The MA Global East Asia’s program teaches you both discipline-specific and multidisciplinary theoretical and methodological competencies that enable you not only to address complex interdisciplinary issues but also to productively engage with the field of study of ‘global East Asia’ in its historical and contemporary development and to reflect on it from a comparative perspective.

In the course of the MAGEA program, you will acquire the necessary methodological, interdisciplinary and linguistic competencies for consciously dealing with your chosen focus country (China, Japan, Korea) and the entire region of East Asia and its global entanglements. By engaging with manifold source material on historical, political, economic, social, cultural and linguistic developments, you will strengthen both your intercultural competencies and your creative, independent and responsible action as well as your openness to issues of gender and diversity research. 

The successful completion of the MAGEA’s program qualifies you to take up doctoral studies and pursue an academic career as well as giving you access to other career pathways related to East Asia. The international orientation of the master's program provides you with excellent prospects on the international job market.

If you like to learn more about MAGEA, this website provides information regarding:

• MAGEA's program structure / curriculum
• Program modules
• Program language
• Reasons why you should study MAGEA at Freie Universität
• The Berlin advantage that shows why Berlin is an excellent location to study Global East Asia
• Frequently asked questions
  

 

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Program Structure

The MAGEA program covers three main parts consisting of several modules, each module consists of one or two seminars. The “Integrative Area Global East Asia” is compulsory for all MAGEA students. In the consolidation area, three modules must be completed. Students have to select modules from at least two of the three regional specializations Chinese, Japanese or Korean Studies. The program concludes with a master thesis. For the three modules in the complimentary area, students are advised to deepen their language skills in Chinese, Korean or Japanese. Students may also choose modules from other master’s programs offered at Freie Universität Berlin, such as Political Science, Sociology or Global History. It is recommended that students consult with the academic advisor of a program when selecting complementary modules. Read the more detailed study regulations in German [official version] or English [translation of the German version].

 

Term	Integrative Area Global East Asia 35 LP	Area of specialization with three regional studies 30 LP	Complementary Area 30 LP
1st Term 30 LP	Module Introduction to Contemporary History and Discourses in East Asia 10 LP	Module Chinese Studies A or B or Korean Studies A or B or Japanese Studies A or B 10 LP	Compulsory elective module 10 LP
2nd Term 30 LP	Module Introduction to Research Fields in Global East Asia 10 LP	Module Chinese Studies A or B or Korean Studies A or B or Japanese Studies A or B 10 LP	Compulsory elective module 10 LP
3rd Term 30 LP	Module Interdisciplinary Methods 10 LP	Module Chinese Studies A or B or Korean Studies A or B or Japanese Studies A or B 10 LP	Compulsory elective module 10 LP
4th Term 30 LP	Module Research Project 5 LP	Master Thesis 25 LP

 

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Program Modules

The integrative modules in MAGEA’s program provide on one hand a wide-ranging overview of the evolution of international relations in the region as well as transregional economic, cultural, and social developments since the interwar period. Particular emphasis will be placed in the module Introduction to Contemporary History and Discourses in East Asia on the underlying structures that have constituted East Asia as a unitary space, as well as the political, economic, and cultural barriers that have impeded its further unification.

Within the module Introduction to Research Fields in Global East Asia, you will also gain a broad overview of research on East Asia. This part will focus on paradigms and theories that are particularly relevant to the study of the political, economic, and social contexts of East Asia. In particular, relevant methods of the respective regional areas as well as possibilities of combining regional areas for the purpose of interdisciplinary research will be introduced and trained.

Moreover, you will learn central methods for researching issues in contemporary East Asia from a transnational and global perspective. The module Interdisciplinary Methods aims at teaching students a variety of methodological approaches and their applicability for the analysis of the research topic. Students will be guided to compare the effects of interdisciplinary processes with regard to East Asia in a differentiated way. They will practice the independent analysis of problems from a cross-disciplinary and cross-regional perspective while applying interdisciplinary theories and methods.

In the Area of Specialization, you will complete three modules, whereby you can choose two modules in an area of specialization (Japanology, Chinese or Korean Studies). Additionally, you must complete a number of complementary modules. These can be modules from other Master's programs, but you can also choose language modules from Bachelor's or Master's programs on East Asia. When choosing modules in the complementary area, we highly recommend consulting a faculty advisor. Read more about choosing modules in the complimentary area here.

 

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Program Language

The MA Global East Asia is an English-speaking program; all required core seminars are taught in English. You can choose from a wide range of courses in both English and German. It is entirely possible to complete the program in English, but students who are proficient in German will have more options to choose from. In most seminars, you may submit English term papers even if the seminar is taught in German.

 

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Why studying MAGEA at Freie Universität Berlin

The East Asian Studies at Freie Universität Berlin attaches great importance to connecting research and teaching. Moreover, teachers undergo continuous staff development at the Competence Center for Higher Education Didactics at Freie Universität Berlin. Due to innovative teaching methods and research-oriented teaching, MAGEA students benefit directly from the diversity and quality of research carried out by the institute's scholars.

The Freie Universität Berlin has one of the largest scientific centers for China-related research in Germany, the Institute for Chinese Studies. The Institute for Chinese Studies specializes in social and economic research and history. In various courses, students acquire profound knowledge regarding China's politics, economy, society and history, and receive excellent training in modern Chinese language. The Institute for Chinese Studies cooperates with renowned universities and research institutes in Germany and abroad.

Korean Studies at Freie Universität Berlin is one of the few institutes in Europe that focuses its teaching and research on modern Korea from a social science perspective. Its main research fields encompass Korean politics and society, Korean history of ideas and intercultural history of ideas, and cultural studies phenomena. In the scientific examination of the subject of Korean Studies, the teaching deals with specific issues, methods, techniques and theories that serve to analyze the dynamics of Korean society and history.

With five teaching professors and an excellent international network, Japanese Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin today is one of the most important in Germany. The Japanese Studies focuses on the study and teaching of Japan through its language, history, culture, politics, economy, and society.  The specific topics will either be approached from a social science or from a cultural and literary studies perspective.

MAGEA cooperates closely with the Graduate School of East Asian Studies at Freie Universität Berlin (GEAS). GEAS combines area studies research on East Asia with thorough, discipline-based methodological training and strong language and cultural competence. Its training program is interdisciplinary with special emphasis on historically and culturally informed social science inquiry.

 

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The Berlin Advantage

Berlin as a location offers a unique network of scholarly and cultural institutions. Due to numerous research centers, political institutions, think tanks, start-ups, consulting agencies, museums, media companies and other company branches, there are many opportunities for internships and initial professional experiences for young China scholars.

In Berlin, you will find, among others,

• the State Library with its Special Collection on East Asia

• the Museum of Asian Art

• the embassies of China, Japan, North and South Korea

• the Confucius Institute as well as the Chinese Cultural Center, which offer courses and host events, and have their own library

• the Cultural Department of the South Korean Embassy, which offers various courses, organizes concerts, and has its own library

• the European Representative Office of the Korea Foundation and the German-Korean Society

• the Japanese-German Center Berlin

• the Berlin Contemporary China Network (BCCN) which holds regular workshops and lectures with internationally renowned China scholars

• the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) which offers regular events on Chinese politics and economics

• the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) with which we cooperate in our teaching

• the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) with strong expertise on East Asia’s international relations

• the Max-Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG)

• and of course, many Chinese, Japanese and Korean restaurants, grocery stores, galleries, clubs, schools and communities in Berlin are waiting to be discovered.

 

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FAQ