2025/26 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

BA East Asian Studies and International Relations

Programme overview

Programme code
BA-EAST&INTR
UCAS code
TL32
Duration
3 Years
Method of Attendance
Full Time
Programme manager
Kazuki Morimoto
Contact address
K.Morimoto@leeds.ac.uk
Total credits
360
School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme
Languages, Cultures and Societies
Examination board through which the programme will be considered
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups
Languages, Cultures and Societies

Politics and International Relations

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

This programme will allow the study of two disciplines to the same depth as any single honours student but with less breadth in each discipline and provide a basis for further advanced study in either of the disciplines or in a cognate interdisciplinary area. Specifically, the programme will enable students to draw connections between the two disciplines of East Asian Studies and International Relations. The programme fosters a holistic and advanced understanding of East Asia's global and regional significance. It examines the interplay of culture, history, politics, and society across East Asian nations such as China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, and others, providing students with a comprehensive view of the region's place in the world. At the same time, the programme enables student to develop a critical appreciation of the core concepts and processes of International Relations, engaging with specialist theories and literatures relevant to specific areas of study. It examines the role of key international actors, and explores the origins and evolution of the international political system, including international institutions and contemporary changes underway.

The distinctiveness, appeal and strength of University of Leeds joint honours programmes lie in the unusual combination of depth, breadth and flexibility which they offer, as well as in the exceptional range of degree combinations available. They permit students to study two disciplines, in depth and to degree level while acquiring a broader range of skills than is typically possible within a single honours degree. They are emphatically joint honours programmes, rather than integrated programmes: students can therefore make the links they choose from the wide choice of optional modules available within each discipline. Within certain parameters, they thus effectively make connections and devise pathways according to their own preferences, rather than being faced with a prescribed combination of modules chosen for them by others.

Students will acquire the flexibility of mind and variety of learning techniques needed to switch between the two disciplines. A further element of distinctiveness is the flexibility of the programme structure, which allows joint honours students to change direction more easily, and more radically, than single honours students.

The programme also allows the opportunity to undertake a work placement, field work or study abroad through the International and Industrial variants.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MODL1100Politics, Culture and Society20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
PIED1110Comparative Politics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PIED1511International Politics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits and may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
EAST1110Modern China: History and Culture20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1241Premodern East Asia20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
EAST1252Modern Japan20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
EAST1450Foundations of East Asia20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
EAST1510Introduction to East Asian Religions and Philosophies20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
EAST1010Basic Chinese Language 120Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1210Basic Japanese Language (1)20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1280Intermediate Japanese (1)20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1460Intermediate Chinese (1)20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1703Basic Thai Language and Culture 120Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
EAST1020Basic Chinese Language 220Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST1220Basic Japanese Language (2)20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST1281Intermediate Japanese (2)20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST1461Intermediate Chinese (2)20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST1704Basic Thai Language and Culture 220Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

To be eligible for a joint honours award, students must pass at least 40 credits at level 2 and 40 credits at level 3 in each of the named subjects.

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PIED2501Theories of International Relations20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)PFP
PIED2559Global Security Challenges20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)PFP

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits and may study up to 40 credits from the following EAST optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
EAST2006China Since 197920Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2007Japan's International Relations20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2008The Making of Modern Thailand20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2025Global Korea in Context: Sociocultural and Political Dynamics20Not running in 202526
EAST2128Contemporary East Asian Culture20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2480Japanese Development Assistance in a Globalising World20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2711Civil Society and the Non-Profit Sector in Contemporary China20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2713Buddhism: a Lived Tradition20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2718Topics in Contemporary East Asian Societies20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following EAST optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
EAST2300Intermediate Japanese (1)20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2305Intermediate Japanese 220Not running in 202526
EAST2550Intermediate Chinese (1)20Not running in 202526
EAST2570Intermediate Chinese (II)20Not running in 202526

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following PIED optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PIED2221The Political Economy of North-South Relations20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PIED2448Politics of Contemporary China20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED2455State and Politics in Africa20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PIED2570Forced Migration20Not running in 202526

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

In Level 3 students must study 120 credits. Students are required to take a minimum of 40 credits in each of their main subjects, plus a Final Year Project module which can be taken in and count towards either subject. Any remaining credits can be taken in either of the named subjects or as discovery modules. A maximum of 20 credits of discovery modules may be taken in level 3. Finalists may only take level 1 modules which are listed as discovery skills modules (skd) and only to the value of 20 credits.

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following modules

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MODL3050Final Year Project40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP
PIED3750Dissertation40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP

If PIED3750 is taken, candidates will be required to study at least 40 credits from the following optional EAST modules; if MODL3050 is taken, candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following EAST optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
EAST3015Religion in China20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3016East Asian Performing Arts20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3017Japan-Korea Relations in the Shadow of Empire20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3148Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3156Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3252Modern Japanese History20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3271East Asia's Regional Political Economy20Not running in 202526
EAST3350Japanese Cinema in the World20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3525Globalising China and the Developing World20Not running in 202526
EAST3707Buddhism: A Lived Tradition20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

If MODL3050 is taken, candidates will be required to study at least 40 credits from the following optional PIED modules; if PIED3750 is taken, candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following PIED optional modules:

Basket 1

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PIED3158British Foreign Policy20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED3325Europe in the World20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED3342Gender and Security in Global Politics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED3402American Foreign Policy20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PIED3565Terrorism: Concepts, Debates, Cases20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Basket 2

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PIED3261Violence and Reconciliation in Africa20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED3305The Far Right in Europe and Beyond20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED3612Rethinking Resistance20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PIED3810Video Games: Politics, Society and Culture20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Last updated: 21/05/2025 10:11:53

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team