Korean Literature

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The MA in Korean Literature aims to:

* provide students with an overall history of Korean literature from the earliest times up to the twentieth century;
* acquaint students with important Korean literary texts by period, and with the historical background and popular literary trends of the times in which they were produced;
* enable students to read, analyse, and interpret literary works with consideration to the broader cultural and literary context of the period in which they were written;
* introduce students to secondary sources that provide comprehensive information on literary history, criticism, and other relevant topics, and teach them how to integrate information from these materials into their discussions and arguments;
* serve as a foundation for students who wish to pursue further research.

This degree is designed either to prepare the student for advanced graduate work in studies related to Korean literature or as an end qualification in itself.
Incoming students will be expected to have completed at least the equivalent of two years of undergraduate Korean language study. Students with knowledge of classical Chinese (hanja) will be encouraged to read pre-modern texts in the original classical Chinese.

Students are required to take three taught units and to write a dissertation of 10,000 words. Two of the taught units are compulsory; the third is selected from the list of optional units below. Students with no prior background in literary studies are strongly advised to select the first optional unit, Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature. The Directed Readings course [as directed by the supervisor] must not cover the same subject matter as one of the compulsory courses.

In very exceptional cases (and if the student has sufficient background in literary studies AND an advanced knowledge of Korean), students may be permitted to take a course from other East Asian (Korean, Chinese, or Japanese) programmes as a minor provided that the course is directly relevant to the candidates dissertation

Compulsory Units * Readings in Korean Literature (Masters) - 15PJKC016 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Literary Traditions and Culture of Korea (Masters) - 15PJKH005 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
* Trajectories of Modernity in 20th Century Korean Literature (Masters) - 15PJKH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Optional Units Choose the equivalent of one unit from this list

* Theory And Techniques Of Comparative Literature - 15PCLC279 (1 unit Unit)
* Korean Advanced (Masters) - 15PEAC018 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Practical Translation from and into Korean - 15PJKC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Topics in the History and Structure of the Korean Language - 15PEAC060 (1 Unit) - Full Year
* Directed Readings for Korean Studies - 15PEAC016 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Dissertation * Dissertation in the Languages and Cultures of Japan and Korea - 15PJKC999 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent)English language requirementsIn order to ensure that SOAS students have a sufficient standard of English to study effectively, we require overseas students to submit evidence, during the application process, of their current level of proficiency.Score for Unconditional Entry * IELTS: Overall 7+ with at least 7 in all sub scores * TOEFL: iBT105+ with at least 25 in all sub scores * Pearson Test of English - Academic: Score of 75 or above with at least 70 in all sub scores English Language Requirements IELTS band: 7 TOEFL iBT® test: 105 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Scholarships and Bursaries

There are some scholarships and bursaries available for postgraduate students. These are very competitive and early application is advised.

· The Ahmad Mustafa Abu-Hakima Bursary (programme must include studying the history of the modern Arab world)

· AKS Postgraduate Bursary (in Korean Studies)

· Bernard Buckman Scholarship (MA Chinese Studies, for UK/EU fee paying students)

· The Canon Collins Scholarships at SOAS. There are two scholarships available available in 2013-14 for study at SOAS. These scholarships are for Masters study in any subject field. Open a national of and resident in one of the following countries:
Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The application process normally opens in December and closes in February, for study commencing in September the following year. Please go to the Canon Collins website and click "Apply for A Scholarship" and then "Canon Collins Scholarship for Masters Study in the UK" for further information on how to apply.

· Commonwealth Shared Scholarship (for students from African Commonwealth countries)

· D.G.Hall Scholarship (Taught Masters programmes at SOAS, for applicants holding a Burma/Myanmar passport)

· Felix Scholarships (for Indian students)

· Ferguson Scholarships (for African nationals from an African Country)

· HSBC SOAS Scholarships (MA Sinology & MA Chinese Literature, for UK/EU fee paying students)

· Kamran Djam Scholarships (MA Iranian Studies)

· Professor Stuart Wilson Scholarship (MA South East Asian Studies)

· Standard Chartered Scholarships (for a range of full-time Taught Masters programmes. The programmes relate to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East/NorthAfrica)

· Tibawi Trust Awards (for Palestinian students currently enrolled in a programme at SOAS)

· SOAS Master's Scholarships - Faculty of Arts & Humanities - (for any full-time taught masters programme in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities)

· SOAS Master's Scholarships - Faculty of Language & Cultures (for the full-time MA Gender Studies, MA Postcolonial Studies, MA Linguistics, MA Applied Linguistics & Language Pedagogy, MA Language, Documentation and Description, MA Translation Theory and Practice (Asian and African Languages)

· SOAS Master's Scholarships- Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (for any full-time master's programmes in the Department of Development Studies, Economics, Law, Politics & International Studies and Financial & Management Studies)

· Tallow Chandlers and M. W Beer scholarship (MA) (MA Anthropology of Food, for UK/EU fee paying students)

· William Ross Murray Scholarship (LLM, for students from a developing country)