University of Michigan

What you'll study

The programme combines advanced training in linguistics, literature, and area studies to support sustained, original research. Students normally take coursework in theoretical and descriptive linguistics (e.g. phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics), historical and comparative linguistics, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, and methods in fieldwork and corpora. Literary and cultural courses cover classical and modern literatures, literary theory, comparative approaches, film and media studies, and translation studies.

Language training is central: students develop advanced reading, writing and research-level competence in at least one East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese or Korean), with options to broaden to additional languages or classical languages. Programme milestones typically include completion of required coursework, language competence examinations, a preliminary or comprehensive examination, a dissertation prospectus, and the doctoral dissertation. Teaching experience is often required or strongly encouraged through graduate instructor assignments and pedagogy seminars.

Students are able to pursue interdisciplinary research drawing on resources and collaborations across campus—areas such as history, anthropology, political science, art history, Asian studies, and computational linguistics are common complements to departmental study.

Entry requirements

• Academic background: A strong bachelor’s degree is the minimum; many applicants hold a relevant master’s degree. Admissions committees look for demonstrated potential for research in East Asian languages, literatures or linguistics.
• Supporting materials: Official transcripts, a curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests or personal statement outlining proposed research direction, and three letters of academic reference are normally required. A writing sample in English that demonstrates scholarly ability is expected; work in an East Asian language is helpful when available.
• Language proficiency: Evidence of competence in the relevant East Asian language(s) is important. Applicants should indicate their level of training and provide documentation where appropriate; some applicants may be admitted with the expectation of completing specified language preparation after matriculation.
• Additional considerations: Departments review fit with faculty expertise and research strengths. Candidates whose backgrounds are non-traditional but who show clear potential for advanced research may also be competitive. Check the department’s admissions guidance for any programme-specific requirements or optional materials.

Career prospects

• Academic careers: Many graduates pursue tenure-track faculty positions in departments of East Asian studies, linguistics, comparative literature, or language programmes, or secure postdoctoral fellowships and research positions.
• Research and public sector: Graduates work in think tanks, cultural policy organisations, government agencies, and international organisations where deep regional and linguistic expertise is valued.
• Publishing, translation and cultural institutions: Opportunities include scholarly and trade publishing, literary translation, museums, libraries, and cultural heritage organisations.
• Industry and technology: Skills in language analysis, corpus work and computational methods can lead to roles in language technology, localisation, data analysis, and private-sector research.

Why study at University of Michigan

• Interdisciplinary strength: The University of Michigan supports strong interdisciplinary work through units focused on Chinese, Japanese and Korean studies, enabling students to combine linguistic and literary research with history, anthropology, media studies and more.
• Research resources: Students benefit from extensive library holdings, special collections, and digital resources for East Asian studies, as well as manuscript and archival materials useful for historical and textual research.
• Faculty and mentorship: The programme features faculty with expertise across theoretical linguistics, historical linguistics, modern and classical literatures, translation studies and language pedagogy, offering close mentoring for doctoral research.
• Professional development: Graduate students have access to teaching training, funding and fellowship opportunities administered through the university’s graduate school, and a vibrant academic community in Ann Arbor with frequent colloquia, visiting scholars and collaborative projects.