East Asian Relations

Overview

With two of the world’s leading economic powers situated in East Asia, and a huge potential for both regional conflict and cooperation, studying East Asian Relations is as relevant and critical now as it has been at any time since the end of World War II.

In the East Asian Relations programme offered at The University of Edinburgh, you’ll be part of an international community of learners, each with their own perspective, taking core and option courses that draw on unparalleled staff expertise across the region and across disciplines.

We’ll give you the tools to analyse and understand the complexities of East Asian relations in a global context, with skills relevant to professional sectors such as diplomacy, international relations, negotiation, and journalism.

You’ll be based in a thriving Asian Studies department, with expertise in Japanese, Chinese and Korean Studies, and a great programme of cultural events, including its own seminar series. We’re also home to The Confucius Institute for Scotland.

You’ll study in a stimulating, interdisciplinary environment at the heart of the University of Edinburgh alongside learners from the Schools of Literatures, Languages and Cultures and Social and Political Science.

Combining core courses with optional courses, our programme is carefully designed to introduce skills and knowledge in a way that is clear, coherent and interconnected, supporting your academic development and research training towards your dissertation.

You will benefit from the resources of a leading cultural capital city, from the University of Edinburgh Library (some two million borrowable volumes) to the National Library of Scotland. A compact, green and historic city, with excellent restaurants, cinemas and theatres, it’s a great place to live and study.

Career opportunities

East Asia is widely perceived to be the focus of future global politics, with tensions between North Korea and the US, for example, dominating headlines worldwide.

Giving you a thorough grasp of historical and contemporary factors, our programme is designed to equip you with the knowledge to critically engage with these developments, whether your background is in area studies, or international relations.

You’ll acquire the tools to analyse and understand the complexities of East Asian relations in a global context, and present your views in a way conducive to careers in, for example, diplomacy, negotiation, international relations and journalism.

You may also choose to continue your research journey by progressing to a doctoral degree.