BA East Asian Studies
About this course
BA in East Asian Studies, a Chinese degree centred on the interdisciplinary exploration of regional societies, languages, and cultures. Core topics include Programming, Research Methods, Historical Research, Critical & Analytical Thinking, Ethics & Professional Practice, Design & Creative Practice, and Global & Comparative Perspective. Students have the opportunity to complete a year abroad at partner institutions such as Nanjing University. During the first year, students build foundational knowledge through modules like Key Questions in East Asian Studies, Arts, History and Culture in East Asia, and Politics, Economy and Society in East Asia, alongside language training paths in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. The second year continues language development and core thematic studies through modules such as East Asia Inc: Business, Competition and Innovation, Film, Television and Screen Cultures in East Asia, and International Relations in East Asia: Power, Identity and Security. In the final year, students complete a compulsory East Asian Dissertation and can choose from optional modules covering specialized topics like Digital Platforms and Alternative East Asia, History, Memory and Heritage in East Asia, and Curating East Asia: Culture, Media and Creative Practice.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A Level: ABB IB: 33; 32, with B in a Global Politics or Environmental Systems & Societies based extended essay
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Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 70%: 21 offers from 30 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 11 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 83%
- Learning opportunities: 89%
- Assessment and feedback: 89%
- Academic support: 97%
- Organisation and management: 84%
- Learning resources: 92%
- Student voice: 76%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 15 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 100%
What graduates do next
Based on about 62 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 67%
- Working and studying: 11%
- Further study: 8%
- Unemployed: 9%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 19%
- Administrative occupations: 16%
- Teaching Professionals: 12%
- Elementary occupations: 7%
- Finance Professionals: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 65%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 56%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 39%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 235 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 3%
- North West: 16%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 25%
- East Midlands: 6%
- West Midlands: 4%
- East of England: 4%
- London: 20%
- South East: 11%
- South West: 7%
- Wales: 1%
- Scotland: 1%
- Northern Ireland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 65 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 75%
- Baccalaureate: 1%
- Access course: 4%
- Other HE qualification: 6%
- Other qualifications: 13%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Key Questions in East Asian Studies
- Arts, History and Culture in East Asia
- Politics, Economy and Society in East Asia
- Korean Intensive 1c
- Korean Intensive 1a
- Korean Intensive 1b
- Japanese Intensive 1c
- Japanese Intensive 1a
- Japanese Intensive 1b
- Chinese Intensive 1c
- Chinese Intensive 1a
- Chinese Intensive 1b
- Chinese Intensive Accelerated 1a
- Chinese Intensive Accelerated 1b
- Chinese Intensive Accelerated 1c
- Inventing Traditions in China, Japan and Korea
- Korean 1
- Japanese 1
- Chinese 1
- Thinking Cross-culturally
- China Year Abroad
- Korean Intensive 2a
- Korean Intensive 2b
- Korean Intensive 2c
- Global Citizenship and East Asia: Responding to Contemporary Challenges
- Chinese Intensive 2a
- Chinese Intensive 2b
- Chinese Intensive 2c
- Japanese Intensive 2a
- Japanese Intensive 2b
- Japanese Intensive 2c
- East Asia Inc: Business, Competition and Innovation
- Film, Television and Screen Cultures in East Asia
- Music and Sound in East Asia
- International Relations in East Asia: Power, Identity and Security
- Everyday East Asia: Ethnographic Approaches
- Twentieth-Century East Asian History: Dynamism, Destruction and Dissent
- Mapping East Asia
- Korean 2
- Chinese 2
- Japanese 2
- East Asian Studies Year Abroad
- Global Citizenship and East Asia: Responding to Contemporary Challenges
- Chinese Intensive Accelerated 2a
- Chinese Intensive Accelerated 2b
- Mapping East Asia
- East Asia Inc: Business, Competition and Innovation
- Twentieth-Century East Asian History: Dynamism, Destruction and Dissent
- Film, Television and Screen Cultures in East Asia
- Music and Sound in East Asia
- International Relations in East Asia: Power, Identity and Security
- Everyday East Asia: Ethnographic Approaches
- East Asian Dissertation
- Digital Platforms and Alternative East Asia
- History, Memory and Heritage in East Asia
- Contemporary East Asian Literature in Translation
- Transnational Activism Beyond East Asia
- Curating East Asia: Culture, Media and Creative Practice
- East Asian Futures: Sustainability and Transformation
- Interrogating Identity in East Asia
- Reading Early East Asian Sources and Contexts
- Korean 3
- Chinese 3
- Japanese 3
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield earn?
The median salary is £27,000 after 15 months, £25,000 after 3 years, £31,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £25,000 and £39,000. The £31,000 median after five years is the same as the UK median for Asian studies.
What do graduates of BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield do next?
86% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield?
83% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield?
The typical offer is ABB at A level. The average entrant had 158 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield?
70% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 21 offers from 30 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
Does BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year and an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA East Asian Studies at University of Sheffield?
100% of students continued into their second year, and 0% left higher education.