Master of Arts in Contemporary East Asian Studies (MA CEAS) University of Duisburg-Essen

The Master’s in Contemporary East Asian Studies (MA CEAS) is an English-taught, social science-based programme with a contemporary and interdisciplinary profile. The programme offers research-focused training for highly motivated and qualified graduates with a BA or similar degree in political science, international relations, sociology or economic science.
The principal focus of the MA CEAS programme is the theoretical and problem-centred analysis of societies, politics and economies in East Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea), accompanied by intensive training in an East Asian language. Its aim is to deepen and enrich the student's ability to assess contemporary change, the challenges for the East Asian region and the implications of such developments for Europe.

The MA programme in Contemporary East Asian Studies develops three sets of core skills:

1. It deepens students’ existing methodological skills by applying them to the analysis of the East Asian context.
2. It broadens their regional, discipline-based and interdisciplinary knowledge of East Asia.
3. It enhances their proficiency in one of three East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese or Korean).

The two-year MA CEAS (equivalent to four semesters) offers Chinese, Japanese or Korean language options along with the choice of a discipline corresponding to the student’s previous degree (sociology, political science or economics). It combines intensive language training with interdisciplinary and discipline-specific modules focusing on Chinese, Japanese and Korean studies. Methodological training is integrated into the advanced East Asian studies modules.

Native speakers of one of the East Asian languages offered are required to choose a language option different from their native language, e.g. Korean native speakers have to choose Chinese or Japanese.

The structure of the MA programme includes intensive language training, interdisciplinary modules as well as discipline-specific modules on East Asian studies. Discipline-specific methodological training may be both integrated within the modules and offered as separate modules.

The Master's thesis brings together theoretical, methodological, regional and language competencies in the form of an independent piece of research about a cutting-edge topic in contemporary East Asia. Its purpose is to showcase the student’s newly acquired knowledge, theoretical and methodological skills in East Asian regional studies, and language proficiency.

The curriculum of the MA CEAS programme (120 ECTS credits) comprises the following:

• three introductory modules (18 ECTS credits): Disciplinary Approaches to East Asian Studies (East Asia in Economic Science, Transnational Perspectives on East Asia, East Asia in the Social Sciences)
• three intensive language modules (36 ECTS credits): Intensive Japanese 1–3, Intensive Chinese 1–3, or Intensive Korean 1–3
• six advanced East Asian Studies modules (36 ECTS credits) (listed below)
• a Master's thesis (with attached seminar/supervision) (30 ECTS credits)

Students in the MA CEAS programme select a total of six modules in Advanced East Asian Studies (6 ECTS credits each, see below). Additional elective modules are offered on an irregular basis.

• Institutions and Organisations in Japan
• Japanese Society and Social Structure
• Institutions in Japanese Politics
• Japan's Political System
• International Economic and Business Issues of Japan
• Japan's Political Economy
• The Economy of China
• Business and Economy in China
• The Chinese Society
• Recent Developments in the Chinese Society
• China's International Relations
• State and Society in China
• The Economy of East Asia
• Economic Developments in East Asia
• Recent Developments in the Korean Society and Economy
• Korean Society and Politics
• Economic and Business Issues of Korea

Internships are not required, but they are nonetheless recommended. Internship positions can be found through the Confucius Institute, AIESEC or KOPRA.

EU citizens and EU/EEA-educated non-EU citizens ("BildungsinländerInnen"):
1 March - 15 September to start their studies from 1 October of the same year

Non-EU citizens (with degrees from outside EU/EEA):
1 May - 15 July to start their studies from 1 October of the same year

• Bachelor's degree or higher education degree equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in social or economic sciences with a least 180 ECTS credits and a minimum grade average of 2.5 according to the German grading system
• Depending on an applicant’s prior education and training (if the admission committee identifies gaps or weak areas), conditional admission may be granted, requiring up to 30 ECTS credits in additional courses during the study programme. In such instances, the student may also be admitted for the following summer semester (the original application has to be for the winter semester). The additional classes will be determined individually by the IN-EAST examination board.
• Complete set of application documents (see here)
• Interview (conducted in English) if deemed necessary by the admission board

About 350 EUR per semester

In comparison to other places in Germany, the cost of living in Duisburg and its surroundings is relatively low. Please check the DAAD website for general information: https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/costs-of-education-and-living/.

