Korean Studies

Why Korean Studies?

Korea has a growing presence in Asia and the world. It has been a divided nation since the end of the second world war and of the Japanese colonial rule in 1945 and the subsequent separate governments in 1948. The two Koreas are still technically at war as the Korean War between 1950-1953 did not end with a peace treaty. While South Korea’s Gross Domestic Product per capita has surpassed US$30,000 in 2019, North Korea is still one of the poorest countries but with nuclear weapons. K-pop and K-drama are played at every corner in and across Asia and increasingly the world, including Australia. But there is more to this in Korea than meets the eye.

Studying the Korean language as well as its contemporary history, politics, security, economy and society provides students with a deeper understanding of the issues pertaining to the Korean peninsula and its neighbours. Korean Studies at the University of Melbourne was launched in July 2017 and is the fastest growing study area. We offer Korean language subjects from beginners to more advanced as well as three Korean Studies subjects.

Why Korean Studies at Melbourne?

As the No.1 research university in Australia, the University of Melbourne works toward establishing the country’s best Korean Studies programme. The inaugural senior lectureship has been generously funded by the Korea Foundation under the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The University appointed Dr Jay Song in July 2017, who is a well-known academic and practitioner in migration, human rights and North Korea in the field with vast experiences at universities, think-tanks and the United Nations in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Switzerland. In 2023, the University appointed Dr Nicola Fraschini and Dr Sin Ji Jung to oversee and coordinate the Korean Language courses. The Korean Studies programme offers six language subjects from Korean 1 to Korean 6 (KORE10001, KORE10002, KORE20003, KORE20004, KORE30003, KORE30004) and three subjects on Korea, Contemporary Korea (KORE20002), Korean Politics and Society (KORE30001), and Two Koreas in the World (KORE30002).

Korean Studies at Melbourne is aimed at training best future Koreanists and improving their in-depth critical thinking around contemporary Korean affairs. Firmly grounded on basic Korean language skills, the curriculum is designed to produce highly informed professionals in multidisciplinary aspects of Korean politics, international relations, economy, design, technology, cultures and society. Graduates can join governments, international organisation, business, the media and civil society.

How can I study Korean Studies?

Undergraduate students can study Korean Studies as:

Through the Bachelor of Arts Asian Studies major or minor in a Bachelor of Arts or combined Arts degree, or as a breadth option within your non-Arts degree (see Korean Studies subjects below)
In a fourth-year honours program (pure or combined) through the Bachelor of Arts Asian Studies major

Korean Studies can also be studied through the following:

The Asia Institute offers a range of subjects in Korean Studies. Some examples include:

Where can Korean Studies take me?

A specialisation in Korean Studies can led to government, business, media and civil society, dealing with the Korean peninsula. In the Australian context, South Korea (with its 50-million strong population) is the fourth largest trading partner and third largest global export market. Commonwealth and state government departments are constantly looking for expertise on Korean affairs. With growing people-to-people exchanges between the Koreas and Australia, there are various aspects of international collaboration in technology, science and engineering, urban design, arts, culture and environment. In-depth and critical knowledge of Korea would be a significant asset for graduates seeking employment in those bilateral relations.