[KS] Korean Studies in the UK

[James H Grayson]

15 April, 2005

Dear Friends,
There has been a lot of discussion about Korean Studies in the UK. 

It is true to say that there has been  contraction in the teaching of the Korean language. 
Whereas 2 years ago, there would have been 5 universities teaching Korean, there are 
now three.  

However, two of these universities, SOAS and Sheffield, offer full four-year 
undergraduate degree programmes in Korean Studies and have done so from the early 
1990s.  Korean Studies may be taken as a single subject degree programme or in 
combination with other disciplinary subjects. Both of these institutions are in receipt of 
special funding for Minority Subjects from the British Government. 

Although numbers of students doing these degree programmes is small by comparison 
with Chinese or Japanese Studies, they are stable. We have increasing numbers of 
students electing to do First Level Korean language as an optional subject, and annually 
around 170 students do modules (courses in American English) on a Korean subject or 
Korea-related subject. SOAS will show a similar pattern.

The experience of the development of Korean Studies at the University of Sheffield 
illustrates three points - start up funding from a Korean foundation, support from an East 
Asian Studies department, and support from the central administration.

In the case of Sheffield, we were started up by an initially grant by the Korean Traders' 
Scholarship Foundation (Sanhak chaedan) for 5 years from 1980. Initial teaching of 
Korean language began in the Centre for Japanese Studies in 1979, followed by the 
appointment with Sanhak money of a lecturer (professor in American English) and a 
language instructor in 1980. After 5 years the University picked up the post and it 
became supported by the UK Government as a permanent post. 

Subsequent developments led to the appointment of two further lecturers and the 
temporary appointment of a series of part-time lecturers in various subjects.  This could 
only have happened because the Japanese Studies staff fully supported the 
development of Korean, which it did leading to the creation of the School of East Asian 
Studies. Subsequently, Chinese Studies was added.  

The growth of our department has also been aided by a growing, broader interest in 
East Asia within the University. Currently, the music department has a professor of 
Chinese Music, a Senior Lecturer in Korean Music, and a research associate in Korean 
music. Additionally, Sociological Studies, Linguistics, and other departments have 
added members of staff or research fellows with an interest in East Asia. 

Because the pool of undergraduates interested in East Asia (not to say Korea) is so 
small, a key factor has to be the seriousness of the central administration to promote 
the subject, and the support of a department (area studies or disciplinary) in which the 
subject can be imbedded. At Sheffield, we have been fortunate that these conditions 
were met.

I don't like to discuss another institutions' problems, but the Korea Foundation 
misunderstood the nature of degree programmes at Oxford which follow the traditional 
British finals paper system (sitting 10 final examinations in a subject) and assuming that 
it was like the Korean and American modular systems. The finals paper system means 
that for a degree programme to be viable there must be 3 full-time lecturers 
(professors). If Sheffield had not gone over to a modular system,  it would have been 
difficult to develop the programmes which we have.

The closing of programmes in East Asian Studies or in Korean in this country must also 
be put in the context of the closure of more mainstream departments such as 
Chemistry, French and Geology at other universities. This is due to 'market forces' - 
unfortunately.

We and SOAS have benefitted from funding and research grants from the KF, KRF, the 
Daesan Foundation and others. But the survival and growth of the departments is due to 
the commitment of the central administration and a relevant department to champion 
the subject. Without these two, there is little hope of long-term development.

James H. Grayson

















Prof. James H Grayson, Ph.D.
Director, Centre for Korean Studies
School of East Asian Studies
University of Sheffield
Sheffield, UK  S10 2UJ

j.h.grayson at sheffield.ac.uk

Office: +44 114 222-8418
FAX:  +44 114 222-8432