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Graduate Study
There are three options for those interested in pursuing an Asia-focused master’s program.
The first, administered by the Elliott School, is the M.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in Asia. For more information on this program, please click here.
The other options, administered by the Asian Studies Program of the Sigur Center, are the M.A. in Asian Studies and the Chinese Studies Certificate program. These courses of study are ideal for those wishing to pursue an in-depth focus on Asia.
The M.A. program in Asian Studies is anchored in a well-rounded curriculum taught by leading experts in Asian Studies. The program, focusing on policy and foreign affairs, combines rigorous study to sharpen analytic skills with highly practical course work. The Asian Studies program is world-renowned for its strengths in East Asia but also offers expertise in South and Southeast Asia. Students can concentrate on contemporary Asian politics and society, the international relations of Asia (including security issues), Asian economies, and modern Asian history. For more on specific Asian Studies degree requirements, please click here.
Students with an interest in China may also wish to pursue the Graduate Certificate in Chinese Studies, which is a six-credit supplement for students already enrolled in a graduate program at the University.
The size of The George Washington University's faculty (the largest in the Washington area) means that students in the Asian Studies program benefit from an extremely wide range of expertise within the Elliott School and within other schools of the university. Within the Elliott School alone, students can draw on the expertise of faculty in International Development Studies, International Trade and Investment Policy, International Science and Technology Policy, and Security Policy Studies. They can also take courses from faculty in fields as diverse as Geography, History, Economics, Political Science, Anthropology, Education, and Religion. For students who need to work on their language skills, the University regularly offers classes in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese. This depth and range of expertise means that while students are expected to focus their studies into a coherent program, they have an extremely broad array of courses and topics to choose from.
Students are encouraged to supplement their studies in Washington, D.C., with study abroad at the University’s elite partner institutions in Asia. These include Ewha Women's University in Seoul, Korea; Fudan University in Shanghai, China; The University of Hong Kong; Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India; the National University of Singapore; the University of Sydney; and Waseda University in Tokyo. Students can also study at other prestigious partner institutions such as Sciences-Po in Paris. In addition to formal study abroad programs, there are also opportunities to apply for summer funding for language study abroad. To supplement academic offerings, students often intern with governmental organizations, business groups, or NGOs in Washington.
Students who have graduated from the Asian Studies program have gone on to positions in government, NGOs, journalism, and the military.
For more information on the Asian Studies programs, please contact:
Acting Program Director: Deepa Ollapally, Professional Lecturer
1957 E St, NW, Suite 503
Tel: 202-994-5886
E-mail: Click here