Major in Korean (1160A)

The Korean Language & Literature major provides students with broad and deep knowledge and critical understanding of Korea’s rich literary and cultural traditions and contemporary culture, along with a high level of proficiency in the Korean written and spoken language. The program also enables students to explore Korea’s cultural and historical connections with the rest of East Asia and the world, preparing them to function effectively in cross-cultural contexts and to contribute meaningfully to the global challenges of today’s world. Majors leave the program as critically informed and discerning readers with the ability to communicate their ideas in well-structured and persuasive writing in Korean and in English. We expect graduates to pursue careers in translation, law, journalism, government, education, international business, and other fields.

Like all WLL majors, Korean Language & Literature majors begin with XL 100: Leaving Home: Explorations in World Literature, a team-taught course in which students meet the WLL faculty through guest lectures and are oriented in the rich diversity of the world’s literary traditions. They begin Korean language study as early as possible and complete at least three language courses beyond the fourth-semester level (LK 212). Introduction to Korean Literature (LK 250) or Classics of Korean Literature (LK 251) introduce students to major texts in English translation, and we encourage students to take at least one of them but preferably both courses early in the student’s program. Three or four additional courses in Korean language, literature, and/or culture provide greater depth in areas of special interest to the student. One elective chosen among all WLL courses on languages, literatures, and cultures from around the world outside of Korea enhances understanding of Korea’s place in the world through regional, global and/or historical comparison. Students wishing to explore more of WLL’s course offerings outside of Korea may substitute an additional elective for one of their four courses in Korean language, literature, or culture. Finally, Korean majors reconvene with all WLL majors in the senior capstone seminar XL 479, where they share the expertise, they have gained and work with a faculty mentor on a final project using Korean language materials: a scholarly paper, a translation, a creative work, or other project at a similar level.

Requirements

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through co-curricular activities. Students majoring in Korean will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in AEX, HCO, ETR, IIC (through prerequisite language courses LK 111, LK 112, LK 211, and LK 212), GCI, DME, OSC, WIN, TWC, CRT, and RIL. The remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major.

A total of 11 four-credit courses is required, all completed with a grade of C or higher.

  • Prerequisites: LK 111, LK 112, LK 211, LK 212
  • CAS XL 100 Explorations in World Literature: Leaving Home
  • EITHER LK 250 Intro to Korean Literature OR LK 251 Classics of Korean Literature
  • Three upper-level Korean language courses above LK 212 (including LK 311, LK 312, LK 313, LK 316, LK 317, LK 319, LK 322, LK 410, LK 430, LK 440, LK 450, and LK 460).
  • FOUR courses in Korean language, literature, and/or culture (including LK 260, LK 375, LK 383, LK 470, LK 475, LK 480, and LK 485). If a student takes both LK 250 and LK 251, one of them will be counted as one of the four LK language and literature course requirements.
  • ONE WLL elective, chosen with advisor’s approval from all courses in WLL. May also be satisfied by taking both CAS CC 101 and CAS CC 102, by LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics or a higher-level linguistics course, or by a literature course in Romance Studies, English, or Classics. Option to increase to two courses, substituting for one of four courses in Korean language, literature and/or culture.
  • XL 479 senior seminar.

Honors in the Major

To graduate with Honors in the Major, students must maintain a GPA in the major of at least 3.4 and take two additional courses above the 11 required for the major:

  • one additional Korean focus or WLL breadth course
  • either CAS XL 540 (Theory and Practice of Literary Translation) or LK 401 or 402 (continuation of the thesis begun in the capstone seminar)

 

Minor in Korean (1129B)

Prerequisite Requirements

  • 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.

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 317, LK 319, and LK 322 (unless equivalent proficiency is demonstrated, in which case advisor will determine substitute courses).
  • 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 (in English translation)
    • CAS LK 260 Gateway to Asian Culture (in English translation)
    • CAS LK 375 Growing Up in Korea (in English translation)
    • CAS LK 383 Korean 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 (in English Translation)
    • CAS LK 480 Readings in Korean Literature
    • CAS LK 485 Animals in Premodern Korean Literature
  • Two electives chosen from additional Korean language or literature courses numbered above CAS LK 300 (such as LK410, LK 430, LK 440, LK 445, LK 450, and LK 460) and/or any courses in Chinese (LC), Japanese (LJ), and Comparative Literature (XL).

    Other East Asian courses, such as those offered by the departments of the History of Anthropology, Art and Architecture, Music, or Religion, may be selected with advisor’s prior approval.