Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Peeping Tom]

Does anyone know of any universities in the U.S. that have Korean degree programs? Not just some classes, but an actual major.

[lastat06513]

I know Yale has it as one of the majors in its foreign language department- I met and had dinner with the professor

If you are interested, apply. They are very generous with its financial aid at the moment...

[jaykimf]

http://www.hawaii.edu/eall/kor/index.htm

[Yaya]

What would you do with a degree in Korean studies? I've had people ask about that major, but I'm not too keen on it, especially if you want a job after graduation.

[Smee]

Getting an advanced degree in Korean Studies at one of the universities here would be an interesting experience. Maybe it doesn't carry a whole lot of clout, and maybe it won't turn heads on a resume, but not everything has to be about money.

I think a degree in Asian Studies would be more useful. Hoewver, whether you're going for an Asian Studies or Korean Studies degree, it seems like you'd face stiff competition after graduation. I mean, you're likely in these programs with people who've spent their whole lives immersed in the culture and language. That doesn't necessarily guarantee their proficiency, but it's something to think about. There's the novelty of being a non-Korean/non-Asian to be fluent in these languagees, but I think you'd almost have to pair these degrees with either connections or a lot of work experience.

I've also considered doing something in Asian Studies when I get back home, but it'd be quite difficult to find a career in a relevant field. (Plus, having to develop proficiency in two Asian languages---and many times they don't count Korean---is a near impossibility at this point.

I think there's schools in the University of California system that offer this degree, but I'm not certain.

[dogshed]

There are quite a few schools that allow you to create your own degree. -Jeff

[ThePoet]

[Peeping Tom]

Well, I don't actually want to do the Korean major myself...I've already got certificates for that from Yonsei.

I'm going to study Linguistics, but I'd like to go to a university with a strong Korean department as well, since I plan to do some comparison of Korean and English for my degree. Most universities have quite little with regards to Korean, and I'd rather not go to Hawaii due to location (even though it might be the best choice).

[Smee]