, linguistics, literature, music and dance (performing arts), political science, public health, religion, sociology, and urban and regional planning, as well as natural resources, business, and law, and public policy. Faculty expertise and library holdings are particularly strong for in-depth study of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The goal of the program is to provide students with a strong area and language background on Southeast Asia and to prepare them for a range of academic and professional careers.

Language study is a critical component in area studies, and the center encourages students to develop proficiency in at least one Southeast Asian language. During the academic year, instruction is offered through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures in five Southeast Asian languages: Filipino (Tagalog), Hmong, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese. Each language is offered at two or more levels of instruction, with advanced readings and literature courses available in Indonesian. The center also facilitates participation in the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI), which provides instruction during the summers at multiple levels in eight languages of the region: Burmese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian/Malaysian, Javanese, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese, and depending on enrollments, Javanese. Though SEASSI is hosted by the center and based in Madison, it is open to students from anywhere. More information is available on the SEASSI website.

1. Demonstrate knowledge of one or more regions of Southeast Asia, focusing on a research question(s), problem or case study situated within a broader analytic framework and knowledge of the cultures, religions, history, anthropology, geography, economics, literature, and/or languages within scholarship on Southeast Asia.
2. Demonstrate proficiency in reading, speaking, and listening in one or more Southeast Asian languages, at least at the proficiency level of four semesters.
3. Analyze and synthesize information and ideas within the context of interdisciplinary Southeast Asian studies.
4. Understand, respond to, and construct arguments across disciplines relating to the study of Southeast Asia.
5. Apply their knowledge to solutions of intellectual as well as practical problems.
6. Recognize and apply principles of professional and ethical conduct.
7. Conduct academic research using an appropriate range of social scientific and/or humanistic sources, methodologies, and critical theories.
8. Communicate effectively in writing and orally.

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. You must have completed your undergraduate degree, or similar, before starting graduate school.

A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required. Applicants from an international institution must demonstrate strong academic achievement comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or master’s degree. The Graduate School will use your institution’s grading scale. Do not convert your grades to a 4.00 scale.

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by paper.  Our office address is: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706.  Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

Applicants are exempt if: