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Language and Cultural Studies

Study East Asian Studies in Germany

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A degree programme in East Asian studies focuses on the societies, cultures, religions, and languages of Japan, Korea, Central Asia, and the Chinese-speaking world. You will acquire language skills and scientific knowledge in order to understand historical developments, references to current phenomena, and regional contexts. You can choose from various specialisations, such as Japanese studies, to focus on specific languages or countries.

Facts

22 Higher Education Institutions

Bachelor, Master

German, English

2-8 Semesters

What content can I expect?

In the field of study East Asian studies, you will deal with questions that arise with regard to the language, culture, literature, history, politics, economy, and society of the East Asian region. You will examine events and developments in the region in both a regional and global context in order to compare and analyse them. In addition to in-depth linguistic and scientific knowledge, the degree programme will also provide you with broad cultural competence. It will raise your awareness for cultural diversity and cultural differences, thereby increasing your cultural sensitivity. The field of study East Asian studies comprises the study areas:

  • Japanese studies, which focuses on Japan
  • Korean studies, which deals with Korea
  • East Asian studies, which examines both parts and the entirety of the geographical region of East Asia
  • Southeast Asian philologies (such as Indonesian philology), which relate to Southeast Asia
  • Chinese studies, which deals with China as well as the entire Chinese-speaking world
  • Central Asian philologies (such as Tibetology), which focuses on the Central Asian region

Within a field of study, the individual courses of study sometimes focus on different aspects: Some have a linguistic and cultural focus, some have an economic focus, and some are more general and all-encompassing. In the Master’s programmes in particular, many interdisciplinary programmes focus, for example, on economics or politics in relation to an East Asian country. In addition to the field of study that interests you, you should also take a look at the module contents and course descriptions of the respective degree programme!

You should also have the appropriate language skills or linguistic interests to study East Asian Studies. The main language of most degree programmes is German, but teaching units in English and/or an East Asian language are also common.

By the way: In some degree programmes, a stay abroad is compulsory. These programmes often have a longer standard period of study. In most cases, however, you can expect a six-semester Bachelor’s degree and a four-semester Master’s degree.

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What are the requirements for studying East Asian Studies?

To study at a higher education institution, you primarily need a general higher education entrance qualification or equivalent. In addition, other admission requirements may apply depending on the degree programme. For example, many degree programmes require certain language skills. The requirements are sometimes limited to the English language, but may also include proficiency in other languages (e.g., Chinese or Japanese). In addition, aptitude tests or local admission restrictions are possible. However, there are also degree programmes without any restrictions!

A little advice: Please also note that many Master’s degree programmes require certain completed modules in your Bachelor’s programme. To be admitted to the respective Master’s programme, you often have to prove this content based on your Bachelor’s degree certificate. So, if you already know what direction your Master’s programme will take, you should make sure that you choose a suitable Bachelor’s programme. And if you are more the spontaneous type: If you are still missing a module for admission to the Master’s programme, you can often simply catch up on it in parallel.

How much does it cost to study East Asian Studies?

You will have to face various costs during your studies. How much will depend on your place of study and factors such as your lifestyle. To give you a rough idea of the cost items you should pay attention to in your calculations, let’s take a look at the biggest expenses:

Fees/contributions for the higher education institution: State or public higher education institutions rarely charge tuition fees. In most cases, the degree programmes are free of charge. However, there are exceptions! Otherwise, you can expect to pay semester contributions in most cases. As the name suggests, this is transferred to your higher education institution each semester. These contributions are used, for example, to cover the costs of administration and the student union. Sometimes your semester contribution covers a ticket for local public transport or you can purchase a discounted ticket. Depending on where you study, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for all of Germany. Ask your higher education institution whether such an offer is currently available. Semester contributions are usually between 100 and 400 euros per semester.

Study abroad: For many degree programmes, a stay abroad is optional. However, as mentioned above, there are some degree programmes which see a semester abroad as an integral part of the curriculum. To avoid financial surprises, you can find out in advance which countries you can choose from, what the local cost of living is like and what (financial) support you would receive from the state or the higher education institution. In this way, you can prepare yourself mentally and financially for your studies abroad even before you start!

Living expenses: People often underestimate how much money they spend on food, books and other things each month. The amount of money spent is, of course, strongly dependent on the individual lifestyle. But especially if you want to save some money, getting books from the library and mostly eating in the student dining hall are good options! Also note that you may have to pay for health insurance, for example, which will be debited to your account each month.

Rent: Rent will probably be your biggest regular expense. How much you end up paying for your accommodation and how long you spend looking for it depends, among other things, on the city where you study. In large cities, housing is often scarce and expensive, while in smaller cities it is comparatively affordable. By the way, student halls of residence or shared flats are very popular among students, as these options are not only cheaper but also more sociable. As soon as you have decided on where you want to study, you should start looking, as halls of residence can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities.

To finance your studies in Germany, you should also find out about scholarships. There are many different scholarship programmes and excellent grades are not the only deciding factor. You can learn more about scholarships here and find suitable programmes directly on My GUIDE.

What career opportunities do I have with a degree in East Asian Studies?

After completing your studies, you have career prospects in the following fields, for example:

  • cultural institutions, such as museums,
  • in tourism,
  • in the media or publishing,
  • in research institutions,
  • in international organisations or
  • in the diplomatic service.

While you can expect an average salary in cultural institutions, for example, you can expect a better than average salary especially in large international organisations or in the diplomatic service.

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Check your eligibility to study at German higher education institutions (non-binding)

Run a quick and non-binding check to determine whether your certificates make you eligible to study at German higher education institutions. Depending on which educational certificates you provide, you may qualify for all degree programmes or only for certain subjects or types of higher education institutions. It is possible that you do not currently meet the requirements to be eligible to apply to a German higher education institution. In such a case, you may be able to attend a Studienkolleg. Please note that the eligibility check results apply exclusively to undergraduate programmes and are not legally binding.

Once you have completed the non-binding check, degree programmes that match your eligibility will be marked with a corresponding icon.