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.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL1100 | Politics, Culture and Society | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| PIED1110 | Comparative Politics | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED1511 | International Politics | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits and may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1110 | Modern China: History and Culture | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1241 | Premodern East Asia | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| EAST1252 | Modern Japan | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| EAST1450 | Foundations of East Asia | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| EAST1510 | Introduction to East Asian Religions and Philosophies | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1030 | Beginners Chinese | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1280 | Intermediate Japanese (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1290 | Beginners Japanese | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1460 | Intermediate Chinese (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST1720 | Beginners Thai | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST1035 | Post-Beginners Chinese | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST1281 | Intermediate Japanese (2) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST1295 | Post-Beginners Japanese | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST1461 | Intermediate Chinese (2) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST1725 | Post-Beginners Thai | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules
[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
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED2501 | Theories of International Relations | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | PFP |
| PIED2559 | Global Security Challenges | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits and may study up to 40 credits from the following EAST optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST2006 | China Since 1979 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2007 | Japan's International Relations | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST2008 | The Making of Modern Thailand | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2025 | Global Korea in Context: Sociocultural and Political Dynamics | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2128 | Contemporary East Asian Culture | 20 | Not running in 202627 | |
| EAST2480 | Japanese Development Assistance in a Globalising World | 20 | Not running in 202627 | |
| EAST2711 | Civil Society and the Non-Profit Sector in Contemporary China | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2713 | Buddhism: a Lived Tradition | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2718 | Topics in Contemporary East Asian Societies | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following EAST optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST2300 | Intermediate Japanese (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2305 | Intermediate Japanese 2 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST2550 | Intermediate Chinese (1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST2570 | Intermediate Chinese (II) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following PIED optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED2221 | The Political Economy of North-South Relations | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED2448 | Politics of Contemporary China | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED2455 | State and Politics in Africa | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED2570 | Forced Migration | 20 | Not running in 202627 |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.
[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, incluiding 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.
Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL3050 | Final Year Project | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| PIED3775 | POLIS Final Year Project | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
If PIED3775 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:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST3015 | Religion in China | 20 | Not running in 202627 | |
| EAST3016 | East Asian Performing Arts | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| EAST3017 | Japan-Korea Relations in the Shadow of Empire | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3148 | Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3201 | Modern Japanese History | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| EAST3271 | East Asia's Regional Political Economy | 20 | Not running in 202627 | |
| EAST3350 | Japanese Cinema in the World | 20 | Not running in 202627 | |
| EAST3525 | Globalising China and the Developing World | 20 | Not running in 202627 | |
| EAST3707 | Buddhism: A Lived Tradition | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
If MODL3050 is taken, candidates will be required to study at least 40 credits from the following optional PIED modules; if PIED3775 is taken, candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following PIED optional modules:
Basket 1
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED3158 | British Foreign Policy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3325 | Europe in the World | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3343 | Gender, Violence and Security | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3402 | American Foreign Policy | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3565 | Terrorism: Concepts, Debates, Cases | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Basket 2
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED3261 | Violence and Reconciliation in Africa | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3305 | The Far Right in Europe and Beyond | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3612 | Rethinking Resistance | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3810 | Video Games: Politics, Society and Culture | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules
Last updated: 08/05/2026 16:51:27
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