What level of Korean is needed for the MA Korean Language Studies?

CEFR B2 at minimum — equivalent to upper-intermediate Korean. Many MA Korean Language Studies students arrive at C1 or above. Applicants are given a short placement task at admission to confirm level. The course is not suitable for beginners or low-intermediate Korean speakers.

Does the MA Korean Language Studies cover K-content localisation?

Yes, as a dedicated specialism strand. K-content localisation is a major employment area for Korean MA graduates — subtitling, dubbing scripts, gaming localisation, marketing copy. The MA Korean Language Studies builds the professional conventions employers in K-content use.

Can the MA Korean Language Studies be studied online or part-time?

Yes. The MA can be taken over 24 months part-time or fully online. Online students join the same seminars by video, complete the same translation portfolio, and write the same dissertation under remote supervision.

Is the MA Korean Language Studies recognised by Korean institutions?

The MA Korean Language Studies is a UK master's-level qualification aligned with King Sejong Institute pedagogical standards. Recognition by specific Korean institutions varies; admissions can advise on equivalency for particular employers or further-study pathways.

What dissertation topics work for the MA Korean Language Studies?

Past examples include a translation analysis of a K-drama subtitle convention, a comparative study of two contemporary Korean novelists in translation and a critical reading of Korean political-discourse coverage in UK media. The MA Korean Language Studies dissertation expects substantive Korean-language source work.

MA Korean Language Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA Korean Language Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for advanced Korean speakers entering senior translation, K-content localisation, cultural and Korea-facing professional roles. You will work through advanced Korean across literary, business and media registers, study translation theory at master's level, and produce a 12,000-to-15,000 word dissertation grounded in Korean-language source material.

The MA Korean Language Studies assumes advanced working competence in Korean (B2-C1 or above) on entry. The course exists to take advanced learners and heritage speakers to professional translation and analytical level — with the academic credentialing UK and international employers in K-content, diplomacy, business and cultural relations look for.

Key Features

UK-recognised master's degree in Korean aligned with King Sejong Institute and CIOL preparatory standards.
Advanced Korean across registers — literary, business, media, academic.
Translation theory and practice at master's level — Korean to English and English to Korean.
K-content specialism strand — translation conventions and industry practice in film, drama, music and webtoons.
Contemporary Korea module — politics, society, intellectual life, North-South dynamics at advanced level.
Dissertation in or about Korean with supervision from a Korean-language specialist.

What You Will Learn

The MA Korean Language Studies is structured around the working competencies of a senior Korean-language professional — advanced Korean, professional translation craft, cultural-and-political literacy and research at master's level. You leave able to translate complex Korean material to professional standard, analyse contemporary Korean society and culture with current scholarship, and write substantively in or about Korean.

Advanced Korean — literary, business, media, academic registers.
Translation theory and practice — modern functional approaches, current debates.
K-content localisation conventions — subtitling, dubbing scripts, webtoon and gaming localisation.
Korean media and contemporary literature.
Contemporary Korea — politics, society, intellectual debate, North-South dynamics.
Korean business and diplomatic registers.
Interpreting fundamentals — short-form liaison interpreting between Korean and English.
Research methods — bibliography in Korean, archival sources, citation conventions.

Who This MA Is For

Advanced Korean speakers entering senior translation, K-content or Korea-facing professional roles.
BA Korean graduates progressing to master's level.
Heritage Korean speakers seeking advanced academic credentialing.
Career-changers in K-content industries seeking research-grade Korean upgrading.

Career Pathways

MA Korean Language Studies graduates move into senior Korean-language professional roles across translation, K-content, business and cultural-relations sectors. Typical post-MA destinations include:

Senior Korean Translator (in-house or freelance)
K-Content Localisation Lead (streaming, publishing, gaming)
Bilingual Account Manager (Korean-facing senior commercial roles)
Korea Programme Officer (cultural relations, embassy, NGO senior roles)
Senior Subtitler (broadcast, streaming, K-drama localisation)
Korean Affairs Researcher (think tank, current-affairs publication)

The MA also supports doctoral research in Korean studies or East Asian area studies.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant professional experience.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers, and demonstrated CEFR B2+ Korean competence.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.