Korean BA – UCLA Department of Asian Languages and Cultures

UCLA offers the widest range of undergraduate courses on Korea of any university in North America. In addition to achieving advanced levels of proficiency in modern spoken and written Korean, students are required to acquire broad and detailed knowledge of Korean literature, history, religion, linguistics, and popular culture. Students who complete this major have the linguistic and cultural competence to work in various fields related to Korea, including business, finance, trade, journalism, diplomacy, cultural institutions and non-profit organizations, education, and academia.

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrated advanced knowledge of written and spoken Korean
Broad knowledge of Korean history, literature, thoughts, and religions from the ancient to the modern era
Engagement in critical comparisons of historical and other narratives
Relation of historical and cultural developments in Korea with other countries in East Asia and beyond
Discussion of the scholarly literature about a topic in an area of expertise
Analysis of texts, cultural objects, and historical developments based on disciplinary knowledge
Conduct research projects using primary and second source materials critically and persuasively

Curriculum & Requirements

All students who wish to take an Asian language course at UCLA must take the appropriate language
placement exam (see ALC website for more information). The exam determines which course is most
appropriate for the student’s current level of proficiency. Students who have obtained college credit for a
class may not repeat those courses for credit.

The Korean major is based on the following two pillars: Language Acquisition and Humanities-based Interdisciplinary Study

All majors will graduate with at least 3rd-year level of Korean, having acquired advanced-level proficiency in Korean language or beyond
All majors will graduate with discipline-specific knowledge of Korea, fulfilled through upper-division courses in literature, linguistics, history, or religion.
Majors will also develop analytical and literary foundations through the completion of one major Korea-based General Education (GE) course and one Korean literature course.
Majors are required to take at least two upper-division electives in Asian, China, Japan, South Asia, or Southeast Asia (includes Vietnamese electives)

Lower Division Preparation

Lower division