Pacific and Asian Studies

General Information

The Department of Pacific and Asian Studies offers graduate programs leading to a Master of Arts degree in one of two streams: Area Studies or Literary and Textual Studies. The MA includes course work and the writing of a Long or Short Thesis. The department is multidisciplinary and covers China, Japan, Oceania and Southeast Asia. Particular research strengths include gender, national and ethnic identities; contemporary Asian fiction, cinema, popular culture; Chinese and Japanese linguistics; contemporary theatre (Indonesia, Japan); local societies, trade, globalization; Asian-Canadian studies; Oceania studies.

For further information, see the Pacific and Asian Studies departmental website: <web.uvic.ca/pacificasia>

Contact Information

Department of Pacific and Asian Studies

Location: Clearihue, Room C205

Mailing Address:

Courier Address:

Telephone Number: 250-721-7477

Fax Number: 250-721-7219

Email: paciasia@uvic.ca

Website: <web.uvic.ca/pacificasia>

Chair: Hiroko Noro

Graduate Adviser: Michael Bodden

Graduate Secretary: Joanne Denton

Degrees and Specializations Offered

MA

Students may define their program of study by choosing to concentrate on (1) the Area Studies Stream (the social, cultural, historical, political and economic aspects of China, Japan, Oceania, or Southeast Asia); or (2) the Literary and Textual Studies Stream (the literary, artistic and cultural forms of China, Japan or Southeast Asia). Both streams emphasize the contemporary period and take an interdisciplinary approach to learning and research.

Facilities

The University of Victoria is building, within the University’s McPherson Library, a suitable collection of materials on the Asia-Pacific region. The department also makes every effort to provide students who require it modest funding for a research visit to the more extensive Asia-Pacific collections available in the University of British Columbia libraries in Vancouver. The University of Victoria is the home of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives and the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society, which offer Fellowships and other programs and assistance to Pacific and Asian Studies graduate students with research plans corresponding to these Centres’ respective mandates.

The University’s Humanities Computing and Media Centre and its CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) Facility are also excellent resources for students delving into studies and research in Pacific and Asian languages, linguistics, and computer assisted learning.

Financial Support

Pacific and Asian Studies students are eligible for University of Victoria Fellowships on a competitive basis. In addition, the department offers several top-up scholarships of varying amounts. Teaching and research assistantships are also available on a competitive basis. Eligibility for funding is based upon GPA in the last two years of undergraduate studies, suitability for teaching assignments, and continued good progress in the student’s graduate program. Students receive priority for funding during the first two years of the MA program. Prospective students are also encouraged to apply for external funding, such as SSHRC scholarships.