The Master of Arts in Eastern Classics is a 34-credit hour program designed to be completed in three consecutive semesters, starting with the fall term.
The program includes:
Six (6) credits of language tutorials, studying in either Classical Chinese or Sanskrit. Language is completed in the fall and spring semesters only.
Thirteen (13) credits of seminar, where students read and discuss the most influential texts of Eastern cultures. Seminar is an integral part of the programs, with students completing five (5) credits in the fall and spring semesters and three (3) credits in the summer semester.
Fifteen (15) credits of preceptorials. Preceptorials are taught in 8-week sections. Students enroll in two preceptorials in both the fall and spring semesters, and one preceptorial in the summer semester for a total of five preceptorials.
A breakdown of the class credits and enrollment timeline can be found below.
All classes are 20 or fewer students in order to nurture a collaborative learning environment, creating space for every voice around the table to listen and be heard.
The heart of the curriculum is the seminar, in which a group of students engages in a discussion initiated by a tutor’s opening question about the assigned reading. The seminar commences with the foundational texts of China and continues through the major works of India and Japan. Along the way, students will explore the interplay of philosophy and government, religion and myth, history, and poetry across the three cultures. Substantial papers are required for the fall and spring semesters.
In the fall and spring, students undertake an intensive study of either Sanskrit or Classical Chinese. The goal is not mastery, but to enable students to gain sufficient familiarity with the elements of the language to be able to translate selected short passages from classical texts. There is no expectation of previous experience with the language prior to enrollment. Students often report that the language tutorial, while being the most difficult part of their studies, is also the most rewarding.
The ambitious reach of the seminar is complemented by smaller classes called preceptorials. A small group of students study a single work or theme for an eight-week period, not only allowing for more profound inquiry into the preceptorial text itself, but also reinforcing or challenging the readings in the seminar. Students will be expected to write papers for each of the five preceptorials needed to graduate. Preceptorials always include the writings of Sima Qian and The Mahabharata in the fall semester and The Tale of Genji in the summer semester. Students select two electives, proposed by faculty, during the spring semester.
Students who would like to engage in a substantial piece of writing in addition to program requirements may petition the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs for permission to write an optional Master’s essay. The essay can only be written in addition to the full program. The content and goal of the Master’s essay should be the thoughtful examination of a text or several texts. The essay is not intended to be a piece of specialized research, but rather a sustained performance in the program. Essays are evaluated by a specially selected committee of three college tutors, including a committee chairperson appointed by the Associate Dean. A public oral examination is scheduled at the time the committee approves the essay. Essays are graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory; oral examinations are graded pass with honors, pass, or fail.
