Program Description

The Department of Pacific and Asian Studies offers a Master of Arts Program providing advanced humanistic and social sciences training in an interdisciplinary forum. The University of Victoria offers a dynamic intellectual climate for students as well as an ideal geographical location for the study of the Asia Pacific region.

An interdisciplinary focus informs instruction. We currently have fourteen faculty members and senior instructors who offer a full range of courses on the languages and societies of the region. In particular, we offer focused graduate training on Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Our faculty have been trained in anthropology, sociology, history, linguistics, languages, literature, theatre, and cultural studies. This blend of Social Sciences with Humanities, along with language and regional specialization, provides an opportunity for an exceptionally well-integrated interdisciplinary approach to graduate study.

Students choose to study within one of two streams: An "Area Studies Stream" and a "Literary and Textual Studies Stream":

The Area Studies Stream focuses on social, cultural, historical and political aspects of sub-regions in Asia and the Pacific.

The Literary and Textual Studies Stream examines literary, artistic and cultural forms within Asia and the Pacific.

Our program is geared towards the writing of a thesis or major research paper. We do not offer a coursework-only M.A. degree.

Our program is intended to produce graduates with very specific skills in analysis, logic and writing, and who also possess detailed regional knowledge. The success of our approach is reflected in the career trajectories of our graduates. Many of our students have received prestigious scholarships, and the majority of our graduates have either pursued doctoral degrees or have gone on to develop rewarding careers in Canada and the Asia-Pacific region. We expect our graduate program to continue to grow and consolidate this department's leadership position in interdisciplinary regional studies of the Asia-Pacific realm.

Program Structure

Students in the M.A. program must complete 15 units of coursework and thesis to earn their degree. All students must take a minimum of 6 units from the core courses offered by our department.

Students choose the structure of their graduate program, and the stream of study they wish to pursue. Students should indicate in their Prospectus Statement which Stream they expect to follow.

A. Structure of graduate program.
Students must choose one of the following two options:

(1) The Long Thesis Option

6 units of coursework
9-unit thesis (90-120 pages)

(2) The Short Thesis Option

9 units of coursework
6-unit research paper (70-90 pages)

B. Stream of Study.
Students must choose a stream of study from one of the following two options:

(1) The Area Studies Stream

This stream emphasizes the study of the institutions, mechanisms and values involved in social, cultural and political transformations. Asian and Pacific societies will be explored in the context of globalization and modernization, particularly as these affect local social and cultural practices. It is expected that the arenas of migration, cultural politics, state formation, and global vs. local relations will form the foundation of graduate work in this Stream.

2) The Literary and Textual Studies Stream

This stream explores the meanings and cultural boundaries embodied in cultural and artistic products. The consequences of modernization and globalization will also be explored, with a particular emphasis on their effects in the subjective realm, and their links to the scope of creative expressions found in literary, cultural and textual works. Topics such as theatre studies, postcolonial literature, cinema studies, and the study of individual authors and artists will form the backbone of graduate instruction in this Stream.

Students will be expected to give an oral defense of their thesis or paper proposal, as well as of their final thesis or research paper.

As part of our interdisciplinary orientation, we encourage students to spend an extended period of time in their country of specialization, whether carrying out work terms through Co-op, acquiring language skills, or conducting research. Our participation in the Co-op program (insert web link) and our extensive established contacts in Asian countries greatly facilitate student travel and study abroad. We also have institutional agreements, organized either by the University or by our Department, with several teaching and academic institutions across Asia. Some affiliations include:

China: East China Normal University in Shanghai; Shandong University in Jinan; and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

Japan: Konan University and Doshisha Women's College; Sapporo International University; Meiji University; Doshisha University; Saitama University; and Tokyo Fisheries University.

Oceania: University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, Waikato University, New Zealand.

Southeast Asia: Mahidol University in Thailand; and Malaya University in Malaysia.

Taiwan: National Sun Yat-sen University; National Taiwan University; and Fujen Catholic University.

More details about the Graduate Program:

[Admission Procedures]

[Important Dates and Deadlines]

[Program Description and Structure]