Graduate Programs

As a rule, students wishing to enter the graduate program should have completed an undergraduate program comparable to the undergraduate major in this department. Students who do not have B.A. or M.A. degrees in East Asian Languages and Cultures (Japanese or Chinese) or in similar fields can be considered for admission. If admitted, these students are often required to make up deficiencies in their course work. This can result in a lengthening of the normative time to degree (seven years).

The department only admits students into the Ph.D program. You must indicate that a Ph.D. is your degree goal on the application materials. Students who have not completed an M.A. degree before beginning study at Berkeley will have to complete the requirements for the M.A. before proceeding to the Ph.D. program. After completion of the M.A. requirements (course- work and thesis), students are evaluated for permission to proceed to the Ph.D. portion of the program. Students who have completed an M.A. degree before beginning study at Berkeley may apply for admission directly to the Ph.D. program. After one year in the Ph.D. program, such students will be evaluated before being permitted to continue in the program.

U.C. Berkeley graduate students from other disciplines who are considering transferring into the degree program in Japanese or Chinese language undergo the same faculty review as first- time applicants, however, they do not complete the Graduate Application. Students in this category should contact Graduate Degrees, 302 Sproul Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-5900 for a Petition for Change of Major or Degree Goal and the department Graduate Student Affairs Officer for a checklist of materials that will need to be submitted.

The length of time needed to complete an advanced degree in the department depends on financial considerations, the extent of the student's earlier preparation, and other factors. Under optimum conditions, the M.A. can be earned in two years and the Ph.D. in an additional three to four years.

Step by Step. To learn how best to prepare for study at the graduate level in the humanities and the social sciences, current undergraduates may find useful Step by Step, a resource for UC Berkeley students to enrich their undergraduate academic experience and to prepare for graduate school.