Research-oriented and hands-on master’s program Master’s in East Asian Art History
The Master’s degree program in East Asian art history is designed to give students the opportunity to acquire in-depth and hands-on knowledge of the art and visual culture of China, Japan, and, to a lesser extent, Korea.
The East Asian Art History program emphasizes the development of students’ research and analytical skills.
This approach enables them to formulate relevant research questions and explore topics that genuinely interest them. Students graduating from the program possess specialized knowledge and practical insights to pursue careers as academics, curators, gallerists, and culture mediators, among others.
Requirements to Apply for the MA
Program requirements are listed in the admission regulations (in German only). Applicants should read the regulations carefully before applying.
The most relevant requirements for the major are summarized below for convenience only (applicants must refer to the regulations in German, the summary below has no legal basis):
- Students must either have an academic background in East Asian Art History, Sinology or Japanese Studies to apply, OR have taken 70 ECTS for courses that are equivalent to courses taught in the BA program East Asian Art History. (This assessment can only be made by the academic advisor.)
- The grade obtained for the undergraduate degree should not be lower than 2,7 (“good”), according to the German grading system.
- Applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency (preferably a language test certificate, such as IELTS with grade 6.5, or equivalent)
- Applicants must provide proof of Chinese or Japanese language proficiency.
- Basic knowledge of a second modern language is also required. (For ex. French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, etc., preferably on level B2 according to the CEFR scale. Please consult the academic advisor if you have questions about the second modern language and the accepted types of certificates.)
- The MA program is taught in English and German. This means the university-wide regulations that require international applicants to provide proof of German language proficiency also apply to this program. More information on this can be found on the university page on language requirements.
To avoid delays in your application, we recommend that you contact our academic advisor before submitting documents through the application system.
Applying for the MA East Asian Art History
Before deciding to apply for the program, interested students should read the study guide.
Applications for the MA must be submitted through the online system HeiCO.
The program only accepts applications for the Winter term.
University-wide deadlines for applications are listed on the university web page. The deadline for the MA East Asian Art History is listed under “access-restricted-only consecutive Master’s degree programmes.”
International students are advised to submit their materials by the end of June—much earlier than the official deadline—so there is time to request APS certificates and to obtain a visa.
Choosing a Minor
It is mandatory to choose a minor in combination with this MA programme. Applicants must first apply for their major through the application system HeiCO. The registration of the minor takes place after enrolment. Please consult the academic advisor of the program for your minor beforehand to make sure you meet the requirements.
The Master East Asian Art History program can be combined with most programs at Heidelberg University. Students often choose Japanese Studies or Sinology as minor to strengthen their regional focus or might combine it with Transcultural Studies or European Art History to strengthen their theoretical knowledge of art history.
Choosing East Asian Art History as Minor
The requirements for selecting East Asian Art History as a minor are also listed in the admission regulations. The most relevant requirements for the minor are summarized below for convenience only (applicants must refer to the regulations in German, the summary below has no legal basis):
- Students must have taken 28 ECTS for courses that are equivalent to courses taught in the BA program East Asian Art History. (This assessment can only be made by the academic advisor.)
- Applicants must provide proof of language skills for two languages beside German.
After enrolling for your major, please consult the academic advisor and submit the filled-out form to register the minor. This must be submitted to the central student administration office to officially register the minor.
Registering for the MA Oral Exam and Thesis
The oral exam and the MA thesis are part of the same module and students can decide which exam they would like to register first. Students should be aware that the examination guide establishes deadlines to register one of the exams after receiving all required credits for courses.
Registration of the oral exam and the MA thesis is processed by the Examinations Office of the Faculty of Philosophy. All forms and steps to register both exams can be found on their page.
The oral exam is split up into three thematic sections, and takes about 60 minutes. Students are advised to contact the examining professor in a timely manner to discuss the topics of their presentations and any additional requirements.
Before registering their MA thesis, students should approach a faculty member to act as their supervisor. Eligible MA thesis supervisors at the institute are:
- Prof. Sarah Fraser
- Dr. Monica Klasing Chen
The topic of the thesis should be discussed with the supervisor before registration.
The thesis should be about 60 pages long. The preferred citation style is the Chicago Manual of Style, Author-Date style for footnotes. A helpful handout can be found on the page with documents and forms.