Asian Languages and Cultures

Nine courses (36 units) are required for the degree, six (24) of which must be graduate courses. In addition, students in the following fields must take the specified courses as part of their nine-course requirement.

Students in Chinese literary and cultural studies must take two courses from Chinese 200A-200B-200C.

Students in Japanese literary and cultural studies must take two Japanese Studies seminars, each from a different instructor.

Students in Korean literary and cultural studies must take Korean 200.

Students in Buddhist studies must take either Asian 201 or the 200 course(s) that most closely corresponds to their major canonical language.

Students in East Asian linguistics must take either Asian 200 or Asian 202.

Students in cultural and comparative studies must take the 200 course corresponding most closely to their national focus.

In exceptional cases and with the approval of their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies, students may substitute a similar bibliography/research methods course offered in another department or a specialized bibliography/research methods course supervised by a departmental faculty member.

Students in Chinese and Japanese are further required to take at least one graduate-level course (not a 200 course) employing material in classical Chinese or classical Japanese respectively. Course requirements for students in cultural and comparative studies are identical to those for their chosen area of national focus.

Students must take at least one seminar in each of their three comprehensive examination fields.

With the consent of the department, up to three courses taken outside the department (for which S/U grading is acceptable) may be applied toward the nine-course requirement. No more than two courses in the 500 series may apply toward the divisional minimum of nine courses required for a master's degree, and only one of these two courses may be counted toward the minimum of six graduate courses required for the degree. Seminars taught as two-quarter sequences (e.g., Asian 220A-220B) are counted as two courses.

Courses used to meet the language requirements and admission standards do not apply toward the master's degree course requirements. International students may also be required to take English as a Second Language 33A, 33B, 33C, 34, 36, or other English as a Second Language courses; these courses do not apply toward master's degree course requirements.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students, in consultation with their faculty adviser, must determine their three comprehensive examination fields. Students then must take at least one seminar in each of their three comprehensive examination fields. The comprehensive examination consists of the submission of three seminar research papers and evaluation of them by the ad hoc committee chaired by the candidate's principal adviser, and an oral examination based on those papers. The committee must be formally approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or the chair before the circulation of the seminar papers and the oral examination. A translation examination in the student's language of specialization must also be taken unless the student has taken courses to fulfill the language requirement or has demonstrated proficiency. The evaluation of the three seminar papers by the ad hoc committee and of the oral examination based on the papers determines whether students are admitted to the Ph.D. program.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

Students who are admitted to graduate status with no deficiencies in prior course work and who carry a standard course load should be able to obtain the degree after six quarters.

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Advising

Upon admission students are assigned interim faculty advisers by the Director of Graduate Studies in conjunction with faculty in the students' field, with whom they consult in the initial stages of course work. Students then choose a dissertation adviser based on their area of interest. Students are required to meet with their graduate advisers at least once every quarter to establish their study program and check their progress. The Director of Graduate Studies is also available to meet with students on a regular basis or when necessary. The department evaluates student performance on an annual basis and students are expected to meet with their advisers to address their performance. After the annual evaluation, students are sent a letter that outlines the results of the evaluation.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department recognizes six areas of specialization at the Ph.D. level: Chinese literary and cultural studies, Japanese literary and cultural studies, Korean literary and cultural studies, Buddhist studies, East Asian linguistics, and cultural and comparative studies. Students should consult with an appropriate faculty member to determine whether the department offers training in their specific area.

Foreign Language Requirement

In addition to completing the foreign language requirement for the M.A. degree, students at the Ph.D. level must fulfill an additional requirement. This may be fulfilled either by completing a total of three years of study of language(s) outside of the focus language, or by passing a written translation examination, administered by the faculty in the language field with the approval of the student's adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies, demonstrating the equivalent of language study.

Students in Chinese and Korean literary and cultural studies must complete either (a) nine quarters (three years) of course work in a second Asian language or (b) six quarters (two years) of course work in a second Asian language and three quarters (one year) of course work in a European language or a translation examination in a European language demonstrating one year of proficiency. Students may choose to take a translation examination in a second Asian language to demonstrate proficiency at the second or third year level. The specific language or languages used to fulfill the requirement is determined through consultation with the student's faculty advisory committee.

Students in Japanese literary and cultural studies must demonstrate advanced competence in modern Japanese. They must also complete at least three years of training in classical and/or modern East Asian languages other than modern Japanese. Students can take three years of a modern language (complete Korean 100C or Chinese 100C), or combine one year of a modern language with two years of a classical language (Japanese 110A, 110B, 249, Chinese 110A, 110B, 110C) or two years of a modern language with one year of a classical language (Japanese 110A, 110B, 249, or Chinese 110A, 110B, 110C). The particular combination of languages is flexible but should be chosen in consultation with and approved by the student's adviser. Students may also satisfy one year of the language requirements by demonstrating reading proficiency in a non-East Asian language relevant to their research. Students can also fulfill the language requirements by taking the necessary placement exams.

