Academics


Academic Requirements

Master's & Doctoral Programs




Requirements and Procedure

Subject Tests
Students must have been enrolled for a minimum of two semesters and earned at least 12 credits.

Language Tests
Language tests may be taken at any time while the student is enrolled at GSIS.

Application
Application forms for the qualifying examinations are due at the beginning of each semester.

Exam Subjects

 

 Foreign Language

Major Subjects

Notes  

 1st Foreign Language

2nd Foreign Language

  M.A.

Required

 Required

 
Required
 

 Students must meet the test score requirements for
English and a second foreign langugae.

 Ph.D. 

 
Required
 

 
 N/A
 

Required 

Foreign Language Requirements

Degree

Course

1st Foreign Language

2nd Foreign Language

Master’s program

English

  Choose one of the following;

  German, French, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Japanese

 

  *Chinese Character (for Korean major student)

① For international students and Korean nationals residing abroad can choose one from above including Korean.  The students can not choose their mother tongue.

 

② International students and Korean nationals residing abroad, who are majoring Korean studies, and
     DCPP students are required to take Korean instead of English.

Doctoral program

English
 

Not required
 


 -  International students from Non-English speaking regions (students with  International Area Studies major
    and  Korean Studies minor) can choose Korean language instead of English.

 
 -  For international students who are from English speaking regions must choose one language  from German,  French, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese character, and Korean.
 
  • Students who earn at least 3 credits in foreign language courses after enrolling in GSIS and receive a B0 or higher may be exempt from taking that language test on their qualifying examinations. (Note: Students who take foreign language courses during their study abroad programs may be exempt from taking the test on their qualifying examinations, but will not be able to transfer their credits for the courses.)
  • Students who have passed SNULT Level 3 or higher are exempt from the second foreign language requirement.
  • To meet the Korean language requirement, international students must score  60 points or higher on the Korean language test. However, students who receive  'S'  in “Korean Language & Culture 1” or “Korean Language & Korean Culture 2” courses are exempt from taking the Korean language test.
  • Korean Examination:  Students can take Korean written examination (students who fail written examination once or more may take oral examination).
  • Students of Development Cooperation Policy Program can select Korean language for their qualifying examinations.
  • Students may submit a language test score (taken within last two years) to meet their foreign language requirement.  Langauge tests recognized by GSIS are mentioned under:
  •  Students who use English as an official language are regarded as English speakers.. 
  • Language courses credits for qualifying examination will not  be included in official credit.

Language Tests Recognized by GSIS

Language Tests Recognized by GSIS
Language Test name Level Organization
German Geothe-Zertifikat Over A2 Goethe-Institut
Test Daf
French DELF-DALF Over A2 French Government
Chinese HSK Over level 5 Chinese Government
CPT Over 600 points
Spanish DELE Over A2 Centro Cultural Español
Japanese JPT Over 600 points International Communication Foundation (ICF)
JLPT Over N2 Japan Foundation
JTRA Over level 2 JTRA
Russian TORFL Basic level or higher TORFL Korean Center

 

English Proficiency Requirements

Degree
Program (Major)
Minimum Score Requirement
Notes
M.A.
International Commerce
TEPS: 419 (iBT 103)
- Students who have submitted test scores as part of their application for admission (Korean application) are not required to retake any of the English language tests, provided that the scores they had submitted meets the minimum requirement.
- Students who have an undergraduate (or graduate) degree from a university in an English-speaking country must also submit a TEPS or TOEFL score
International Cooperation
International Development
International Area Studies
TEPS: 387 (iBT 99)
Korean Studies
PhD
International Studies
TEPS: 419 (iBT 103)
* Minimum score requirement for TOEFL is subject to change according to regulations of Seoul National University.
* Only IBT TOEFL scores or TEPS scores (within 2 years) are available (not CBT/PBT TOEFL scores).

 

Major Subjects of Qualifying Examination

Major Subjects of Qualifying Examination for M.A.
[M.A.]
Dept.
Program (Major)
Subject
Mandatory
Elective (select 1)
International Studies
International Commerce
International Economic Relations

①International Cooperation

②International Development

③Understanding the East Asia
International Cooperation
International Cooperation

①International Economic Relations

②International Development

③Understanding the East Asia
International
Development
International Development

①International Economic Relations

②International Cooperation

③Understanding the East Asia
International Area Studies
Understanding the East Asia

①International Economic Relations

②International Cooperation

③International Development

Korean Studies
(International Student)
(select 2)
① Korean Society
② Korean History
③ Politics in Global Korea
(Korean Student)
① Modern Korean History and Society
② Modernization and Transformation of Korea Society
Int. Development Cooperation Policy
Program (DCPP)

International Development Studies or Gender and Development (select 1 of 2)

 * Students except Korean Studies, should take “Two Subjects” that they have taken as required courses.

 

Major Subjects of Qualifying Examination for PhD
[PhD]
Program (Major)
Subject
Details
Notes
International Studies
Major 1
Consultation with advisory professor
 
Major 2
Consultation with advisory professor
 

Minor (select 1)
International Commerce
Int’l Economic Relations/ Int’l Business/ Int’l Trade Law/ Int’l Finance/ Development Economy/
Consultation with
advisory professor
International Cooperation
Int’l Politics/ Int’l Law/ Int’l Development/
Int’l Political Economy/
International Area Studies
Chinese/ Japanese/ Korean/ American/
European Studies/
- Prior to thesis defense, candidates should have one or more articles published in a scholarly journal (double blind peer review academic journal) as the author or primary author of two authors or corresponding author).
- Frequency of Application: Candidates are not allowed to apply for thesis qualifying exam more than 4 times. Candidates can apply for 3 sections at a time.
- Application Period: Within 8 semesters after enrolling (excluding leave of absence)

 

※Academic Requirements for course completion could be downloaded below: The disadvantages of not checking the requirements lie with each student.