THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
The University of Alberta, one of Canada’s largest and most accomplished research universities, is situated in Edmonton,
a metropolitan area of over one million. Established in 1908 as a board-governed public institution, the University of
Alberta has earned a reputation as one of the top five universities in Canada based on its strengths in teaching, research
and service. The University of Alberta serves over 39,000 students in more than 200 undergraduate and 170 graduate
programmes (www.ualberta.ca). Courses on East Asia have been offered regularly at the University of Alberta since
1961, making our programme one of the oldest in western Canada.
THE M.A. DEGREE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES
The Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Alberta has strong undergraduate and graduate programmes
in Chinese, Japanese, and East Asian Studies. It is one of the largest Canadian university departments devoted solely to
the study of East Asia.
The Master of Arts degree programme in the Department of East Asian Studies is intended to provide graduate students
with advanced language skills and a profound critical understanding of East Asia, particularly in relation to their chosen
field. This training will prepare graduates of the programme for careers in a variety of fields; it will also provide the basis
for the pursuit of more advanced degrees. A number of our graduates in recent years have gone on to well-regarded
Ph.D. programmes in the USA.
The thesis-based M.A. degree offered in the Department requires students to complete 18 credits of coursework
(generally six courses), plus a thesis involving original, substantial research in primary sources. The M.A. programme is
generally completed in two years; it must be completed within four years.
AREAS OF ACADEMIC SPECIALISATION
Students can focus on any of the following areas:
Chinese Linguistics/Pedagogy
Chinese Literature
Japanese Linguistics/Pedagogy
Japanese Literature
Japanese Cultural Studies
East Asian Art History
East Asian Religion
East Asian Studies*
In particular, the department has research strengths in the
following areas:
Chinese Linguistics/Pedagogy
Japanese Linguistics/Pedagogy
Premodern Japanese Studies
Premodern Chinese Studies
A list of departmental faculty can be found here:
http://www.eastasianstudies.ualberta.ca/People/Faculty.aspx
More information on the department’s areas of research excellence can be found here:
http://www.eastasianstudies.ualberta.ca/AreasofResearchExcellence.aspx
*Please note that the “East Asian Studies” specialisation is intended to allow students to pursue interdisciplinary or inter-area
research that combines two or more existing specialisations within the department.
TUITION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Tuition costs at the University of Alberta are very reasonable compared to those at other North American universities.
University and departmental funding is available on a competitive basis; over the past several years we have been
successful in providing almost all of our graduate students with some form of financial support, generally in the form of
teaching assistantships. All applicants to the programme will be considered for funding; no separate application for
funding is needed.
HOW TO APPLY
1. Make an online application at www.gradstudies.ualberta.ca/en/applyadmission.aspx (follow the
instructions on that page). All required materials should be uploaded directly through the university’s
application system.
2. Send supplementary application materials directly to the department. If you have problems uploading
required documents to the university’s application system, or if there are supplementary materials which
you wish to have considered as part of your application, mail them directly to us at: Graduate Chair,
Department of East Asian Studies, 3-31 Pembina Hall, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H8,
CANADA. Or you may email these to Gail Mathew, gail.mathew@ualberta.ca.
3. Ask your academic referees to upload their letters of recommendation directly to the university’s
online application system.
Please see the Graduate Application Checklist on the following page for detailed information on the required
documents, including the letters of recommendation.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The deadline to apply to our graduate program for September entry is January 15.
USEFUL LINKS
University of Alberta Department of East Asian Studies Graduate Programme home page:
http://www.eastasianstudies.ualberta.ca/GraduatePrograms.aspx
University of Alberta Department of East Asian Studies Graduate Programme Calendar entry:
https://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/GradStudies-and-Research/Programs/205.21.html#205.21
University of Alberta Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research: http://www.gradstudies.ualberta.ca/
University of Alberta Graduate Students’ Association: http://www.gsa.ualberta.ca/
University of Alberta International Centre: http://www.iss.ualberta.ca/en/ContactUs.aspx
INQUIRIES/CONTACT US
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about our graduate programme.
Department of East Asian Studies, 3-31 Pembina Hall,
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H8, CANADA
www.eastasianstudies.ualberta.ca
Graduate Programme enquiries:
eastasia.grad@ualberta.ca
Please see the GRADUATE APPLICATION CHECKLIST on the following page for a detailed list of
required application materials and admission criteria.

DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES GRADUATE APPLICATION CHECKLIST
This is a form prepared by the Department of East Asian Studies to assist applicants to the Department’s graduate programme in collecting their
application materials. This checklist pertains to the application materials that must be sent directly to the Department; any application to the
Department’s graduate programme must be made online in the first instance at www.gradstudies.ualberta.ca/en/applyadmission.aspx.
Information on this form or the Department website is intended to complement, not replace, information in the University of Alberta Calendar. If
there is any disagreement between this form and the Calendar, applicants should be guided by the Calendar. Please note that in all items below,
“you” or “your” refers to the Applicant; “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to the Department of East Asian Studies.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT THIS FORM WITH YOUR APPLICATION; IT IS INTENDED FOR YOUR PERSONAL REFERENCE ONLY.

TOPIC
NOTE
DEADLINE
We will begin reviewing applications for September programme entry on January 15th. Please
ensure that we receive your complete application by that date.
NAME
To avoid confusion, please use the name under which you have made your official online application in
any correspondence with us regarding your application to the graduate programme.
CV
You are welcome to send us a CV that you have prepared yourself. However, please note that your
application must include a CV submitted through the normal online application system.
(REQUIRED)
TRANSCRIPTS
(REQUIRED)
UNDERGRADUATE
LANGUAGE
REQUIREMENT
(REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PROFICIENCY
(REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE)
You must send us original transcripts from all undergraduate institutions you have attended. If the
transcripts are in a language other than English, English translations must be provided. The minimum
required GPA is 3.3 over the last two years of academic work.
Please note that unless you have been specifically notified of an exemption, you are required to have
completed four years of undergraduate study in the language in which you intend to pursue research
by the time you begin graduate study. Your transcripts should reflect this. If for any reason your
language training does not appear on your university transcripts, you must provide supporting
documentation.
If your degree or qualification is in a language other than English, you must have an original Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score
report sent to us. Minimum required scores for consideration for admission are as follows: TOEFL: 600
(paper-based test) or 100, with a score of at least 20 in each of the individual skill areas (internetbased test); IELTS: 6.5, with a score of at least 5 on each band.
REFERENCE 1
UOFA FORM +/- LETTER
(REQUIRED)
REFERENCE 2
UOFA FORM +/- LETTER
You must have three referees contact us in support of your application. All referees are to upload
their letters of reference directly to the University of Alberta online application system.
(REQUIRED)
REFERENCE 3
UOFA FORM +/- LETTER
(REQUIRED)
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
(REQUIRED)
WRITING SAMPLE
(REQUIRED)
You must include a statement of purpose, which should be 1 - 2 pages in length and must be in
English. This statement should not be a personal introduction, or a general summary of your good
qualities, but should describe in detail your intended primary field of study, which specific research
questions you wish to address in your M.A. thesis, and if possible, what research methodologies you
intend to use. This statement of purpose is non-binding—students usually do not write an MA thesis
on exactly the same topic originally proposed. However, it is critical that we have a good idea of what
research topic you are likely to undertake; a radical change in your research direction after admittance
may slow your progress in our program.
You must include a writing sample, which should be 5 - 15 pages in length and must be in English,
preferably on a subject related to your proposed field of graduate study.