The University of Duisburg-Essen offers the UDE stipend. For more information, click here. Please note that only a limited number of students can be supported each year.

Students are welcome to discuss potential career choices in one-on-one mentoring sessions and are encouraged to attend extracurricular events that may help them find suitable career paths. The institute also shares information regarding job openings, internal and external career information sessions or job fairs via the student mailing list and arranges career-related events with our alumni organisation.

Please see this website about accommodation provided by our International Office.

At the University of Duisburg-Essen’s Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST), many scholars from various academic disciplines are engaged in both research and teaching in connection with contemporary East Asia. Established in 1994, IN-EAST is one of Germany’s large centres of social science research on contemporary East Asia.

The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) – one of the youngest and largest universities in Germany – is located in the heart of the Ruhr metropolitan region. Its broad spectrum of subjects ranges from the humanities, social sciences and education to economics, engineering, natural sciences and medicine. Since its foundation in 2003, the UDE has developed into a globally recognised research university. This is documented by the top international positions it has now achieved.

The UDE's range of services is broad and includes, among others, the interdisciplinary profile foci of nanosciences, biomedical sciences, urban systems, transformation of contemporary societies and water research. Another central field of research is lifelong education and socialisation processes.

Innovative and digitally supported teaching and learning concepts make the UDE an attractive place for research-based teaching. It offers its 41,740 students from over 130 nations 267 degree programmes, 127 of which are teacher training programmes.

The UDE is regarded as a national model of how educational equity can be implemented at a university. Numerous measures and projects promote young talents with prospects. The UDE sees itself as a vibrant place of diversity and openness, where students, researchers and employees can develop their potential and willingness to perform. In doing so, a broad-based, resource-saving development is strived for.

The UDE has a strategic partnership with the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the Technische Universität Dortmund under the umbrella of the Universitätsallianz Ruhr (UA Ruhr). They cooperate closely in research and teaching and are also jointly present in three continents with their own branch offices. In addition, the UDE maintains partnerships with over 100 universities around the world.

Learn more about our university here.

The Ruhr metropolis is full of surprises, one of which has been its cultural transformation from a traditional industrial region to a European Capital of Culture and home to 5.3 million people from 140 countries.
The historic roots of both university cities, Duisburg and Essen, can be traced far back into the High Middle Ages. As a Rhine port, Duisburg is one of the oldest cities in the Lower Rhine region. It was here that scientist and cartographer Gerhard Mercator produced his world-famous atlases in the 16th century. By the time Bonn became a university city in 1818, the university in Duisburg had already been in existence for more than 150 years.
Iron, steel, and the port still characterise Duisburg and the life of its 500,000 inhabitants. Half of all of Germany's pig iron is produced here, along with a third of the country's crude steel. As the largest inland port in Europe, Duisburg is not only a logistics hub, but also a hub of cultural activity. Restaurants, museums, and cultural venues are located on the city's trendy inner harbour and a lively pub culture thrives in the university district of Neudorf and the area known as the Dellviertel.
Duisburg's many attractions include its legendary zoo with panda and dolphin shows and, for art lovers, the city's Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum. Duisburg has a critically acclaimed theatre and music scene of European standard. And for anyone wishing to try their luck, the new Mercatorhalle in Duisburg city centre now houses an elegant casino.
The city centre has been transformed into a stylish shopping area. The old inner harbour, also close to the city centre, is now a popular spot, integrating offices, museums, restaurants, and many other features. Nearby recreational areas such as the Sechs-Seen-Platte (Six-Lakes-Native Area) and the Landschaftspark Nord – an old steel mill transformed into a park and cultural centre – are also popular attractions.

More information: https://www.uni-due.de/en/international
https://www.study-in-germany.de/en/plan-your-studies/study-options/cities/duisburg/