Korean Studies

Subject Description

Korean history is said to have began with the celebrated founding of Gojoseon in 2,333 BC.  Since that time Korea has had a chequered political, geographical and social narrative, including the division of the country into two after the Second World War and the war between the North and the South in the early 1950s. With the possible nuclear development of North Korea currently much in the news, and continuing unstable international relations, understanding Korean culture, language and history has never been more important.

Courses in Korean studies attempt to strike a balance between a critical understanding of Korea, its culture, society, economics, politics and philosophy and the Korean language.  No prior knowledge of the language is required, but you will need to demonstrate an aptitude for language learning and most courses will give preference to those applicants with a language A-level or equivalent, although this is not essential for getting onto a course.  Most courses in Korean studies will offer language modules which cover all aspects of reading, writing and speaking and will often either require, or strongly encourage, an intense language learning course in Korean at a university or college abroad.  Non-language based modules cover a multitude of aspects of Korea and Korean culture and students of Korean Studies can also often choose to take modules more broadly focusing on the wider region of East Asia, China and Japan.

Assessment is by a combination of written and oral examination, assessed coursework and assessed essays.  By combining this with a year abroad students of Korean studies will complete their courses with strong vocational skills in Korean writing, precise translation, debate and oral presentation, as well as a deep understanding of the pre-modern and contemporary traditions of Korean society and the tools with which to interpret and engage in modern Korean society.  By developing a non-Eurocentric perspective and strong intercultural awareness Korean studies students will find themselves with a bank of transferable skills as well as the language skills to work or conduct further study internationally.

Example Areas of Study

Korean covers a breadth of subjects and courses differ from institution to institution.  You will need to check with your preferred institution directly to find out the exact subjects you will be studying.  Common subjects covered include:

• Introduction to mixed script Korean
• The history of Korea
• Readings in modern Korean fiction
• Quantitative and IT Skills
• Composition in Korean
• Korean conversation
• East Asian cinema
• Gender in East Asia
• History and culture of Korea to the late 19th century
• Religion and society in East Asia
• The transformation of East Asia
• Principles of marketing
• Advanced Korean language
• Contemporary Korean society
• Behaviour at work
• Business and management in contemporary Korea
• Business and society in East Asia
• Contemporary Korean literature
• Business Statistics
• East Asian women on the move
• History and structure of the Korean language
• Empire and culture in East Asia to 1945
• Language and society in East Asia
• Korean-English-Korean translation
• Philosophical traditions in East Asia
• History of Korean art
• Musical tradition in East Asia
• Business microeconomics
• Traditional Korean culture
• The East Asian economic miracle
• The politics of Korea
• Financial accounting

Some Career Possibilities

A huge number of graduates of Korean studies go on to use their language skills by returning to work in the East Asian region or by entering into further research based in the region.  Alternatively the analytical, presentation and cross-cultural skills acquired during a course in Korean studies open graduates up to a number of career fields such as government, diplomacy, translation, interpretation, media and international business.  There are also opportunities to work within NGOs.  The majority of graduates however utilise their skills by becoming interpreters, either for commercial businesses or for public sector organisations with extremely sought after opportunities in the foreign office or in international government offices.

What do I need to get on a Course?

Entry requirements vary from course to course so you will need to check with your preferred institution to get up-to-date information on the requirements they have for entry.  To give you a general idea of what is expected please see below:

• A-Levels: CCD-ABB
• SQA Advanced Highers: BBCCC-AAABB
• European Baccalaureate: 77%
• International Baccalaureate: 28-33 points
• BTEC: DDM or considered on an individual basis
• Achievements in foreign languages are desirable at all levels

For Your Application or Interview, the following may be useful:

• An interest in foreign language
• A desire to investigate and immerse yourself in an alternative culture
• An interest in social and historic influences in modern international relations
• Further information can be found at the Korean Culture and Information Service

To find out more about the typical subjects you will study, potential career paths and further information useful for your application log-on to Course Discover at www.coursediscoveronline.co.uk*

*NB: Your school or college will need a subscription to Course Discover in order for you to gain access, for further information go to:www.coursediscover.co.uk