Southeast Asian Studies Graduate Program

Subject abbreviation: SEAS College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Christina Schwenkel, Ph.D., Director, Program Office, INTS 3111

• (951) 827-5521; seatrip.ucr.edu

Committee in Charge Weihsin Gui (English) Muhamad Ali (Religious Studies) David Biggs (History) Charmaine Craig (Creative Writing) Tamara Ho (Gender and Sexuality Studies) Emily Hue (Ethnic Studies) Mariam B. Lam (Comp Lit & Lang) Sally A. Ness (Anthropology) Victoria Reyes (Sociology) Maria Sarita Echavez See (Media & Cultural Studies) Christina Schwenkel, Chair (Anthropology) Rican Vue, Ph.D. (Education) Deborah A. Wong (Music) Daryle Williams, Dean, ex officio

The Master’s Program in Southeast Asian Stud- ies is an interdepartmental program centered on the study of the arts and cultures of South- east Asia and its diasporas. To understand Southeast Asia as a region, students need to make sense of and engage with its diverse ex- pressive forms of culture (including visual arts, literature, and performance) which are crucial in building and maintaining individual as well as group identity both within and across national or ethnic boundaries.

This program is designed for students with a strong interest in Southeast Asia, including those already admitted or enrolled in another graduate program. Students can be concur- rently enrolled in both the Southeast Asian Studies M.A. program and another graduate degree program. Students may also apply concurrently for the Southeast Asian Studies M.A. - Ph.D. Track in Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Ethnic Studies, History or Music.

Admission All applicants must fulfill the standard admis- sion requirements as established by the Grad- uate Division. Additionally, applicants must submit a Statement of Purpose to indicate a serious interest in Southeast Asian Studies (or a specific country or area in this region) as well as a writing sample (such as a past term paper or course essay) to demonstrate basic skills of scholarship. Foreign Language Students must acquire (or increase) a distinct level of proficiency in at least one language relevant to Southeast Asian Studies prior to beginning research for the thesis and no later than the fifth quarter in the program. The required proficiency can be demonstrated by way of an exam, by completing one year of course work with a “B” or better, or by alter- nate certification, including completion of an approved intensive summer language program. International students from Southeast Asia may use their native language to fulfill this requirement.

Course Work All students are required to pass the Prosemi- nar in Southeast Asian Studies (ANTH 202/CPLT 200/SEAS 200) with a “B” or better. Additional- ly, students must pass (with a “B” or better) a graduate level seminar in four of the following six areas (any 100-level course must be paired with SEAS 292):

• 1. Southeast Asian performance

ANTH 126/AST 123/DNCE 123/MUS 123, ANTH 176/AST 127/DNCE 127/ETST 172/MUS 127, AST 119/MUS 119, AST 124/MUS 124

• 2. Southeast Asian religions

ANTH 257/ RLST 253/ SEAS 202, RLST 111, RLST 150/SEAS 150, RLST 200B, RLST 252

• 3. Southeast Asian cultures

SEAS 203/ANTH 203, ANTH 136/SEAS 136, ANTH 140I

• 4. History of Southeast Asia

SEAS 204/HIST 242, AST 126/HIST 185/SEAS 185, AST 129/HIST 186/SEAS 186, AST 160/ HIST 184/SEAS 184/VNM 184

• 5. Literatures of Southeast Asia

SEAS 205/CPLT 205, AST 163/CPLT 163/ SEAS 163, AST 167/CPLT 167/SEAS 167

• 6. Media in Southeast Asia

SEAS 206, AST 187/MCS 167/SEAS 177, CPLT 173U/MCS 173U

In addition, students can select four other graduate seminars or approved upper division undergraduate courses in accordance with their main field of interest and after approval by the Graduate Advisor and the student’s Thesis Committee. A total of 40 units of coursework, including thesis, are required for the degree in Southeast Asian Studies.

Students concurrently enrolled in another graduate program may, when appropriate, include units earned in that program toward the 40 units of the M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies. However, there must be at least 36 units uniquely applied to the Southeast Asian Studies degree.

Plan I (Thesis) Students enrolled in the Southeast Asian Stud- ies Graduate Program (for the terminal M.A.) who choose the thesis option must submit an essay (thesis) of 50-70 pages reflecting original research, written under the supervision of a member of the program who also functions as the chair of their Thesis Committee. At the beginning of the second year students should write a research proposal outlining their research project. Approximately ten pages in length this proposal should describe the aims of the research and provide a broader theoretical framework. After this is approved students begin to conduct individual research in the field or in the library. Students must enroll in a minimum of 4 units of Thesis Study (SEAS 299) or Directed Research (SEAS 297) under the supervision of a Southeast Asian Studies faculty. Before filing the thesis with the Graduate Division students must pass a formal oral examination or defense.

Plan II (Comprehensive Exam)

• a) Students enrolled in the Southeast Asian

Studies Graduate Program (for the termi- nal M.A.) who choose the comprehensive examination must submit a final project made up of two components: a) partici- pation in community activism, volunteer work, or an internship; b) a written report of 25-30 pages. Students must enroll in a minimum of 4 units of Directed Research (SEAS 297) under the supervision of a Southeast Asian Studies faculty who also functions as the chair of their Compre- hensive Exam Committee. The student’s coursework, activism or internship experi- ences, and written report will be the basis for a comprehensive oral exam. Students must submit the written report to their adviser and exam committee members before the exam. Students must pass the comprehensive exam in order to receive their M. A. degree.

• b) Students concurrently enrolled in another

degree program requiring an M.A. thesis may (with the approval of the Southeast Asian Studies faculty) be awarded the M.A. degree by passing a comprehensive oral examination on the basis of that thesis connected to Southeast Asia and its diasporas.

Concurrent Enrollment Concurrent Enrollment students are enrolled in both the M.A SEAS program and a Ph.D. program in a cooperating department. These students must complete the following 40 units to earn the degree:

• • 20 units of core courses, listed above,

unique to SEAS program.

– SEAS 200

– 4 courses from the 6 above areas

• • 16 elective units can be from the home Ph.D.

program with the approval of SEAS faculty.

4 units in either SEAS 297 or 299 toward completing the comprehensive exam or thesis.

M.A. – Ph.D. Track M.A. – Ph.D. Track students are in the M.A SEAS program and have been preliminarily accepted to a Ph.D. program in a cooperating depart- ment. These students must complete the following 40 units to earn the degree:

• • 20 units of core courses, listed above,

unique to SEAS program.

– SEAS 200

– 4 courses from the 6 above areas

• • 16 elective units can be from the home

Ph.D. program with the approval of SEAS faculty.

• • 4 units in SEAS 299 toward completing the

thesis. Continuation in the Ph.D. program is not guar- anteed, but subject to review by the cooperat- ing department. After completion of the M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies, M.A. – Ph.D. track students will need to reapply through Gradu- ate Admissions (fee waived) to the cooperating department for approval and official admis- sion into the Ph.D. program.

All master’s students must be enrolled for at least three quarters to fulfill the University residency requirement and must hold at least a 3.00 GPA in all upper division and graduate level course work related to the degree. A minimum of 40 units must be completed of which 36 must be graduate level (200 level) or approved upper division undergraduate (100 level) and apply only to the M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies.

Normative Time to Degree Two years