BA in Korean Language & Literature

Student at a Korean Institute lecture speaking from the audience

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Korean Language and Literature learn not just spoken and written skills but also relevant history, political science, anthropology, international affairs and culture. Through intensive language courses and electives, majors learn to read, write and speak Korean and apply their knowledge to a broader world perspective. 

Elective courses available to students in the major include Korean Culture through Film, North Korean Society and Culture, Confucian Literature in East Asia, Politics in the Two Koreas and many more.

Questions about the Korean major? Contact Immanuel Kim.


Departmental Honors

Students may apply to earn special honors in Korean to be noted on their transcript. The Korean program selects no more than two students based on overall performance in the program. Department faculty will recommend the student for special honors only if they meet the requirements for eligibility:

  • Meet GW's special honors requirements
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher in the major and 3.4 overall
  • Achieve a minimum grade of C- in every course taken at GW

 


Course Requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

39 credits in required courses.

Prerequisite courses
These prerequisite courses are not required for students who demonstrate proficiency beyond the level of a given course. For example, a student who demonstrates proficiency beyond the first-year level can be exempted from KOR 1001 and KOR1002; a student whose proficiency exceeds that of KOR 2004 is not required to take any of the courses listed below.
KOR 1001Beginning Korean I
KOR 1002Beginning Korean II
KOR 2003Intermediate Korean I
KOR 2004Intermediate Korean II
Required for the major
KOR 3105Intermediate Korean III
KOR 3106Intermediate Korean IV
KOR 3111Korean Literature in Translation I
KOR 3112Korean Literature in Translation II
KOR 4107Readings in Modern Korean I
KOR 4108Readings in Modern Korean II
KOR 4121WAdvanced Korean Conversation and Composition I
or KOR 4122W Advanced Korean Conversation and Composition II
Four additional upper-level courses (12 credits) selected from the following:
KOR 3123Introduction to Korean Linguistics
KOR 3124Introduction to Korean Linguistics
KOR 3162Korean Culture through Film
KOR 4109Introduction to the History of the Korean Language
KOR 4190North Korean Society and Culture
Two courses (6 credits) related to Korea selected from the following:
AH 2190East Asian Art
ANTH 3705Anthropology of East Asia
CHIN 3111Chinese Literature in Translation I
CHIN 3112Chinese Literature in Translation II
EALL 3811Confucian Literature in East Asia
EALL 3814Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
ECON 2169Introduction to the Economy of China
HIST 2630History of Korea
HIST 3610Imperial China (Song-Qing)
HIST 3611History of Modern China
HIST 3614Writing Modern Chinese History
HIST 3615History of Chinese Communism
HIST 3621History of Modern Japan
IAFF 2091East Asia-Past and Present
JAPN 3111Japanese Literature in Translation I
JAPN 3112Japanese Literature in Translation II
JAPN 3162Japanese Culture Through Film
PSC 2370Comparative Politics of China and Northeast Asia
PSC 2371Politics and Foreign Policy of China
PSC 2368Politics in the Two Koreas
PSC 2475International Relations of East Asia
REL 2601Buddhism
REL 2811Confucian Literature in East Asia
REL 2814Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
REL 2831Introduction to Daoism
WGSS 3136WChinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film