The first semester of the programme is held at Leiden and consists of the following courses: 

• The core course Introduction to Asian Studies that explores the place of Asian Studies in the larger field of Area Studies and among the many disciplines represented in Asian Studies;
• One elective from the Korea specialization; 
• Advanced Korean reading and language courses. 

Two semesters of your degree will be spent studying at a university in South Korea, where you will follow relevant courses in your chosen field of research and conduct research for your MA thesis. The purpose of the year abroad is to strengthen your language skills, to conduct academic research at a university in South Korea, and to develop your understanding of the country and its society.

The Faculty of Humanities offers a partial scholarship for the year in Korea for each applicant who has been admitted to the programme. This is not a full scholarship but only a partial contribution to your expenses in Korea.

Upon your return to Leiden, you will continue to develop your language skills while developing knowledge in your area(s) of specialisation.

• Topical Readings in Korean. 
• Elective from the Korea specialisation; 
• MA Thesis. 

Our goal is that, by the time you are ready to write your MA thesis, you will be in a strong position to integrate your language and academic skills to the point where you can use primary sources written in Korean as part of your research. Recent thesis topics included Korean soft power, masculinity in K-pop Boy Bands and representations of family and motherhood in fiction.