Like the previous post on Korean Studies programs, most of the information and advice given here is general, intended to point one in the right direction, and offer a few ideas as a starting point; a lot of work will need to be done to find the right program and ensure it will meet your specific needs.

The obvious place to go for Korean studies is South Korea. The good news is that there are many programs there, though I’ve read that some prefer to study in the West to avoid the nationalism that can be present in Korean academia. The bad news, for those wishing to pursue an undergraduate degree in Korean Studies, is that most programs in English are for graduate degrees.

A major component of any Korean Studies program is language, and many universities offer Korean language courses (where you will encounter a large number of Japanese, which can be helpful for the Asian Studies major). Some universities also have additional courses for students in English, which is a good place for the undergrad to get a beginning on that area of coursework.

For example, the first university I attended in Seoul offered several social science courses in a seminar format (three hours once a week), as well as Taekwondo. In my case, I was usually the only Westerner in these classes, the rest being Korean students taking the course to improve or maintain English skills. This may result in the professor expecting more of you as a native speaker, but will also provide the opportunity to discuss issues with your South Korean counterparts, something I found very useful.

If you’re in language class for 15-20 hours per week the extra work load can be tiresome, but that the price you pay! For U.S. veterans: if you’re on an exchange program and using the GI Bill, those extra courses could be the difference between half-time and full-time benefits.

Similar to many of the Asian Studies or East Asian Studies programs in the States, these courses normally are on Korea in general rather than North Korea, but you can often choose research projects and do papers on the DPRK – it’s up to you to convince the professor. Still, many courses not specifically about North Korea share a common background. History, philosophy, and art before the end of WWII, for example, cover the Korean Peninsula and help form a foundation for understanding how contemporary history evolved.

Graduate students have a many more opportunities as several programs are in English, North Korea can usually be a focus in any of the social sciences, and there are several Korean Studies graduate programs. At least one university, Kyungnam University in Masan (southern end of South Korea, far from Seoul). has a Graduate School of North Korean Studies (SNS).

Below are some schools that I know have Korean language courses, and in some cases do offer additional courses in English. Again, these serve as a very few examples, there are many more universities where you can learn Korean. Before you go to any of these sites note that you may need to use Internet Explorer 6, you’ll probably get several annoying pop-up windows, and you may need to look around for a link to the English page (usually the upper right-hand corner). The sites are busy and information in English is hit or miss, which means you may need to email the university for more specific information:

• Seoul National University (SNU) has a graduate Korean Studies program, and offers, “Korean Studies courses in English are open to foreign exchange or visiting students,” which doesn’t stipulate undergrad or grad, but likely includes both.
• Yonsei University is well known for its Korean language program, which in my opinion is excellent. I’m not sure what Yonsei offers in terms of Korean Studies programs, especially with a focus on North Korea, but there are bound to be some. Check the social science departments. Yonsei does have an extensive network of sister school in the U.S., which is a benefit. I believe Yonsei does have a graduate Korean Studies program, but could be mistaken (if anyone knows, please comment).
• Kyung Hee University (KHU) also has a well developed language program (though not as well known as Yonsei’s), and offers undergrad Korea-focused courses on a variety of topics in English to students in that program. In this case you could, for example, take an International Relations course and select a North Korean topic to research. KHU’s Graduate Institute of Peace Studies is in English and also allows for a focus on North Korea (at the Suwon rather than the Seoul campus, I think).
• I am not as familiar with Sogang University, but know that they also have a very good Korean language program and likely have a selection of Korean Studies type courses in English as well.

To find more universities in South Korea, try this list from Wikipedia, from a Canadian site, an older list from Duke, and from the Yahoo directory. Also take a look at the Academy of Korean studies, a portal site.

A few notes in closing. Don’t overlook your own universities exchange program, which may have sister schools in South Korea. Many U.S. universities also have partnerships with other American schools to share exchange programs. In some cases you will have tuition waved, pay tuition at your home school while in Korea, and have the opportunity to apply for scholarships.

That last bit is important, because while you’re on a student visa you are not supposed to work, and could be deported if you are caught doing so. In reality a lot of students teach English on the side, including me (two hours a week that made the difference between sink and swim, financially) – but some do get caught and deported. Look into scholarships, fellowships, grants, and loans as an initial part of your search for the right school (e.g. the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS)).

If you’ve studied in South Korea, please leave comments and suggestions.

The next post on this topic will be very short as it will be on studying in North Korea.