Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University

Graduate Degrees offered by the Faculty of Asian Studies

The ANU is a major world centre for teaching and research on Asia and the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific is the leading centre for Asian Studies in Australia, unrivalled in the breadth of its interests and the depths of its expertise. The Faculty of Asian Studies cooperates with other schools within the College – including the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, the Crawford School of Economics and Government, the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy – as well as the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, the ANU College of Business and Economics and the ANU College of Law, to offer the widest range of Asian Studies available in Australia, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. With its concentration of some 200 specialists, the ANU has Australia's largest concentration of scholars with research commitments relating to Asia and the Pacific in the southern hemisphere. Besides the ANU's vast resources in terms of leading academics, 70% of Australia's total Asia-Pacific resource material is located in Canberra in the ANU Library and the National Library of Australia.

The Faculty of Asian Studies offers Asian language programs in:

Arabic

Chinese

Hindi

Indonesian

Japanese

Korean

Sanskrit

Thai

Urdu/Persian

Vietnamese

It is also possible to study the classical forms of languages of the region including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Malay and Javanese. Courses covering introductory Burmese, Tetum (the indigenous language of East Timor), Cantonese and Lao are also offered, according to demand, either as ‘stand-alone’ offerings or as a complement to related language programs.

Through coursework, seminars, supervision and research, graduates are trained in a wide range of disciplinary, language and area skills essential for a better understanding of the rapid social, political and economic changes taking place in the Asian region.

Which Graduate Program?

Through coursework, seminars, supervision and research, graduates are trained in a wide range of disciplinary, language and area skills essential for a better understanding of the rapid social, political and economic changes taking place in the Asian region. Students may undertake Coursework degrees, Coursework and research degrees, or Research degrees. The Graduate Coursework Guide offers detailed information on the structure of the Faculty's graduate programs.

Coursework degrees

• Master of Asia-Pacific Studies (MAPS) 1-year (if full-time) program with a vocational emphasis focused on training graduates for employment in government, the diplomatic services, education, research and analysis, consultancies and international aid agencies.
• Master of Diplomacy / Master of Asia-Pacific Studies 18-month (if full-time) program with a vocational emphasis focused on training graduates for employment in government, the diplomatic services, consultancies and international aid agencies.
• Graduate Certificate in Applied Japanese Linguistics.
• Graduate Diploma in Applied Japanese Linguistics.
• Graduate coursework Graduate coursework Asia and the Pacific

Coursework and research degrees

• Master of Arts (Asian Studies) (MAAS) 2-year (if full-time) program with a vocational emphasis focused on training graduates for employment in government, the diplomatic services, education, research and analysis, consultancies and international aid agencies, specialising in East Asian Studies, Applied Japanese Linguistics, Southeast and South Asian Studies.
• Master of Arts (Southeast Asian Studies) 1-year Joint Degree Program offered jointly by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Faculty of Asian Studies of the Australian National University (ANU). It offers the advantages of collaboration between the outstanding Southeast Asian Studies communities of these two prestige institutions.
• [Master of Arts (Asian Studies) (Applied Japanese Linguistics) 2-year programme which consists of one year of coursework followed by one year of research (thesis writing). This programme is suitable for students who have some previous training in Japanese (or general) linguistics/applied linguistics.

Research degrees

• Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

See also

• Graduate Information (ANU information for prospective graduate research students)
• General and Academic Enquiries for Graduate Programs
• Graduate Supervisors

Why do Graduate Programs in Asian Studies?

Career paths for the graduates are exciting and varied: government, the diplomatic service, education, research and analysis, consultancies and international aid agencies, business and the media. The Faculty of Asian Studies, in cooperation with the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, and other areas of the ANU, offers the widest range of postgraduate Asian and Pacific Studies programs available in Australia. Graduates receive a unique training in complex issues affecting policy-making by global corporate and public service communities both within and beyond the Asian region.

The Faculty of Asian Studies is pleased to offer graduate programs in East Asian Studies and Southeast and South Asia Studies. These programs have major strengths in a variety of disciplines in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Linguistics with links to programs in International Relations; Strategic, Defence and Diplomacy Studies; Business, Economics and Law.

Who Should Apply?

Graduates may approach the study of Asia from a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Those with a background in Asian studies can extend and deepen their understanding through coursework and research. Graduates in the humanities and social or natural sciences can add expertise in Asian Studies to their existing qualifications and better equip themselves for careers or further study and research relating to Asia.

Part-time and mature-age students are encouraged to apply.

Scholarships and Loans

Commonwealth-supported Places are available in limited supply. Please check the website for terms and conditions.

Interest-free loans for postgraduate students under the Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme (PELS) are available.

Specialisations

East Asia

The graduate programs in East Asian Studies promotes the advanced study of China, Japan, Korea and neighbouring areas. The ANU has the largest and most diverse community of scholars working on East Asia in the Southern Hemisphere and its library holdings, together with those of the nearby National Library, rank high among the world's leading collections of material on China, Japan and Korea ... more

Southeast and South Asia

The Australian National University boasts the greatest concentration of Southeast Asia scholars outside Southeast Asia, and sets the pace for the study of this dynamic region, home to a tenth of the world's peoples and meeting place of all its major religions. The graduate programs in Southeast and South Asian Studies promote the advanced study and research on Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and neighbouring areas. The study of Islam is one of the major areas covered. The Faculty of Asian Studies also offers expertise and graduate supervision in Arabic Studies... more

Linguistics & Language at ANU

The ANU has an international reputation in the fields of linguistics, language and culture, supporting researchers who work on a broad range of topics connected with these fields. Some examples of these topics include

• Language description
• The theoretical modeling of language as a system (phonological, morphological and syntactic theory)
• Language variation and change
• Language meaning (semantics)
• The relationship between language and culture, the social context of language
• Analysis of conversation and everyday interaction in a variety of settings
• The theory and practice of teaching modern languages
• Revitalisation and documentation of endangered languages
• Classical literature and languages
• More information about Linguistics & Language at ANU ...

The Centre for Research on Language Change (CRLC) promotes, coordinates and sponsors research on all aspects of language change and on the history of particular languages and language families.

The Centre is a focus for all research in this field at the Australian National University (ANU), combining interests previously divided amongst the Department of Linguistics in the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS), the School of Language Studies in the Faculty of Arts, various centres in the Faculty of Asian Studies, and members of the Departments of Anthropology and of Archaeology and Natural History, RSPAS, and the Archaeology and Anthropology, Faculty of Arts. more

General and Academic Enquiries for Graduate Programs

For further information, please see these contacts.