Students in Buddhist studies must complete either (a) nine quarters (three years) of course work in a Buddhist canonical language other than their language of primary focus or (b) six quarters (two years) of course work in a Buddhist canonical language other than their language of primary focus and French or German 3 or a translation examination in French or German demonstrating one year of proficiency. Students may choose to take a translation examination in a Buddhist canonical language other than their language of primary focus to demonstrate proficiency at the second or third year level.

Students in East Asian linguistics must complete a total of nine quarters (three years) of course work in Asian languages, including introductory language courses and/or courses on the structures of Asian languages.

Students in cultural and comparative studies must complete the language requirement for their chosen area of national focus.

With the approval of their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies, in some cases students may be permitted to fulfill the foreign language requirement through alternative programs of study.

Course Requirements

A minimum of five graduate courses (not including courses taken to meet the language requirements) beyond the M.A. degree is required for the Ph.D. degree. In addition, students in the following fields must take the specified courses as part of their five-course requirement.

Students in Chinese literary and cultural studies must take one additional course from Chinese 200A-200B-200C (beyond courses used to fulfill the M.A. degree requirement).

Students in Japanese literary and cultural studies must take two Japanese Studies seminars (unless they have already taken these seminars to fulfill the M.A. degree requirement at this university).

Students in Korean literary and cultural studies must take Korean 215.

Students in Buddhist studies must take one additional course, either Asian 201 or the 200 course(s) that most closely corresponds to either their major canonical language or a second canonical language.

Students in cultural and comparative studies must take Asian 210.

Students entering the program with an M.A. degree in a different field, or in the same field but from another institution, must meet the standards of the department's M.A. course work in addition to fulfilling Ph.D. course requirements. Students who have not fulfilled the 200-series course requirements and/or the language requirements for the department's M.A. degree must do so for the Ph.D. program. Students in Chinese literary and cultural studies and Japanese literary and cultural studies must take at least one graduate-level course (not a 200 course) employing materials in classical Chinese or classical Japanese respectively, if they have not already fulfilled this requirement within the department.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Students must take written qualifying examinations as follows:

Chinese literary and cultural studies: (1) a general examination in Chinese literature; (2) examinations in two approved fields which must be chosen from at least two of the following groups: (a) Chinese poetry, Chinese fiction and drama, and modern Chinese literature; (b) ancient Chinese civilization, Chinese Buddhism, another field of Chinese thought or Chinese linguistics; (c) an outside field from within the department; or (d) a field offered in another department or interdepartmental program.

Japanese literary and cultural studies: (1) a general examination in Japanese literature; (2) examinations in two approved fields which must be chosen from at least two of the following groups: (a) ancient, medieval, early modern, or modern Japanese literature; (b) Japanese Buddhism, another field of Japanese thought, or Japanese linguistics; (c) an outside field from within the department; or (d) a field offered in another department or interdepartmental program.

Korean literary and cultural studies: (1) a general examination in Korean literature; (2) examinations in three approved fields which must be chosen from at least two of the following groups: (a) Korean poetry, Korean fiction, modern Korean literature; (b) Korean Buddhism, Korean Christianity, Korean thought, or Korean linguistics; (c) an outside field from within the department; or (d) a field offered in another department or interdepartmental program.

Buddhist studies: (1) a general examination in the major field; (2) an examination in an approved subfield within the major field; (3) a general examination in another approved field inside or outside the department.

East Asian linguistics: in lieu of written examinations, students submit two publishable papers in different areas or fields of linguistics, to be approved by a doctoral guidance committee. The papers may be revised or extended seminar papers but must be prepared after admission to the Ph.D. program.

Cultural and comparative studies: examinations in four fields selected in consultation with the student's academic adviser, including at least two fields within the department and at least one with a comparative or theoretical focus. These four fields must be selected so that at least two are from the student's primary language area and two from a specific discipline.

Once all language and course requirements are satisfied, the qualifying examinations may be taken. All examinations must be completed within a four-week period. With the consent of the department, the examinations may be repeated only once.

At the time of the written examinations, students select a doctoral committee for appointment by the Graduate Division; the chair of this committee serves as the student's dissertation adviser. Students must pass the University Oral Qualifying Examination on the dissertation proposal within six months after the written examinations. Students must submit the dissertation proposal to the doctoral committee at least three weeks prior to the scheduled date of the oral defense. With the department's consent, the examination may be repeated only once.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Not required for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

Students Who Enter the Program with a Bachelor's Degree

Students who enter the doctoral program at the master's degree level are expected to complete the program within seven years (21 quarters). These students must complete the requirements for the master's degree by the end of their second year. Upon receipt of the master's degree, students are expected to advance to doctoral candidacy within two years (6 quarters) or by the end of their fourth year in the program. After advancement to doctoral candidacy, students are expected to complete the doctoral degree program within three years (9 quarters).

Students Who Enter the Program with a Master's Degree

Students who enter the doctoral program with a master's degree completed at another university are expected to complete the requirements for the doctoral degree within five years (15 quarters). Students must advance to doctoral candidacy within three years (9 quarters). Students with master's degree who are unable to advance to doctoral candidacy by the end of the third year may petition for an additional quarter(s) with the support of their advisers. After advancement to doctoral candidacy, students are expected to complete the doctoral degree program within two years (6 quarters).

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Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

All cases of recommendation for termination are made through departmental vote.

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