Faculty of Asian Studies, The Australian National University

The Australian National University has pioneered research and teaching on Asia in this country for over fifty years, and has the longest-established Korean language program in Australia. It is a national leader in research and graduate and undergraduate education on Korea.

The ANU Korean Studies Centre has been established since 1994 in order to draw together the many academic units within the University which include teaching and research on Korea and to ensure the cohesion of the Korean program and to give the the Korean program a clear mandate and voice inside and outside the ANU. Korean Studies at the ANU are concentrated in the Faculty of Asian Studies Korea Program, in the East Asian Studies Program of the University’s Graduate School and in the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies.

With support from the Korea Foundation and the University, the Faculty of Asian Studies and the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies have established a joint appointment for a Professor of Korean Studies at the ANU Korean Studies Centre. The position was recently taken up by Professor Kenneth Wells. This appointment significantly enhances the University’s capacity to deliver outstanding programs focused on the two Koreas, in both the language and non-language areas.

The Faculty of Asian Studies offers systematic Korean language training and courses which include Korean history. It also offers other non-language courses that introduce aspects of Korea from a broader perspective. Our aim is to equip students with the linguistic and cultural competence needed to function effectively in Korea and the education to enable them to understand the country in depth.

Korean Studies courses are open to students taking Asian Studies degrees as well as to students enrolled in other Faculties.

Degree Programs

The Korea Centre in the Faculty of Asian Studies offers a three-year degree, Bachelor of Asian Studies, and a specialist four-year degree, Bachelor of Asian Studies (Korean) which requires students to undertake one-year in-country training in the Republic of Korea. This specialist degree, Bachelor of Asian Studies (Korean), is designed to enable students to reach a higher level of competence in Korean language and culture than can be achieved in the three-year format. The year consists of a combination of intensive Korean language study, approved study in the student’s field of specialisation, and a supervised study project using Korean materials.

The three and four year degrees in Asian Studies may be combined with degrees in arts, commerce, economics, engineering, law, science and visual arts.

Korean language courses

Students majoring in Korean will normally undertake Modern Korean 1 and 2 in Year 1, Modern Korean 3 and 4 in Year 2, and Modern Korean 5 and 6 in Year 3. Students in combined degree programs complete a Korean major in four years by undertaking in their second year Modern Korean 1 and 2 and Modern Korean 3 and 4 in their Year 3. They then undertake Modern Korean 5 and 6 in their fourth year.

Bachelor of Asian Studies (Korean) students are normally required to complete four Korean language courses during the first two years to be better prepared for their Year in Korea, and spend the year in universities or equivalent institutions in Korea doing advanced language work and studying in their field of specialisation through Korean. The first semester of Year 4 of the Bachelor of Asian Studies (Korean) degree is spent back at the ANU taking advanced courses in disciplinary, language (Korean Seminar) and area studies.

The Undergraduate Handbook provides a comprehensive list of courses offered by the Faculty of Asian Studies.

Other Korea-related courses

The Centre for Asian Societies and Histories in the Faculty teaches non-language courses in Asian history, religion and society. Courses in Asian politics, economics and law are available in other Faculties.

Graduate studies in Korean

Korean studies may be undertaken for the Graduate Diploma, Master of Asian Studies, Master of Arts (Asian Studies), the MPhil and PhD. Graduate programs at the ANU are administered by the Graduate School. Please refer to the Faculty Graduate Programs page for more information about the specialised graduate programs in Asian Studies. There are also scholarships available for Korean studies graduates.