PhD in Asian Literature, Religion and Culture in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture program enables graduate students to conduct in-depth studies of literary traditions, cultural practices, religious systems, and intellectual developments across East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The curriculum mandates completion of twelve to fourteen credit-bearing courses (with six or seven taken in the first year) and submission of an M.A. thesis by the second year's conclusion. Applicants who previously completed an English-language M.A. thesis in their primary field may petition to waive this requirement. Participants select three specialization areas (typically two within their principal discipline and one in either another literary tradition, theoretical domain, or different academic field), assembling a faculty committee to guide each concentration's development, including customized reading lists. Before completing their third year, candidates must successfully pass written and oral Admission to Candidacy Exams (A Exams) in all three subjects. A Exam candidates must demonstrate fluency in their primary Asian language, along with reading proficiency in another Asian language and one European language besides English. The program strongly recommends doctoral candidates spend one academic year in Asia for intensive language study or dissertation fieldwork. Professional preparation includes pedagogical training and a mandatory year of instructional experience.