Minor in Korean

Minoring in Korean helps students acquire not only advanced language skills but also the ability to appreciate and engage with Korean literature, film, and culture from a transnational and interdisciplinary perspective. The growing prominence of Korea in the world economy, its technological innovations, and its emergence as an exporter of global popular culture have created a rapidly rising level of demand for scholars and professionals who are well versed in Korean. The minor thus provides a marketable, as well as academically challenging, complement to any BU undergraduate major.

Hub: Courses taken for the Korean minor will ordinarily also satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic and Historical Interpretation; Diversity, Civic Engagement and Global Citizenship; and Communication, along with requirements in the Intellectual Toolkit.

Requirements

Prerequisite

• CAS LK 212 (Fourth-Semester Korean) or LK 216 (Second-Year Korean for Heritage Speakers) or equivalent proficiency.
• Students interested in the minor who have no prior knowledge or study of Korean are advised to take LK 111 (First-Semester Korean) in their first semester at BU.

Program Requirements

Six 4-credit courses are required, all completed with a grade of C or higher and distributed as follows:

• Two language courses chosen from CAS LK 311, LK 312, LK 313, LK 316, LK 319, and LK 322 (or equivalent proficiency and a substitute course chosen in consultation with the advisor)
• Two Korean literature, culture, or film courses chosen from:
  • CAS LK 250 Introduction to Korean Literature (in English translation)
  • CAS LK 251 Classics of Korean Literature
  • CAS LK 260 Gateway to Asian Cultures (in English translation)
  • CAS LK 314 Classical Chinese I for Students of East Asia
  • CAS LK 375 Growing Up in Korea (in English translation)
  • CAS LK 383 Modern Korean Culture through Cinema (in English translation)
  • CAS LK 470 Topics in Korean Literature and Culture (may be repeated for credit as topics change)
  • CAS LK 475 Major Authors in Korean Literature
  • CAS LK 480 Readings in Korean Literature
• Two electives chosen from additional Korean language courses numbered above CAS LK 400 (such as LK 410, 440, 441, 445, 450 and 460) and/or courses in Chinese, Japanese, and Comparative Literature selected from these approved lists:

Courses in Chinese, Japanese, and Comparative Literature

• CAS LC 250 Masterpieces of Classical Chinese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LC 251 Masterpieces of Modern Chinese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LC 284 Introduction to Chinese Women’s Writing (in English translation)
• CAS LC 285 Topics in Chinese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LC 287 Screening Modern China (in English translation)
• CAS LC/LJ/LK 314 Classical Chinese 1 for Students of East Asia
• CAS LC 450 The Chinese Novel
• CAS LC 470 Topics in Chinese Literature and Culture
• CAS LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 251 Modern Japanese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 451 Topics in Japanese Literature
• CAS LJ 480 Japanese Women Writers (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 481 Topics in Japanese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS XL 224 Introduction to East Asian Literatures
• CAS XL 540 Theory and Practice of Literary Translation

Other East Asian courses may be selected with advisor’s prior approval.

Students must complete a minimum of three courses toward the minor in the Department of World Languages & Literatures (WLL) on the Charles River Campus, and may include up to three approved transfer courses from other colleges and universities or study abroad programs. Study abroad through BU-approved programs in Korea is strongly encouraged, but may be undertaken for transfer credit only with prior approval from the BU Study Abroad Manager for External Programs and the student’s minor advisor. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward the minor.

Placement Test

A placement test is required of all students whose most recent course in Korean was taken while in high school or at a college other than Boston University and who wish to continue their study of this language here. Information about online testing is available at the World Languages & Literatures Department website.