Required courses

Core courses (9 credits)

• ASST 5110: International Political Economy of Asia (3 credits)
• ASST 6680: Theory/Policy in Asia (3 credits)
• One course on History, Society, Culture (eligible courses are provided each semester) 

Concentration courses (9 credits)

You are required to take three courses from a functional or a subregional concentration:

• Politics and Security of Asia
• History, Society, and Culture of Asia
• International Political Economy and Business of Asia
• Energy, Environment, and Transnational Issues of Asia
• South Asia
• Southeast Asia

You can choose to pursue two concentrations within your degree program. 

Language requirements 

You must have at least one year of university-level language training in an Asian language with a grade of B or above in order to enter the program. 

To complete the program, you must demonstrate proficiency in an Asian language through one of these options:

• Obtain a grade of B+ or higher in an advanced language course equivalent to third year at Georgetown or a comparable language program during your time in the MASIA Program; or
• Obtain a grade of proficiency in U.S. Government or equivalent language testing while a graduate student at Georgetown; or
• Pass a proficiency test at Georgetown University; or
• Successful completion of other testing approved by the Director of Asian Studies and the Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture.

Language placement exams 

Upon arrival at Georgetown, all students planning to further their language studies will be required to participate in a language placement exam. Advanced language learners who wish to test out of continued language study while at Georgetown must pass a proficiency exam to satisfy the language requirement. Native speakers of an Asian language, as determined by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and the Director of Asian Studies, are considered exempt from the language proficiency requirement.

Georgetown currently offers proficiency exams in these languages:

• Chinese
• Hindi
• Japanese
• Korean
• Punjabi
• Urdu

Additional languages may be tested through third-party services. Please email Robert.Lyons@georgetown.edu with any questions.

Internship requirement

The internship requirement was created to enhance the professional rigor of the program and to assist with professional development. You are expected to complete this requirement either in the fall, spring or summer semesters of your first year of studies. The MASIA program can waive the requirement for individuals with substantive work experience, current full-time employment, military personnel, candidates sponsored for government service and other circumstances per the Director of Asian Studies.

---

Electives 

The remaining 18 credits will be completed through elective courses. You can also use these credits to complete a second concentration, certificate program or optional M.A. thesis.

---

Concentrations 

Tailor your studies to your specific interests and career goals by choosing one or two concentrations. Our concentrations allow you to deepen your expertise in key areas such as politics and security, history and culture, international political economy or transnational issues. You’ll be prepared for a wide range of professional opportunities across government, business and academia.

Functional concentrations

• Politics and Security of Asia: Focus on the study of traditional security issues including deterrence, nuclear proliferation, arms control and alliances. You will also explore transnational and non-state security challenges including terrorism, radicalism, religious conflict and energy security.
• History, Society and Culture of Asia: Focus on the in-depth study of the history and historiographical approaches to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Central Asian, Southeast Asian or South Asian history and society, as well as literature, religion, philosophy, classics and other areas related to the study of the unique histories, cultures and societies in Asia. You can take courses on pre-modern Asia to count toward fulfillment of the concentration.
• International Political Economy / Business of Asia: Understand the relationship between power and wealth in Asia, the prospects for free trade, international business and finance in Asia.
• Energy, Environment and Transnational Issues: Focus on topics that transcend national boundaries. You can emphasize interdisciplinary areas including energy, climate, environment, demography, development and health, among other subjects.

Subregional concentrations

• South Asia: Focus on the society, politics, economics, culture and history of South Asia.
• Southeast Asia: Focus on the society, politics, economics, culture and history of Southeast Asia.

---

Optional thesis 

You can opt to write a master’s thesis under the supervision of a faculty member of the Asian Studies Program through the research seminar course ASST 7900 Thesis Seminar: Asian Studies (or its equivalent). This course is usually taken in the second semester. Proper revision and approval of the paper for this class may be submitted in the third semester as fulfilling the thesis requirement. 

You may also write a thesis through an independent tutorial with a faculty mentor. In this case, you are responsible for finding a faculty member willing to undertake an independent study tutorial to advise you, preparing a syllabus and establishing regular meetings together throughout the semester of research. 

In ASST 7900 or the independent tutorial, the thesis must achieve a B+ or better grade to fulfill the thesis requirement. The revised and finished thesis must be approved by the Director of Asian Studies and deposited with the Director of Academic Programs & Operations by the end of the third semester or earlier.

---

Grade point average

You must achieve a 3.0 GPA to graduate.

---

Accelerated MASIA degree program

The Accelerated M.A. in Asian Studies degree program is an opportunity for current Georgetown University Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) candidates to participate in an accelerated degree program to earn both the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and the MASIA degree in a five-year period.

The accelerated MASIA degree program is a 36-credit program in which up to 12 credits of courses in the fourth undergraduate year that are counted toward the master’s degree can (but do not have to) be counted for credit toward the BSFS degree. The accelerated MASIA degree program will allow up to a maximum of 18 credits in the fourth year to count towards the master’s degree, which would then leave 18 credits in the fifth year.

Please contact Robert.Lyons@georgetown.edu with any questions about the accelerated degree program.