Traditional East Asia (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The MPhil in Traditional East Asia examines the Sinitic tradition and its development and adaptations in China, Korea, and Japan. It will appeal to students wishing to develop an intimate knowledge of the region.

This course is not accepting applications this cycle, but is expected to reopen to applications in the next admission cycle. The information on this page has been retained to provide an indication of the course content in previous years. Fees and costs are only valid for the year which is shown and will usually increase annually. The University is under no obligation to deliver the same course in the future. This page may be updated at any time prior to the course re-opening to applications.

On arrival, students are required to have proficiency in at least one East Asian language (Chinese, Korean, or Japanese).

Course structure
During your first year, you will take one course in a modern language and one course in a classical language. You will also attend the East Asia Colloquium throughout the year.

During your second year, you will write a thesis. You will also continue your study of a classical language. You will also take a course in Bibliography and Methodology.

Each of these courses will consist of eight one-hour classes spread over three terms.

Handwriting as a competence standard
Mastering the ability to handwrite in Korean, Japanese and Chinese has been identified as a competence standard for a mandatory core element of this course. This means that students will be required to produce handwritten work for assessment and it will not be possible to complete the assessment in an alternative format.

If you are interested in this course and your personal circumstances mean that handwriting may present a challenge, please contact the school/faculty for further information using the contact details provided in the Further information and enquires section of this page.

For the full description, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas