East Asian Studies (MA) (60EC)
Career prospects
Where do our graduates work?
As a graduate of the MA in Asian Studies, you are qualified to work within a variety of fields where there is demand for expertise in Asia, including journalism and publishing, international trade, marketing, business, public relations, education, development aid, and in government, non-profit and international organisations.
Examples of the diverse roles of our graduates include:
- Curator at a museum
- Collections manager at a natural history museum
- Project officer for heritage at a governmental agency
- Art teacher at a secondary school
- Auctioneer at an online auction house
- Research consultant at a recruitment company
- Teacher of art and theory at an art school
- Freelance artist and illustrator
- PhD candidate
- Market researchers at a Korea trade center
- Japanese language teacher
Research Master
If you have ambitions to pursue a PhD position or a career as a researcher outside of academia you can apply for the two-year Research Master in Asian Studies on completion of the programme.
Robert Beers
Graduated in East Asian Studies (MA Asian Studies)
"In my current position as management trainee at TU Delft, I benefit every day from having followed the MA East Asian Studies. I owe it to this programme that I have a unique outlook on the world, which makes a great difference when making decisions or doing business."
Intercultural sensitivity
"It improved my analytic skills, critical thinking and problem solving abilities. Thanks to my one of a kind background, heightened intercultural sensitivity and communication skills, I am able to create opportunities that make life and career even more interesting!"
Plenty of flexibility and freedom
"Whichever track you choose within the programme, there is plenty of flexibility and freedom to pursue your own academic interests. I really enjoyed the diversity of the curriculum. My field of study being sociology, I wrote my thesis about the relationship between fans and anti-fans in Korean popular music fandom. I followed intensive courses that provided essential and comprehensive material which proved very useful for my perception of the world as well as my research. Another fantastic asset of this programme is the option to do an internship. This is a great way to prepare you for your career."
In which sector do students find jobs?
- 30 % Government and semi-government
- 20 % Education
- 10 % IT
- 10 % Research
- 10 % Financial institutions
- 10 % Information management
- 10 % Other
Career preparation
Find out how this programme exactly prepares you for your future career and check our career preparation activities.
At Leiden University, we give you the tools to become a powerful critical thinker with a strong and relevant knowledge base. Graduates of the master's in Asian Studies understand the key academic approaches taken within Asian Studies across multiple disciplines, and how to use these concepts to conduct quality research. They have a wealth of practical and professional skills. These qualities amount to a highly attractive package for future employers.
Do you consider to put your knowledge into practice during your studies? Determine whether an internship could be an option for you. Start orientating your possibilities by visiting an internship information session. This way you can receive information about the internship procedure and listen to tips of former interns.
Notice that you will search for an internship yourself to find a place of your interest. Do you need some help with this or the application process? Do not hesitate to contact the Career Service. When you have found an internship, inform us. Then, the internship coordinator advises you how to proceed and provides your internship plan with feedback so it can be submitted for approval to the board of examiners.
Our staff can help you identify both the career that is right for you, and the necessary steps to get you there. Our team at Humanities Career Service provide all Leiden University humanities students with professional advice and guidance on everything from internships and career planning to job applications. Humanities Career Service also organises regular workshops on topics such as effective interview skills and creating a successful CV.
The Humanities Career Service offers you various (online) workshops, webinars and info sessions. Check our overview of career activities.
The Leiden University Career Zone is an online career portal that helps you to prepare for the job market. Here you can find information, tools and tips to help you gain more personal insight, learn about the job market, develop your application skills, plan your academic and professional career, find job vacancies and discover what the Career Service can do for you.
Join the Mentor Network to contact alumni with experience on the labour market and ask them for advice. More than 1200 alumni are happy to help you!
Jelle on finding an internship via Leiden University's Mentor Network
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