MSc East Asian Relations

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

University of Edinburgh

Program Overview

The MSc East Asian Relations gives you a comprehensive, multidisciplinary understanding of East Asia — combining politics, history, society, culture and global relations — ideal if you want deep insight into how China, Japan, Korea and other East Asian countries shape and are shaped by global dynamics. The programme suits students keen on diplomacy, international relations, regional studies or global affairs with an East-Asia focus, and allows you to tailor your learning by choosing modules across political, cultural and economic dimensions.

Curriculum Structure

Though technically a one-year full-time (with a part-time option) MSc, the structure blends core, optional, and research work to give both breadth and depth:At the start you take the core module East Asian International Relations which gives a theoretical, historical and topical foundation in regional-level international relations — crucial for understanding East Asia’s political and strategic dynamics.

Alongside that, you choose optional modules depending on your interest. For instance, you might study Radical Japan: culture, politics and protest in Japan’s “Long 1960s” or Korean History, Culture, and Society or China from 1978 to 2018: Reflecting on 40 Years of Reform and Opening — letting you focus on culture, history, economy or politics depending on your career interest.

Finally, you complete a substantial dissertation (60 credits) — an independent research project supervised by faculty. This lets you dive deep into a topic of your choice — whether it’s regional politics, economics, culture, diplomacy, or social change.

Focus areas

“East Asian International Relations; Regional Politics & Security; East Asian History, Culture & Society; Comparative East Asian Studies; Political Economy of East Asia; Global & Regional Diplomacy; Research Methods in Area Studies; China-Japan-Korea Studies; Contemporary East Asian Issues; Dissertation Research in East Asia”

Learning outcomes

“You will gain advanced knowledge of East-Asia’s political, historical, social and economic dynamics; capacity to analyse contemporary regional and global issues involving East Asia; ability to conduct independent, in-depth research; skills in critical thinking, comparative analysis and cross-cultural understanding; readiness for roles in diplomacy, international affairs, regional consultancy, policy, academia, or research related to East Asia.”

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

When you join the MSc East Asian Relations, you’re not just studying theory — you tap into a rich, interdisciplinary environment built around archives, language & area-studies resources, research infrastructure and student communities. This setup helps you build analytical, cultural, language and research-oriented skills critical for work in diplomacy, international affairs, regional studies or academia.

Here’s exactly how Edinburgh supports that hands-on, immersive learning:

Extensive East-Asia specialised library & archive access: The University’s dedicated East Asian Studies Collection includes ~60,000 print and digital resources — with over 45,000 Chinese-language titles, 5,000+ Japanese titles and a Korea-Collection supported by the Korea Foundation. You also get access to hundreds of films, historical documents, and national-library level archives. This is especially useful if you’re researching China, Japan, or Korea — whether in politics, history, culture or international relations.
Digital research tools & databases for Asian studies & foreign-policy research: Through the library you can access specialised online databases — e-journals, digitised historical periodicals, newspapers archives (including Chinese-language sources), CNKI / CiNii for Japanese, and other East-Asia–centric databases — giving you ability to conduct deep historical, political or social research even remotely.
Interdisciplinary and cultural-studies options + language paths: The programme is housed in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures — meaning you can combine IR/relations with culture, history, language-studies modules (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), giving you a well-rounded, cross-cultural and multilingual skill-set.
Supportive learning environment & community for area-studies and regional analysis: The School maintains resources and social/study spaces for students (libraries, study rooms, cultural events, film screenings, language exchange, student societies like Japan Society, China-Futures Society, etc.) — giving you informal opportunities to engage with peers, practise language/culture, and grow networks relevant for East Asia-oriented careers.
Flexible study modes & research-oriented capstone (dissertation): The MSc can be done full-time (12 months) or part-time (24 months), giving flexibility. The programme combines core + optional modules + a research dissertation — giving you hands-on research experience, using archival and contemporary data, regional sources, and critical analysis, to build a substantive thesis.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the East Asian Relations MSc often find themselves well-placed for roles in diplomacy, international organisations, regional policy work, academia, or global business — combining language / area-specialist knowledge with analytical and research skills. Typical early-career roles include: Diplomat / Foreign Service Officer, Policy Analyst or Advisor (East Asia-focused), Regional / International Relations Consultant, Researcher or Analyst at Think-Tanks or NGOs.

This promising progression is supported by the University’s institutional strengths:

Active support from the University’s Careers Service: Through its Careers Service, Edinburgh helps students — and recent graduates (up to two years post-graduation) — with CV and application support, interview preparation, job-search tools, employer networking events, and internships or placements, which can be crucial for breaking into policy, diplomacy or international sectors.
Strong employability credentials of the University overall: The University of Edinburgh is consistently ranked among the top UK universities for graduate employability, which enhances the long-term value of your degree.
Wide sector flexibility and institutional / regional expertise: Because the MSc sits within the University’s Asian-Studies community (which has strengths across politics, culture, language, history), graduates can go into varied fields: diplomacy, international policy, cultural exchange, media, education, consultancy — especially in roles dealing with China, Japan, Korea or East Asia broadly.
Global alumni network, including strong presence in Asia-Pacific region: Edinburgh maintains a large alumni community across Asia-Pacific — which can help in networking, job referrals, or regional-international roles after graduation.
Flexibility to move into research, policy, education or private-sector roles: Given its multidisciplinary and area-studies orientation, the programme gives graduates a skill set applicable to policy-research, consultancy, global business, media, cultural organisations, education — allowing adaptable careers depending on where your interest lies.