Graduate Programmes In The Us/canada/uk

[crazillo]

Hello,

I am going to graduate next summer (2011). I am enrolled in Tuebingen, my major is Chinese Studies and my minor Political Science. Right now I am spending a semester abroad at Beijing Daxue. I would like to pursue advanced studies (graduate) in an English-speaking environment while continuing to learn Chinese. Possibly I'd like to go for a Ph D as well. However, I got a few questions.

1. Our BA is 3 years. Most BA (undergraduate studies) outside Germany seem to be four years. Is this a problem when applying?

2. Which schools can be recommanded for a graduate programme that focuses on contemporary, modern China, espacially East Asias Politics? At the same time, it should include further language training and also a possibility to come back to China.

3. Do I need a GRE?

I kind of like this programme at Columbia University.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/departments/east-asia-regional-studies/bulletin.html

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/weai/marsea.html

Also, is it normal that university stuff hardly replies? I feel a little bit lost myself as a lot of the requirements are very different from German universities. We're used to have certain plans where you can see your study programme in advance. However, those websites describing programmes in the US/UK are quite unprecise. I'm not sure if that means you can choose yourself a lot.

Any information would be appreciated!

[jbradfor]

All major universities here have specific administrators for dealing with international students. For specific questions related to admissions, your best bet is to contact those people, e.g. for Columbia. While standards vary from school to school, I would expect that your current degree should be OK, and you will need to take the GRE and perhaps the TOEFL as well.

I'm not sure what you mean by imprecise degree requirements. For example, from your second link, is a whole page on the requirements. This is pretty typical for an American university. You get to pick your own courses from a certain set. They are vague on what the set includes (e.g. "Two modern history courses on the country or area of focus"), but typically for a graduate level program any graduate-level course in that department, potentially except for ones that are considered "too easy". The exact set is usually set out in the department catalog.

May I ask your career plans? In most of the Social Sciences, have a Master's degree is not very useful. At least here, one either gets a Bachelors or a PhD; in fact, a Master's degree is what one often gets as a "consolation prize" if one is in a PhD program for a number of years and drops out before completing the program.

[stelingo]

BA courses in the UK generally last 3 years, 4 years if you study a language (includes one year abroad).

Links to some graduate courses which may be of interest.

Sheffield:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/seas/taughtpostgrad/courses/chinese/ma.html

http://www-online.shef.ac.uk:3001/pls/live/web_cal.cal3_unit_form?dept_code=EAS&dept_name=East+Asian+Studies&disp_year=09

Leeds

http://leeds.wreac.org/pg/taught#TOC-Chinese-Studies

SOAS (London)

http://www.soas.ac.uk/programmes/prog13994.html

http://webprod1.leeds.ac.uk/catalogue/dynprogrammes.asp?Y=200910&P=MA-CHIN

[OneEye]

In most of the Social Sciences, have a Master's degree is not very useful. At least here, one either gets a Bachelors or a PhD; in fact, a Master's degree is what one often gets as a "consolation prize" if one is in a PhD program for a number of years and drops out before completing the program.

That depends on the school and the program that you're talking about. Many top PhD programs expect you to already have an MA before applying. Many MA programs are designed to stand alone, for people who want to pursue a PhD but either lack the necessary training in the field or are unsure of their specific plans for their PhD. The situation you describe is one in which the person applies to a PhD program and then can't cut it. They likely would have been better off getting a Master's and then going on to a PhD program from there.

Of course, the schools' websites won't always say that you must have an MA. They'll say something like "Most of our applicants already hold Master's degrees; however, candidates with particularly strong qualifications who possess only a Bachelor's degree may also be considered."

[crazillo]

May I ask your career plans? In most of the Social Sciences, have a Master's degree is not very useful. At least here, one either gets a Bachelors or a PhD; in fact, a Master's degree is what one often gets as a "consolation prize" if one is in a PhD program for a number of years and drops out before completing the program.

I would like to work in an international organization or stay at university and go for the PhD. Actually, there seems to be a big difference between German and American systems here. We used to have a degree called "Magister" which lasts five years, so most people will do their MA after the BA. Can you apply for a PhD right away? Most universities seem to say "with a possible PhD to follow."

I like the fact you can choose from a lot of courses, that sounds really good.

About GRE: the ETS website lists a lot of test dates, but most for Asia and America. I guess everyone has to take it before pursuing graduate studies, right?

Where are you guys studying at? Can you recommand anything?

[JonBI]

For essentially all Canadian East Asian-related fields, if you want a Ph. D., you will probably need a Masters, and for most Masters programs here, you will need an Honors BA (4 years).

[Meng Lelan]

About GRE: the ETS website lists a lot of test dates, but most for Asia and America. I guess everyone has to take it before pursuing graduate studies, right?

Where are you guys studying at? Can you recommand anything?

The vast majority of graduate schools in the US require the GRE. You do have to take it. Last time I took it in 2003 it was a computer based test with a math and English section. The math was extremely easy is what I remember.

I'm not studying anywhere right now but I am considering Chinese studies (doctorate) at UT Austin, but not applying real soon, maybe in a year or so.

I can tell you from experience that university staff in general are not good at replying.

[bakhtinjali]

I have started looking for grad school programs in the US as well. I will be graduating with a B.A. in history and anthropology come fall next year but haven't been able to lock down on a list of schools I want to apply to. I know some of the bigger names for Chinese History, but what about say studying Chinese Lang/Lit and Pedagogy? Does anyone have familiarity with some of the flagship programs out there? Personal experience?