Department Chair: J. Thomas Rimer
Main Office: 1501 Cathedral of Learning
(412) 624-5568 (phone) (412) 624-3458 (fax)
http://www.pitt.edu/~fasgrad
Primary Faculty: Professors McDONALD, RIMER (Chair); Associate Professors BARNES, LU, MILLS, NARA, SUN
Affiliated Faculty (Adjunct faculty and those with primary appointments in other areas): Professors HOPPER (Adjunct), SMETHURST (Classics); Associate Professor Zhou (Adjunct; Director, East Asian Library); Assistant Professor CARLITZ (Adjunct); Research Associate JORDAN (History of Art and Architecture)
Emeritus Faculty: Professors WANG, YANG
The Interdisciplinary MA degree in East Asian Studies is granted through the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures; the Asian Studies Program administers the IDMA (see Interdisciplinary Programs later in this bulletin). Courses are taught by faculty members who specialize in East Asia and who are in different academic departments and schools. The Interdisciplinary MA in East Asian Studies combines advanced language training with study in the social sciences and humanities focusing on East Asia. It is primarily intended for predoctoral students who desire intensive area training before choosing a doctoral program in a single discipline or for those planning professional careers in government, business, journalism, or pre-college teaching. The strength of this interdisciplinary approach lies in the fact that students are able to elect to work with faculty in a wide variety of disciplines, as well as pursue courses in a number of different areas throughout the humanities and social sciences.
In addition to evidence of academic promise, applicants generally have some Chinese or Japanese language study. However, applicants with strong academic credentials who have no previous language training will be given serious consideration if they can show how an interdisciplinary language and area program in East Asian Studies will contribute to their long-term goals.
Applicants must submit original transcripts and GRE scores. Three letters of recommendation are required and should be sent directly to the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at 1501 Cathedral of Learning. Non-native English speakers must submit an original copy of TOEFL scores and must have achieved at least 600 on that exam. The undergraduate QPA must be over 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for admission. A two-page Statement of Purpose describing how the Interdisciplinary Master of Arts (IDMA) can fulfill the student's academic and intellectual goals must be submitted. Applicants may be required to submit a paper that demonstrates their writing skills. Other requirements are those set by FAS Graduate Studies.
A limited number of teaching assistantships are offered through the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures. The duties are to assist in the Chinese and Japanese language programs; applicants need not be IDMA students, but must be graduate students in one of the FAS departments.
The interdisciplinary master's requires a minimum of 24 credits of course work (excluding language credits) in two or more departments. At least six of the required credits must be taken in course work relating to the ancient and modern history of either China or Japan. A master’s thesis, whose topic and content are approved by the student's academic advisor and a faculty committee chosen by the student, must be completed. The master’s thesis must show an ability to use sources in an East Asian language, generally requiring the equivalent of three years' college-level study.
When course work and master’s thesis have been completed, the student must pass an oral comprehensive examination, administered by the student's faculty committee, in East Asian Studies from the perspective of at least two disciplines. The interdisciplinary nature of the program comes from the requirements for taking graduate-level courses in different departments and not from specially constructed interdisciplinary courses.
The candidate and an academic advisor work together to plan a coherent program
designed to assure the mastery of specified knowledge and skills, rather than
a random accumulation of a certain number of courses. This is typically a
two-year program, designed for students who already have some Chinese or Japanese
language study.
The department does not have a PhD program.
Graduate courses are numbered at the 2000 level. Certain courses at the 1000 level may be taken for graduate credit with permission of the student's graduate advisor. Descriptions of the 1000-level courses are printed in the Course Descriptions published each term. In addition, the Asian Studies Program prints a course description booklet of all Asia-related courses throughout the University for each term.
Students not having graduate standing in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures must have permission of the instructor before registering for any of the following courses.
| 2000 | RESEARCH AND THESIS FOR THE MASTER’S DEGREE | 1-6 CR. | ||
| 2010 | SEMINAR: MASTERPIECES OF CHINESE LITERATURE | 3 CR. | SUN | |
| 2021 | SEMINAR: CHINESE LINGUISTICS | 3 CR. | ||
| 2022 | STRUCTURE OF MODERN CHINESE 1 | 3 CR. | ||
| 2023 | STRUCTURE OF MODERN CHINESE 2 | 3 CR. | ||
| 2024 | CHINESE PEDAGOGY 1 | 3 CR. | ||
| 2025 | CHINESE PEDAGOGY 2 | 3 CR. | ||
| 2026 | MATERIALS AND EVALUATION | 3 CR. | ||
| 2027 | HISTORY OF CHINESE LANGUAGE | 3 CR. | ||
| 2047 | CHINESE AND WESTERN POETRY | 3 CR. | SUN | |
| 2065 | SOURCES ON EAST ASIA | 3 CR. | ||
| 2902 | DIRECTED STUDY | 1-6 CR. | ||
| 2990 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | 3 CR. | ||