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Studies & Degrees in Korean Language and Culture (in Universities)

Korean is the language of the Korean peninsula and of Korean communities in many other countries. University programmes in Korean language and culture combine language training with the study of Korea's literature, history, religion, society and popular culture. Students usually begin with the alphabet, Hangul, which was created in the 15th century at the direction of King Sejong. First-year courses at The University of Chicago, for example, start with the complete writing system and then move on to basic conversation and grammar.

Beyond the language, the content is broad. The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) requires students of its Korean BA to reach an advanced level in modern spoken and written Korean and to gain knowledge of Korean literature, history, religion, linguistics and popular culture. At the University of Washington, students of the B.A. in Korean learn to read, write and converse through the study of Korean literature, popular culture and linguistics.

Qualifications and levels

Korean is taught at universities in several formats, and the name of the degree does not always contain the word Korean.

  • A bachelor's degree with a major in Korean. This is the usual format in the United States. At the University of Washington the Korean major requires 50 to 75 credits, depending on the level of Korean a student has on entry, and the department offers elementary through advanced Korean.
  • Korean inside an East Asian studies degree. The University of Chicago offers a BA in East Asian studies that covers the civilisations of China, Japan and Korea. At The University of Sheffield, the East Asian Studies BA lasts three or four years and has a language specialist pathway in Korean; students on the intensive Korean pathway reach the equivalent of CEFR level A2 or TOPIK Level 2 by the end of the first year, and the course includes the option of a year abroad.
  • Master's degrees. Leiden University offers a two-year research master's degree in Asian Studies, taught in English, in which students can focus on Korea.
  • Short programmes in Korea. The International Summer Session in Korean and Asian Studies of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Seoul has run since 2003. Its courses are taught in English, for students who do not yet know enough Korean to enrol at a Korean university, and each summer it receives students from about 30 countries.
  • Language courses. Private language schools teach Korean without a degree. Outside Korea, the King Sejong Institutes, which are run by a foundation under the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, teach Korean language and culture.

The standard certificate of Korean is the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), an exam for non-native speakers. TOPIK I tests listening and reading; TOPIK II tests listening, writing and reading. Results are valid for two years from the date the scores are announced. Korean universities use TOPIK scores for admission and graduation, but the level they ask for varies by university and department, according to the Korean government's Study in Korea portal.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 16 active schools for Korean language and culture. Nine are in the United States and two in Canada; the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong have one each. The American universities on the list include The Ohio State University, The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Southern California, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California, Irvine, as well as those named above. In Canada the list has Camosun College in Victoria and a language school in Toronto. In Asia it includes Vietnam National University, Hanoi and a language school in Hong Kong.

The language of the degree is not always English. The bachelor's programme in Korean Studies at Leiden University is taught in Dutch. Check the language of instruction of each programme before applying.

Careers

Graduates use Korean in many sectors. UCLA lists business, finance, trade, journalism, diplomacy, cultural institutions and non-profit organisations, education and academia as fields where its Korean graduates work. Translation and interpreting is another route: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor's degree and projects employment in that occupation to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Korean before starting a degree?

Usually not. Programmes such as the B.A. in Korean at the University of Washington offer introductory courses, and students who already know some Korean take a placement test or interview. The department advises students to sign up for introductory courses as early as possible in order to meet the major's language requirement.

What is TOPIK and do I need it?

TOPIK is the Test of Proficiency in Korean for non-native speakers. Korean universities use it for admission and graduation, and it is also used for employment, visas and the Global Korea Scholarship. Each university sets its own required level.

Can I study Korean studies in Korea without speaking Korean?

Yes, in some programmes. The HUFS International Summer Session in Seoul teaches its Korean and Asian studies courses in English. For a full degree taught in Korean, universities ask for proof of Korean, normally a TOPIK score.

How long does a degree in Korean take?

It depends on the country. The East Asian Studies BA at The University of Sheffield takes three or four years. The research master's degree in Asian Studies at Leiden University takes two years.