Graduate Field
Asian Literature, Religion and Culture
Program Description
The Field of Asian Literature, Religion and Culture offers students interested in pursuing advanced studies of the literature, culture, religion(s), and intellectual history of any given region in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Students are required to take, for credit, twelve to fourteen courses (six or seven during the first year) and complete an M.A. thesis by the end of the second year. Students who wrote an M.A. thesis (in English) in their major subject before matriculation at Cornell may request a waiver of the thesis requirement. Each student then chooses three areas of specialization (usually two in the major discipline and one in another literature, theoretical field, or a different discipline) and chooses one faculty member to represent each concentration. The student works with this faculty committee to define the three areas and prepare appropriate reading lists. By the end of the third year the student must pass written and oral examinations in each subject (these are called Admission to Candidacy Exams or A Exams). By the time of the A Exams, students must be fluent in their major language and have at least a reading knowledge of a second Asian language and one non-English European language. Doctoral students are encouraged to spend a year in Asia for advanced language training or dissertation research. Teacher training and one year of classroom teaching are part of the professional preparation.
Concentrations
- Asian religions
- East Asian literature and culture
- South Asian literature and culture
- Southeast Asian literature and culture
- Theory and method (minor)
Program Information
- Instruction Mode: In Person
- Location: Ithaca, NY
- Minimum Credits for Degree: 48
Program Requirements
- Minimum Semesters for Degree: 10
Graduate School Milestones
- Responsible Conduct of Research Training: Required
- Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID): Required
- Student Progress Reviews (SPR) begin: Second Year
- Examination for admission to candidacy (A Exam): By the end of the third year, before the seventh semester begins
- Defense of Dissertation (B Exam): After completion of suggested coursework and dissertation drafts are approved by the student's Special Committee
Field Specific Milestones
- Masters Exam (M Exam): Required only if the student was admitted without a Masters degree in an equivalent field
- Non-Thesis Masters is usually conferred at the time of the A Exam
- Field progress review: Second Year
- Second year students present a paper at a field colloquium
Course Requirements
- Course requirements are determined by the student’s Special Committee.
- Enrollment in GRAD research course or the equivalent field specific research course is expected of all students.
University Graduation Requirements
Requirements for All Students
In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.
Academic Requirements
A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the college registrar’s office for more information.
Non-academic Requirements
Conduct Matters. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.
Financial Obligations. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.
