Academics

All MARSEA students declare one of the following as their region of specialization: China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, or Vietnam. In addition, the following requirements must be fulfilled (in accordance with Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences degree requirements).

MARSEA students must attain at least third-year level proficiency in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, or second-year level proficiency in Tibetan or Vietnamese to earn the degree. The language requirement may be met by passing a language placement examination at Columbia, or through coursework. In addition, the degree program requires completion of a master’s thesis and 8 courses from a wide range of offerings in Anthropology, Architecture, Business, Economics, History, International Affairs, Literature, Law, Political Science, Social Work, and Sociology. For more information, see the "Degree Requirements" page.

• Proficiency equivalent to the third-year level of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, or second-year level of Tibetan or Vietnamese per assessment by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
   
• The two courses of the yearlong MARSEA Core Seminar
   
• One graduate-level modern history course on the region of specialization
   
• Four appropriate graduate-level regional courses (at least one of which is a colloquia or seminar)


• One elective (any graduate-level course, can be outside of East Asia)
   
• Master’s thesis
   
• Minimum of 30 credits in total
   
• Two full residence units (equivalent to 2 full-time semesters at Columbia)